OEM Electrical System Upgrade II of II: BIG THREE, Grounding Kit Big Brother (HOW-TO)
08-26-2006, 05:41 PM
#1
OEM Electrical System Upgrade II of II: BIG THREE, Grounding Kit Big Brother (HOW-TO)
This is the second section of my electrical system upgrade. You can read the first part, how to upgrade the OEM ground wire, here.
This how-to will be convering the details on how to perform the upgrade known as the 'Big Three'. Essentially, it will yeild the following:
1) Reduced dimming and smaller voltage drops
2) More stable voltage and better current flow
3) Less strain on your vehicle's charging system
The BIG THREE consists of:
(1) Battery negative to chassis
(2) Alternator to battery positive
(3) Engine Block to chassis
...it essentially does the same thing as a conventional grounding kit, however it does so in a different fashion. I am not a big fan of grounding kits as I prefer this method. People will argue this one way or another, but I swear by this. So, let's get started!
TOOLS/SUPPLIES
10mm Socket
12mm Socket
Ratchet
10ft. of 1/0AWG Power Cable
3 1/0AWG Ring Terminals
1 1/0AWG Fuse Terminal w/ 300-amp fuse
STEP I - BATTERY NEGATIVE TO CHASSIS
Simple enough. We are going to be making an attachement from the negative terminal of the battery to the chassis. If you peek behind the battery you will see a good place to plant the wire.
Remove the bolt with your 10mm socket and sand away the spot to bare steel. After that, attach about a 1-ft. length of wire to one of your terminals, crimp, and bolt everything back together.
STEP II - BATTERY POSITIVE TO ALTERNATOR POST
Alright, this one is a bit more tricky. You are going to need about 5ft of wire split into two equal 2.5ft. lengths. We are going to be attaching the wire to the battery positive to a fuse terminal, then fuse terminal to alternator post.
You can find the alternator just to the outside end of the engine block on the passenger side. Look for a rubber boot covering a bolt. That's your alternator post. We'll start there. Remove the bolt using a 12mm socket.
Attach one crimped end of the 1/0AWG wire to the bolt, then screw everything back together.
Take the lead attached to the alt. post and run this to the fuse. Take the other length of wire and run this from the opposite end of the fuse and lead it to the battery. We're almost done!
This how-to will be convering the details on how to perform the upgrade known as the 'Big Three'. Essentially, it will yeild the following:
1) Reduced dimming and smaller voltage drops
2) More stable voltage and better current flow
3) Less strain on your vehicle's charging system
The BIG THREE consists of:
(1) Battery negative to chassis
(2) Alternator to battery positive
(3) Engine Block to chassis
...it essentially does the same thing as a conventional grounding kit, however it does so in a different fashion. I am not a big fan of grounding kits as I prefer this method. People will argue this one way or another, but I swear by this. So, let's get started!
TOOLS/SUPPLIES
10mm Socket
12mm Socket
Ratchet
10ft. of 1/0AWG Power Cable
3 1/0AWG Ring Terminals
1 1/0AWG Fuse Terminal w/ 300-amp fuse
STEP I - BATTERY NEGATIVE TO CHASSIS
Simple enough. We are going to be making an attachement from the negative terminal of the battery to the chassis. If you peek behind the battery you will see a good place to plant the wire.
Remove the bolt with your 10mm socket and sand away the spot to bare steel. After that, attach about a 1-ft. length of wire to one of your terminals, crimp, and bolt everything back together.
STEP II - BATTERY POSITIVE TO ALTERNATOR POST
Alright, this one is a bit more tricky. You are going to need about 5ft of wire split into two equal 2.5ft. lengths. We are going to be attaching the wire to the battery positive to a fuse terminal, then fuse terminal to alternator post.
You can find the alternator just to the outside end of the engine block on the passenger side. Look for a rubber boot covering a bolt. That's your alternator post. We'll start there. Remove the bolt using a 12mm socket.
