6:59 When connecting to an aftermarket battery terminal such as shown, it's best to first put the bare wire into a wire ferrule and then clamp it down inside the terminal block with the Allen set screw. This keeps the individual wire filaments from fraying and makes a better overall connection.
Yeah I became a believer in wire ferrules after the first use... To think how many stereo systems I installed without those things back in 90s and 2000s...lol..
if you don't want to buy the crimping tool you can also just use solder to hold the ends together. The solder also gives the set screw something nice and soft to bite into for a great connection.
@@knifeknerdreviews4609In my opinion, not that impressed so far. The 1/0 ones I bought for my power wire wouldn’t fit into my 1/0 EFX distribution block. My 8 gauge ferrules don’t fit into any terminal on my older Rockford Fosgate 4 channel, or 2 channel even. Also on the 1/0 the ferrule was too small for my sky high 1/0 wire. I order all of the ferrules from Crutchfield. The 14 gauge ones worked ok but didn’t really clamp to the wire like I would’ve liked
This is the best Big 3 Upgrade videos that I've seen. The camera work is stable. You can see almost everything mentioned. The presentation is organized and features graphics. The presenter is knowledgeable, smooth, and easy to understand. The presenter is wearing a lav mic so the viewer can hear him clearly. The video presents more than one vehicle to illustrate differences in vehicle designs and challenges they may present. I give a big thumbs up on this very informative video!
I understand they did a good job on explaining. But you seem to not know sh$t! If you need a here is the battery an this is an engine block break down. You do not need to touch anything. You need to hire some1. You need basic skills an common knowledge before most if not all you tube DIY videos.
And additional 'tip' is before you crimp the terminal end, is to dip the freshly stripped wire into some light oil (PB blaster, WD-40 etc) because the wound wire will 'wick' the oil back up under the rest of the wire insulation to help prevent corrosion seeping up into wire after time. And then if you decide to use heat shrinking sleeves, it will protect just that much better. (ESPECIALLY for the Northern states that use salt etc on the roadways)
You can also solder it in, which will create a metal to metal bond which will leave no room between the wire and the connector and prevent oxidation between them
Always disconnect the battery negative before starting any electrical service. It is safety & protects electronics! Best practices are good. Purchase a digital multi meter (DMM) to have the ability to do “Voltage Drop” test and (OCV) open circuit voltage at the battery. There are good videos on both. The battery stored energy to start the car, un-lock, lock and power lights plus many other duties like certain memory functions & clock. Yours will vary. The alternator uses diodes to direct energy to negative (Back Case of Alternator) and the B+. Negative to the battery completes a DC circuit and most cars don’t have a “Full” dedicated frame. Negative wire to the battery (As his Example) have a “Tee” inline, that bolts to chassis but to the engine. Rebuilding or modifying can be fun but a good cable for negative should attach from the back of the alternator and continue on to the battery. You need grounds everywhere to chassis, engine, battery, frame (If applicable) but the littles ones found on intakes, cylinder head or rocker arm cover to the firewall (Bulkhead) are required but the battery to the block is the big one. After all, you want it to crank to start. A good battery tested at 100% state of health and (OCV) at 12.6-12.8 Vdc is correct. The alternator will charge a good battery at less than 1/2 an amp while driving. OEM alternators sense B+ but also temperature. Cold batteries take as much as 14.2 volts as hot batteries take 13.2. The Marine industry + some auto’s with the battery under the rear seat has temp sensors to adjust the rate of charge. Use wire that is quality with “Star Washers” inside or out that dig into both metals, the connector & car. Yes, remove paint to a minimum but protect your connections with a $6 tube of dielectric grease. Adding amps, DSP, and other aftermarket components need a single large fuse that totals the added load. Placed next to the battery as close as one can. Route using existing rubber grommet and avoid all pinch points to avoid fire. Amp clamps w / direct readout are reasonably priced and with the loads on, measure each. Write this down and purchase a distribution fuse center. Sizing wire for unknown amps is guessing and boxes lye about amperage requirements. You can never use “OutPut” for calculation of picking the correct fuse. Start with only the size indicated by the component then the system on at full, the amp clamp will show the correct fuse by 28.6 amps, get a 30 amp fuse, not a 50 amp. The fuse protects the wire and not the component. Voltage drop is measuring the loss of voltage across point “A” to point “B” while on at maximum. The higher the circuit amps, the higher the voltage drop, so a 120 amp circuit voltage drop is 0.500 Vdc. 1/2 of a volt is lost! Normal. 