Big 3 upgrade

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Casey916

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By installing larger wiring from the Alt to the battery, you improve the charging of the alt. A larger wire flows more current. It lets the battery hold its charge better under load. By adding the same size wire from the Alt case to the neg battery connection, this completes the path for current to flow into and out of the battery from the alt. The rest of the wires, improve the grounds in your truck. When running a sub amp, most people do not run a ground wire to the amp,positive wire, and ground the amp the the just a the body of the truck. This ground is running through bolts, and rubber mounts and smaller wires. I did a big 5 up grade on my 97. So 1 positive wire from the alt to the battery, with a fuse before the battery. then a ground from the alt case, to the neg on the battery. This is important for charging the battery. Then a ground from the battery to the frame, 1 more from the battery to the engine, and 1 more to the cab of the truck where the radiator over flow bottle bolts to the fire wall. My wind shield wipers speed up after the up grade. I didnt think that would happen, but a better ground does make a difference. Also when doing the up grade, you do not remove any of the OE wires, you just add to what is there already. I also noticed that my amp doesnt clip out as easy as it did before. I did my upgrade, not long before I did my electric fan install. Without the big 3 (or big 5 in my case) the alt and battery would have a hard time keeping up with the electric fan up grade at idle. I made my own kit my self. My amp is a 680 watt Pioneer. I welded 2 3/8 bolts back to back to install the extra wires for the grounds. I installed the amp and sub years ago, so the positive side, I only needed to add 1 more wire and had room to do that with the upgrade I had done for the amp power wire. Here are a few pics of my set up. I did move the wire on the rad over flow bottle to the other top bolt where it doesnt show so much.
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where did yiu put your fuse at
 

kennythewelder

Officially Retired, B31-3 (6-G) certified welder.
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Is your under hood just painted or is that something else and where did you get the radeator support like that
Not painted, polished aluminum. Only the smaller bowtie in the center is painted black. The radiator support, is stainless steel. All of witch I built.
 
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