Attach one crimped end of the 1/0AWG wire to the bolt, then screw everything back together.
Take the lead attached to the alt. post and run this to the fuse. Take the other length of wire and run this from the opposite end of the fuse and lead it to the battery. We're almost done!
08-26-2006, 05:54 PM
#2
STEP III - ENGINE BLOCK TO CHASSIS
The final step is simple enough. Start off by locating a spot where you want to land the lead on the chassis. I chose an empty bolt hole located by the engine block. Sand away as we have done before.
Next, simply ground this to the engine block. I chose one of the 10mm bolts located on the side of the block. You can choose just about anywhere on the block; for instance, you will see two grounding points on top of the block. Golden rule with grounding wires is to keep them as short as possible, so just keep that in mind when doing this...
...and now you're done! Here's a shot of the battery when all is said and done...pretty bada'ss if I say so myself!
The final step is simple enough. Start off by locating a spot where you want to land the lead on the chassis. I chose an empty bolt hole located by the engine block. Sand away as we have done before.
Next, simply ground this to the engine block. I chose one of the 10mm bolts located on the side of the block. You can choose just about anywhere on the block; for instance, you will see two grounding points on top of the block. Golden rule with grounding wires is to keep them as short as possible, so just keep that in mind when doing this...
...and now you're done! Here's a shot of the battery when all is said and done...pretty bada'ss if I say so myself!
08-26-2006, 06:03 PM
#4
Originally Posted by n3985
Nice tutorial! We even used the same wire haha. But, isn't it recommended to have the fuse for the positive battery>alternator wire to be within 6 inches of the battery?
Oh, and doncha LOVE the SE wire? MAN it's flexible!!!
08-26-2006, 06:09 PM
#6
Originally Posted by n3985
It is a great wire, but cutting off the plastic coating and hammering on the ring terminal FTL. 
08-27-2006, 01:17 AM
#10
would it be worth it to do this with 4 AWG or do I really need to use 0?
08-27-2006, 02:46 AM
#11
Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 45
Looking damn good! I never even thought about putting the original power wire on the front terminal, what size bolt did you use?. Great job on the clean install
.
^^As for wire size, you can use 4 gauge wire, but 1/0 or bigger seems to be the choice for the big 3 since the bigger the wire the less resistance.
.^^As for wire size, you can use 4 gauge wire, but 1/0 or bigger seems to be the choice for the big 3 since the bigger the wire the less resistance.
08-27-2006, 08:13 AM
#13
Originally Posted by SilverGLE
Same question... I don't believe using 1/0 is worth the extra cost compared to 4 gauge.
Also, what size fuse did you use? I was thinking of 150A, since the alt is rated for 110A or so (OEM size).
08-27-2006, 08:15 AM
#14
Originally Posted by Jfree
Looking damn good! I never even thought about putting the original power wire on the front terminal, what size bolt did you use?. Great job on the clean install
^^As for wire size, you can use 4 gauge wire, but 1/0 or bigger seems to be the choice for the big 3 since the bigger the wire the less resistance.
08-27-2006, 08:25 AM
#16
Originally Posted by GBAUER
...hope you painted the bare metal after you attached your grounds.
Even so, you're right, it would be in the best interests to paint over them if you were concerned about corrosion.
08-27-2006, 08:29 AM
#17
Originally Posted by Metal Maxima
They'll be fine. The car is a 2001, making it half a decade old, and there is no significant wear on any of the bolt heads.
Even so, you're right, it would be in the best interests to paint over them if you were concerned about corrosion.
Even so, you're right, it would be in the best interests to paint over them if you were concerned about corrosion.
08-27-2006, 08:31 AM
#18
Originally Posted by GBAUER
you live in Jersey. With all that salt, you should take a look at those spots in the spring....