16 amp circuit will show 0.050 Vdc loss. Like headlights or blower fan. These are series circuits, therefore the component uses all the voltage in the circuit. A new switch, wires, connectors, fuse and ground will add up losses when on and new. Measure with DMM on volts, turn on circuit and measure B+ side, ground side both to battery, the component gets the rest. Anything kissing high volts is resistance due the ground, connector, switch, wire or even a fuse. Follow these suggestions and you will have no problems and it works well in diagnosing. Amps to a fuel pump are about 7.0 - 8.5 Amps. Higher than this, plugged filter, pinched line, etc. Lower means the pump is worn and will fail. A simple fuse jumper wire plugged in at the fuel pump fuse w / Amp clamp will show. Voltage drop? If the black or red meter leads are backward, the reading is the same only with a (-) sign in front of it.
I have done this upgrade to a dozen different cars. but why? you will not gain any horsepower. but your car will start faster, your battery will last a little longer, reduce chances of shorts and check engine lights, and your interior lights and gouge will be slightly brighter. to the engineers that say don't do it. the car manufactures especially imports use the bare minimum metal and materials to get by to maximize profit on quantity of cars sold. we live in a world where quality is rare and quantity dominates. just look at the food Mcdonald's sells.
Apparently, you missed the entire statement by Freeyourmind88 of why, surprisingly for people who do more than just let their cars drive them, we knew it had nothing to do with stereo installs although it could be applicable at a later point. VW's before 2010 should've automatically came with an upgrade kit as those cars were the poster child of bare minimum wiring.
Sir, you are the very first (v1st) vehicle mechanic that I see working under the hood seating down. Excellent ... absolutely nothing wrong in working in a "comfy" style! Sir, thank you for your great video on "The big three (3).
As a certified automotive technician of way too many years, and an avid car audio lover since before i could legally drive - please, when you put your wires into your eyelets or other terminal connectors - solder the wire into the connector. If you're not comfortable torching 0 gauge into a eyelet at least use heat shrink instead of the rubber sleeves over the connections to prevent oxidation and corrosion. Your vehicles electrical system will thank you and it's much safer.
Quick tips- The nuts/bolts on the strut towers which hold the strut mount to the chassis work extremely well as ground points because they are nice and large, the metal on the strut towers is thick, and you can tighten them down tight without stripping it or causing damage because they are large and sturdy. Just don't ground to the strut/mount itself since it's usually isolated by rubber bushings. I would also suggest finding a large bolt on a sturdy part of the engine block or head to connect the ground to instead of connecting it to a small bolt on a valve cover, bracket, or something similar. That way the cable is connected to a thick piece of metal that can handle current well, and you can tighten the bolt down nice and tight for a solid connection. Also, as he said, make absolutely sure to sand/wire brush all connections to clean, shiny metal since paint and oxidized metal are very poor conductors. I hope that this information helps someone
@@micheledianemiller4589 Great point, thanks for mentioning that! I was referring to the nuts that hold the strut mount to the strut tower rather than the nut that holds the strut to the mount, but after rereading my comment I realize that what I wasn't totally clear, so I edited it for clarity so I don't confuse anyone.
When you remove the nut that holds the struts, does it loosen the struts and does it need to be aligned back or something? Can we just loosen one of the nuts, put the wires there and just tighten the nut just like that and all will be fine? Its the first time I’m gonna do the big 3 so I’m quite nervous. Appreciate your inputs. Thanks a lot.
