Let’s talk VOLTAGE

[Erik the Awful]

Aluminum wiring in an automotive application is junk.

Ask any long-term owner of a A/G-body. My buddy and I had to run new wires for his taillights. The next week we were back in there, running new wires for the fuel gauge. GM saved about a buck per vehicle, and paid it all back in warranty claims.

 

[HotWheelsBurban]

Aluminum wiring ain't so great in a house either! You don't want to know how I know.

 

[Donald Mitchell]

Another thought about your hyperflash only happening one turn signal would lead me to check the resistor and ground near the light itself.

 

[Blanco_obs]

What is skin affect? Also no change other then when the bass hits the gauge doesn’t go with it. Now I notice when I apply my brake and put it in reverse the voltage drops some and when I have the lights on and apply any load like the blower motor turn signal brake pedal those are the biggest drains on my voltage gauge now if I don’t have any of those including the lights. My voltage is right around 14

 

[TheAutumnWind]

What is skin affect? Also no change other then when the bass hits the gauge doesn’t go with it. Now I notice when I apply my brake and put it in reverse the voltage drops some and when I have the lights on and apply any load like the blower motor turn signal brake pedal those are the biggest drains on my voltage gauge now if I don’t have any of those including the lights. My voltage is right around 14

My dash voltage gauge blips all the time despite overkill wiring and alternator upgrade. Typically only reads around 13.9. I need to get a voltmeter on it. I suspect its the dash.

 

[Blanco_obs]

Idk what it is

 

[Blanco_obs]

But then again like no loads brake pedal applied and psg then it’s fine. But put loads on and foot on brake and right it will flash faster

 

[Ehall8702]

These truck for one were equiped with a puny alternator, but two the wire from battery to main fuse block needs an upgrade and a "big 3 ( or big 4 is better)" will stop gauge flickering and dimming. Unless u r pushing over 1k watts rms the stock alt will be fine still. If running more , get a bigger alt. I run a 300a on 9k rms and voltage barely moves at full tilt.
And CCA wire is garbage, spend the extra few bucks and get OFC. next smaller size ofc will carry more current than bigger cca and do it with less voltage drop and less heat too.

 

[Ehall8702]

I guess I should note. If I do drive with no loads with a around 13-13.8. But once I put a load on like turn signals each pulse it will drop the voltage then return to where it was before the drop. I

.

Run a new wire from battery to underhood fuse block and most ppl do big 3 but never add a ground from alternator to battery, I use the bottom mounting bolts if the alt to the battery ground, I also ad a short piece from battery ground to the fender which replaces stock tiny wire that's already there.

 

[NO4NSHT]

So i have a good question for everyone. My truck is a 94 C1500 305 tbi.
I keep seeing all these posts about a fusible Link in between the alternator and the battery but I don't have a fuse in between my alternator in my battery? Am i supposed to have one?
I have OFC 6ga here at the house with the ends already on them perfect length to go from my alternator to my battery and then battery to ground on fender and motor to chassis ground. Which my alternator charging wire and my negative to my inner fender ground wire are 10 or 12ga.

I also seen some on some forums where it says that the battery negative is supposed to be grounded as close as possible to the starter but mine is grounded on the intake? I always thought it was supposed to be grounded on the frame so does my truck have the negative ground in the wrong spot or is that correct?

I do have a negative ground strap from the back of my passenger side cylinder head to the frame and I am definitely going to upgrade that to an actual OFC copper wire but I also have no ground wire from the negative battery terminal to the chassis? Shouldn't the negative terminal be grounded on the chassis? Because the motor is grounded by the ground strap from the cylinder head to the chassis?

I know everything I read everyone says to go to 4 gauge but I don't really plan on putting two wild of a system in it because it's a single cab and I prefer 15's and I can't fit them without making a custom bench seat subwoofer box.. Which I've done before but I don't know if I really want to again lol. So the 6ga will be a helluva lot better than the current setup.