08-27-2006, 12:21 PM
#22
if u already have hypergrounding will the big 3 make any difference
specifically, the only difference would be the alternator->batt connection
ill probly do big3 in addition 2 my current setup
lovin the engine grounding
no chance of trapped electrons there
specifically, the only difference would be the alternator->batt connection
ill probly do big3 in addition 2 my current setup
lovin the engine grounding
no chance of trapped electrons there
08-27-2006, 12:28 PM
#23
Originally Posted by crazy97
The starter should be grounded as well.
You may not need it yet, but eventually you will....
I dealt with this in my sig->
You may not need it yet, but eventually you will....
I dealt with this in my sig->thx 4 sharin
and findin out the hard way for the rest of us
$2k 4 a harness
sick
is this a 4th gen only problem as far as u no
08-27-2006, 12:41 PM
#24
Originally Posted by trigger005
wow
thx 4 sharin
and findin out the hard way for the rest of us
$2k 4 a harness
sick
is this a 4th gen only problem as far as u no
thx 4 sharin
and findin out the hard way for the rest of us
$2k 4 a harness
sick
is this a 4th gen only problem as far as u no
One 5th genner has had this (Max Gator) on that thread. I think more will follow.
08-27-2006, 04:25 PM
#26
See, here's the thing - I do. You are making the addition as to supplement as much current as possible between the alternator and the battery, ergo, it is of great benifit to use the larget possible wire. Also, alot of people don't like using 1/0AWG vs. 4 or 8AWG as a matter of economics. They simply don't want to shell out the extra money. It would behoove them in every respect to use the larget wire possible.
When performing this upgrade, the fuse should be rated for the cpacitance of the wire...not the alternator.
08-27-2006, 04:41 PM
#27
Originally Posted by PAREDLINE
Looks like you're the man to call if the space shuttle ever needs a jump. Nice job on the 00 cable. How much did that set you back?
08-27-2006, 06:37 PM
#29
I was wondering if it would be, but unfortunatley it is not. All of the LEDs I have don't draw in excess of 25A, which really is not all that much, so I did not suspect it would help at all.
08-27-2006, 06:59 PM
#31
Originally Posted by MyownNismo
what about my question. Do you have a 4gauge sized wire going into the fusebox. I do. This is something I will look into once I get settled in from moving.
Oh, and I think it's absolutley hilarious that someone rated this thread one star. I have my suspicions as to who it could have been, and, if it was, you can go f'uck yourself. You bring nothing to the table.
08-27-2006, 07:02 PM
#32
Originally Posted by Metal Maxima
Ah, yes. My apologies.
Oh, and I think it's absolutley hilarious that someone rated this thread one star. I have my suspicions as to who it could have been, and, if it was, you can go f'uck yourself. You bring nothing to the table.
Oh, and I think it's absolutley hilarious that someone rated this thread one star. I have my suspicions as to who it could have been, and, if it was, you can go f'uck yourself. You bring nothing to the table.
who me. 10 char.
08-27-2006, 07:06 PM
#33
Originally Posted by MyownNismo
who me. 10 char.
No, no, no...certainely not you; sorry if it came across that way.
Someone rated this thread with a single star. I find it to be wholly humorous how some people whom do absolutley nothing to innovate find it nessecary to spite a helpful thread.
08-27-2006, 07:46 PM
#34
Originally Posted by Metal Maxima
08-28-2006, 04:35 AM
#36
Originally Posted by Metal Maxima
No, no, no...certainely not you; sorry if it came across that way.
Someone rated this thread with a single star. I find it to be wholly humorous how some people whom do absolutley nothing to innovate find it nessecary to spite a helpful thread.
Someone rated this thread with a single star. I find it to be wholly humorous how some people whom do absolutley nothing to innovate find it nessecary to spite a helpful thread.
09-20-2006, 04:50 AM
#39
Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 112
Originally Posted by D-Bo
I have the HPM terminal with the voltmeter and was thinking about te display being upside down. What are your thoughts Dan? I would rather have it oriented so it's readable from the front. Did it not make a difference or was that easier for routing the cables?
Where u got the terminals with the voltmeter from???