@@TruthSeekerAll It won't loosen anything or affect the alignment. Just remove one of the nuts/bolts holding the mount to the chassis (not the one in the center holding the strut to its mount), sand or grind the surface under the head to clean, shiny metal, install the terminal, and reinstall the nut/bolt. If you are nervous about using a strut mount nut/bolt, there are a bunch of other things you can use too. I just found that the strut mount bolts work well almost universally since they are large and the strut towers are thick. If you have any more questions, feel free to ask
The Big Three Upgrade is a great insurance for a trouble free starting system for the life of the vehicle. If you don't have a wiring kit, any welding shop can provide very high quality DC cables, sold by the foot and a variety of quality connectors. Total upgrade cost is about $50 and a little driveway labor.
If the upgrade prevents even one tow during the life of the vehicle, it's paid for. Without the upgrade, failure of any of these wires can cause expensive damage to the battery, the alternator, starter and other charging components.
That small wire you made fun of that you thought was the engine ground, wasn't the engine ground. That is a small ground wire made for the spark plugs in the head and the ignition system. Replacing that wire did nothing. You failed to identify the engine ground wire, which is most likely behind and back of the motor. So your customer only got a "big 2 upgrade" but he paid for a "big 3 upgrade". This happens a lot on Hondas, too.
It will work for the meantime but after about a year I would definitely check the wire for the small possibility of overheating wire. Though it tends to to happen more times than not on the positive side of the polarity.
My brother had a '69 Camaro, California car with very little rust. Constant electrical problems, too many to list. Ended up running heavy gage wire replacing factory positive and negative battery cables. Helped! Added heavy ground wires to several spots of front body panels. Helped more! Ran ground terminals with connections to each other. Much better! Then, ran heavy Ground to engine block, both cylinder heads, and front frame. It made a world of difference. Was amazed how much resistance there was between metal on car...
All done on the Saab 900. Put 4ga from the alternator to the battery and went from 12 volts to 13.1 no load and much more stable when adding load. Thanks Sonic
I actually upgraded, and added a few more grounding points to my 1985 Corolla GT-S, along with the battery ground, over a decade ago. I thought of the alternator charging wire to the battery but wasn't sure how to do it. I will be definitely be upgrading the charging wire today which will compliment my upgraded alternator (OEM was a mere 60 amperes) with a 100 amperes unit for a 1993 MR2 (w-p/s), which happens to be Plug & Play. Thanks a lot for this informative video, very helpful!
You do, but i guess that isn't technically part of the "Big 3" upgrade. But if you're running more than 1000-1200 WRMS, it's reccomened to buy a high output alternator and REPLACE your stock alt with it. I can push upwards of 1200 watts in my chevy s-10 but the headlights dim significantly and im sure its not good on the battery or the alt when i do that. Sucks because alts cost a shitton of money even if you just want a little extra wattage like 1500rms.
This is a great idea for preventing the dreaded - rusty and falling off wires that are burnt and rubbed through and sparking when it rains and there is road salt. Up my way - this kind of stuff is for diesels, like the old or new TDI or old Mech pumps. Winter requires a 1000 COLD CRANK AMPS. And then you have to get all that power to the starter and not melt off the connections, so dont forget to keep going with the upgrades. Best regards - you did a great job explaining and including solder use. Cheers!
The secondary ground that you see on the other vehicles shown are for the cylinder head which might be isolated from the block ground by the head gasket. The studs holding the head on might be covered in locktite and thus the need for that ground as a precaution. It might have been wise to find the block ground instead as this is the one the alternator is attached to.
i have my battery under the passenger seat,can i just install the negative cable from battery - to the floor?vs running the cable to the front chassis??
This upgrade did just about nothing for my 98 civic. All I have in car is two Fosgate P-100's that I got from Sonic Electronics. I run all LED lights on headlights, tail lights, and interior so minimal draw from light system. Headlights still dim the same as they did before the "Big Three".
