2k1vert

Optimia Yellow Top and a 200 AMP (idle) Ohio Generator alternator and I still get pulsing head lights and voltage drops to 12.0v during heavy bass notes using JL 1000/1 into a 1.7 ohm load.

Best I can figure is the Big-3 is going to be a requirement for me.

I would love to see C5 pic where others have run their wires and where engine and chasis mounting was done.

Thx
2k1vert
:cheers:

corvette-pilot

Big-3

:confused: :confused: :confused:

2k1vert

Wire running from:

battery + to Alt
battery - to chassis
battery - to engine

rbartick

You definitely need a big 3 upgrade. Running that alt with the stock alt output circuit could actually be dangerous. Best case is you blow a fusable link or a charging fuse (have to check the shop manual to see what the car uses to protect the circuit). Worst case is you melt a wire and cause a fire. I am surprised that Ohio didn't tell you a big 3 upgrade is required.

I didn't do a big 3 upgrade on my C5 but I did it on my daily driver. Pic is shown below. Should be pretty easy to do on a C5.



Click image for a larger view :)

2k1vert

Thanks for the advice. I sort of figured that I could potentially melt the wires, so I've have been taking it easy.

The main reason I wanted to see pics is so I could get some idea of where to get a good chassis and engine ground without a lot of trouble. Additionally how to reach the alt without having to jack up the car and get underneath.

Regards
:cheers:

2k1vert

_Nomad_

I see you have posted a lot of comments on Big 3, do you have any knowledge on replacing these wires on a C5? I can not even trace the wire from the Alt back to the battery. I'm not really looking to replace the existing wires, but add additional 4 awg wires the simplest, cleanest way.

Any help/ideas are appreciated.

Thx

rbartick

You do not replace the stock wire. Do not modify the stock wires at all. You just add additional wiring to the circuits.

The first thing you have to do is make up a short run of 0 gauge and run it from chassis ground to the negative post on the battery. You could probably use the ground stud on the frame near the passenger side hood strut. Even the owners manual that comes with your JL amp says to upgrade the chassis to neg batt ground path. This is very important.

The next wire you run is alt output to the positive batt post. In your case this wire should probably be 2 ga and you should protect it with a 150 or 200a ANL fuse. The alternator output terminal is right on the back of the alternator covered by a rubber boot. You can easily put a 2ga power ring on it and run a ANL fused 2ga wire back to the aux positive post next to the battery.

The last wire is the engine ground to neg batt post. This provides a stronger ground path for everything on the engine, including the alternator. There are multiple points you can use for this all over the engine. Use a test light or a multimedia to find a good ground point on the engine and run a 2ga or 4ga wire from that point to the neg batt terminal.

This entire job should not take more than an hour to do.

2k1vert

Thanks for the info rbartick

I understand. I know how I'm going to run the alt to batt pos and I know how I'm going to run engine to batt neg. Your comment of locating the frame near the hood strut opened my eyes. Duh, sometimes I can not see the forest for the trees. The frame is clearly exposed and reasonably accessable to ground to in that vicinity.

Kewl - I'm ready.

Many thanks

:party:

rbartick

You could also just follow the black lead coming from the neg batt post and see where it goes on the chassis. I did not check that out on the car but that lead should not be too long. Do not disable that circuit. Just put a 0-gauge wire onto the same chassis stud and run it back to the neg batt terminal.

leolufse

Take some pics if you think of it. This job is simple in theory, but gets frustrating and costly pretty quickly.

2k1vert

Great idea. I read a lot of threads to find the info I was asking about, but never found and detailed pics that answered all my questions.

Thx
2k1vert :flag

2k1vert

Here is some pics of my Big 3 install. Couple of things worth noting is that the engine ground could/should have been run from a location closer to the battery rather than running it around the front of the engine as I did with the alternator wire.

I used 18 foot of 2 gauge wire, three 1/0 terminal ring connectors and 18 foot of wire loam.

Secondly, I ran the alternator wire in front of the engine as I felt clearence behind the engine was to tight. My thinking was an accident could easily cause the wires to short, so I ran them in front against the fan shroud.

I can tell you that you will need some heavy duty crimpers to crimp 1/0 or 2 gauge terminal rings. I invested in a pair from Home Depot for $21.



I routed the alternator wire and engine ground from the alternator bolt underneath the alternator and next to the drivers side hood strut and across the fan shroud.





I picked up chassis ground from the existing bolt on the passengers side frame just in front of the coolant overflow tank, near the hood strut. I scraped off the black paint from the frame under the bolt before installing the ring terminal.

I may be revisting this connection and actually drilling a new hole to mount the connector with a bigger bolt. We will see....

View perspective is with the hood open and looking from front of car between passenger headlight and hood.




Here is a shot of all the battery connections. I did not separator Car electronics from stereo via the top post and the side posts. I have the amplifier power and ground running from the batteries side posts. Amp power runs through a 200AMP ANL fuse and then gets distributed in the rear of the car through a 150AMP ANL to the JL 1000/1 and a 40 AMP glass fuse for the JL 300/2



Hope this might help others faced with the Big 3 upgrade on a C5.

:cheers:


[Modified by 2k1vert, 9:00 PM 10/14/2003]


[Modified by 2k1vert, 9:01 PM 10/14/2003]


[Modified by 2k1vert, 9:03 PM 10/14/2003]

leolufse

Very nice write up. Maybe you could get this submitted to the C5 tech tips section for archive.

knewblewkorvette

Ross, ten guage to alarm, can you say overkill? :crazy:

2k1vert. Sweet. Come to Iowa so you can help me with running new power and ground wire in my truck. PS Bring Jay Lovelace with you :rofl:

2k1vert

Thank you leolufse
I will see if I can find out what it takes to get it listed in the C5 Tech Tips section.

2k1vert

kbk
Iowa is a bit far, but from looking at your pics of the vette, I'm sure you will not have any problems.

I saw Jay today. I bought a Rockford Power H2X since I blew the ID Max yesterday. That is another story tho.

knewblewkorvette

yeah, i just wanted to see your vette and meet you and Jay, tell him to bring one of those SPL monsters :eek:

rbartick

10ga costs about 25 cents a foot. I would not call it overkill for my application.

knewblewkorvette

Yes twenty-five cents a foot is cheap. I wasn't trying to be bad, overkill is good :D A lot of the major current draw an alarm uses (ie, strobes, lights, etc.)should have relays on them so they do not draw too much current through the alarm's brain.
I useoverkill in alot of my systems such as 15 farad caps in two of my auto systems.
I'm working on an additional sub enclosure for my home system which will then boast five JL Audio 18W6s and 4200 watts rms of Crown power for the low end. Now that will be overkill :yesnod:

rbartick

True, but the alarm unit I am using came with a 15a fuse and I needed to run over 10 feet of cable to get from the battery to the brain. Power cable selection charts show a 15a draw for 13 feet to be right in between the 12 and 10 gauge cable. I went the safe route. Here is a cable chart :)