Big 3 question

[09sedan]

Do i have to put a inline fuse for the 0 gauge run from the alternator to the battery? ( if so how big should it be?)

[sqcomp]

Plan the fuse holder in a smart area. The argument is that you have a hot wire coming off the positive of the battery...which is true. If it grounds you'd want to fuse the hot wire.

That being said, think about it...Why are you going to put a fuse on it? In case the wire comes out or you get into a wreck. The first necessitates a smack to the back of the head if you can't secure a wire in the vehicle correctly. The second necessitates a big scratch of the head.

Why? Because if you indeed crunch up the engine compartment that fuse better be VERY close to the battery positive to really work as it is intended. Don't leave much if any wire lead before the fuse off the positive for it to potentially catch on metal.

"There are 2 connections which must be intact or upgraded when adding any components that draw significant amounts of current. The first is the short ground wire which connects the negative battery terminal to the vehicle's chassis. The other connection is the braided ground strap that connects the engine block to the chassis." -BCAE1

"Realize that the "absolute ground" of the electrical system is not the battery negative terminal or the vehicle chassis, but is the case of the alternator itself. This is why perhaps the most important cable among the Big 3 is the engine ground strap, as this is what connects the alternator ground to the vehicle's chassis." - the12Volt.com

[TOLMACH]

Originally Posted by 09sedan

Do i have to put a inline fuse for the 0 gauge run from the alternator to the battery? ( if so how big should it be?)

I have the fuse that I hope will protect the car's electrical network if I f.uck up something (I once made a short cicrcuit in my system - the spark (supported by the the 1.5F capacitor) was EPIC.. I have 70 or 80 A fuse (do not remember) which is sort of alternator't top output level (my logic is to go for the lowest reasonable value for this fuse).

I placed the fuseholder near the passenger side strut
http://photo.qip.ru/users/tolmach/96608749/126157541/

(my .02)

[09sedan]

so fuse alternator to battery positive wire as close as possible to battery, got it.

how big should the fuse be? (120-150 amps?)

as for the engine block to chassis ground strap, do i replace it, or run the 0 gauge ground right beside it ?( ie just remove nut from bolt and slide on the new wire right beside the factory one)

[sqcomp]

Never replace the OEM run. Just add.











Why don't I have mine fused? Because I'm a disagreeable cus who has actually tied the wire more securely after these pics were taken. If the wreck I get into is big enough to dislodge the tie and the connection from the battery, I've got much bigger issues than a fuse which would most likely be disintegrated anyway.

[09sedan]

ok, well if i can run it , ill just secure the power wire along the firewall somewhere, away from the front of the car, as for the engine block to chassis ground, where is it located ,any pics? i will be ordering the wire from knukonceptz either tonight or tommorow, along with ring terminals.. i dont think i need to replace the battery terminals?

[_S7V7N_]

Okay if you decide to use a fuse you want it about 6-8 inches from your battery anything outside of that is useless. If you got into a wreck and your engine compartment was compromised you'd want your fuse to be as close to your battery as possible. If you're going to put that fuse further it's useless due to the fact if the wire grounds anywhere outside of the circled area it will cause a short and a fire.

Sq can you please show the picture of how you grounded your alternator ?

[09sedan]

Originally Posted by _S7V7N_

Okay if you decide to use a fuse you want it about 6-8 inches from your battery anything outside of that is useless. If you got into a wreck and your engine compartment was compromised you'd want your fuse to be as close to your battery as possible. If you're going to put that fuse further it's useless due to the fact if the wire grounds anywhere outside of the circled area it will cause a short and a fire.

Sq can you please show the picture of how you grounded your alternator ?

cool , thanks for the info, i think i will fuse the power wire, better safe then sorry, what amp rating should i use, my current amplifier has one 30 amp fuse, the 4 channel i plan on putting in has two 30 amp fuses, so all 3 shouldnt draw more then 90 amps at peak, i was thinking a 100 amp fuse on the power wire should be enough?

[_S7V7N_]

You are going to have a 90 amp fuse on your alt to battery run and some people fuse the wire for the amperage it can support and run a fused distro block in the trunk or do it the way you're saying with a 90 amp fuse.

[09sedan]

Originally Posted by _S7V7N_

You are going to have a 90 amp fuse on your alt to battery run and some people fuse the wire for the amperage it can support and run a fused distro block in the trunk or do it the way you're saying with a 90 amp fuse.

Ok, ill check my current 4 gauge tommorow and see what brand it is and what kind of fuse it has, ill probably just do a 100 amp fuse on alt-battery wire and put a distro block in the trunk. Hopefully ill be ordering my 0 gauge on sunday as well, i can use ring terminals(crimp type, but i will solder as well) on the stock battery terminals correct?

[packetrace]

SQ!! Where did you bought the red thing around you cable ?:D

[sqcomp]

Tolm,

Why the fuse placement on the other side of the engine bay?

@packetrace - you mean the heat shrink? :)

Alty ground:




^and yes, it is grounded properly. I used a brush attachment on a drill to scrape the paint away from the body.

[_S7V7N_]

Lol @ Sq I thought his battery was on the opposite side of his car ! That thing is like 4 feet from the battery. I thought at the most 12 inches from the battery for any fuse is the max ?

[09sedan]

Originally Posted by sqcomp

Tolm,

Why the fuse placement on the other side of the engine bay?

@packetrace - you mean the heat shrink? :)

Alty ground:




^and yes, it is grounded properly. I used a brush attachment on a drill to scrape the paint away from the body.

would this suffice as a engine - chassis ground?

[TOLMACH]

^SQ, S7

The pic above is for the @alternator to battery@ fuse, my primary fuse is near the battery

http://photo.qip.ru/users/tolmach/96608749/126157534/

[sqcomp]

Tolm,

I just didn't see a fuse near the battery, that's why I asked.

@ 09 - that point would not serve as a good engine to chassis since it's not actually a connection ON the engine block. Take a look under the engine...hint hint.

[_S7V7N_]

Tolm that fuse is too far from the battery. If that wire were ever to come out of that holder it would be flopping around and has the potential to ground off and cause a short. If you look at the two red lines l Right of circle l you have about 3 feet of wire that can get punctured that the fuse will not protect.

Pretty much all of the wire to the right of the circled area is not protected (fused)

[09sedan]

ok after inspecting the current amp kit i have, i decided to scratch a part of the exposed strands to see if its pure copper or CCA, it seems to me that it looks like CCA, here is the amp kit i believe i have

http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_...y-Scosche.html