, Another Tip............ if you cannot find or get to the original engine block ground, don't worry about it. Just run an entirely NEW GROUND and leave the factory ground. Nothing wrong with doing that. After all, it's a factory ground anyways. so leave it for you do it yourself kind of people.
@@semajkeaton331 yes I don't even use my OEM ground..I relocated my battery to the back and deleted my front battery ..it's grounded with double 4/0 cables
All great improvements to stabilise an electrical system. However there are a few issues you didnt mention. First is the cable you have used. In cars Main power wires should be solid copper flex strand and not plated or aluminum. The aluminum cables work harden and break with the vibration. They corrode internally causing problems electrolysis wise. They should be about %30 bigger than copper to achieve the same duty cycle. The insulation is rarely rated for under bonnet use, be it heat, chemical or even abrasion. There is a very good reason why cars are wired in copper and not aluminum considering if aluminum was used they would be lighter and cheaper. My usual pick for these types of cables is Welding Flex. Double Insulated, Very Flexible and able to handle high temps without issue. The connectors used also play a huge part. Never solider them on the big wires as it changes the heat treatment of the wire causing them to become hard and brittle at the joint. Bolt on connectors to high loads need a robust solid face to attach to. Anything beyond 50 amps should be to thick to bend even with a pair of pliers. WHY? Resistance to vibration, No additional electrical resistance at high current loads. They wont overheat at high current loads causing the fastener to come loose. For a 200 amp load 4mm thick minimum.
One major reason why you do this is, the ground to chassis. Negative battery to chassis it will make stronger tight ground connection. When vehicle shakes and corrosion if only one ground cable the original one it will loose contact to the chassis. One reason why your dashboard lights flicker and gauges going nuts. Check engine light will come on code says low voltage in Ecm, PCM modules. Abs lights, battery icon etc will show up in the dashboard. So it’s a must to do this upgrades.
I'm a big fan of a crimp for the mechanical connection, and soldering to make a more solid, permanent electrical connection. It's how I've always made welding cables, and it's always worked great. I also use closed end terminal lugs (100% copper) and adhesive lined shrink wrap where the lug meets the insulation to create more long term resistance in wire degradation from age and oxidation.
@@taung9535 Or you could back up your thesis and avoid coming off as a prick, especially because in THIS situation, a crimped and soldered terminal is superior. 25+ years of experience working both ground vehicles and aircraft in addition to well over a thousand hours of formal training has taught me which situations require only a crimp, which require only solder, and which benefit from both; especially when you're going for a long term reliable electrical connection.
Hey thank yall for this video. watched this video probably 5 years ago and I was such a noob I didn’t even understand but now that I have had more cars and abilities have grown this is so awesome lmaooo
Doing the Big 3 today on my 1996 Audi A4 Quatteo. Already have it in service mode(front bumper, rad support, etc removed). This video helped me make the decision to leave my factory power wire intact, just adding to the OE wires with my Big 3 kit(got mine from Skar Audio, 1/0 gauge kit). The engine to chassis ground isn't going to be too bad, it's easily accessible now that the front is off the car. The battery to chassis ground has me somewhat concerned, as the whole battery tray area is quite rusty. It's gonna be a lot of cleaning to get her right I think lol. Thanks for this truly helpful watch!! Made this job WAY easier to understand.
What about a fuse on the ALT CHARGING WIRE To the terminal? They usually go to the fuse box to prevent any issues that could happen. Running it straight to the battery could give you issues and damage your components.
Be cautious on this advice. You need a fuseable link (or fuse or breaker) on the alternator wire. The ground should be two single point connections. One to the block and one to the chassis. All other devices should ground to the chassis. The dual ground he just created between the battery and the chassis made a ground loop. This is not good for system noise on the ecus or stereo. On the block side, most newer engines have a large ground near the starter and a small braided ground near the coils. This too is important as the braid reduces rfi created by the high voltage coils. It's not simply bigger is better. Done properly this will be more efficient, but it is not going keep the headlights from dimming. For this, a $50 ups battery installed near the amplifier will beat this hands down on improvement and cost.
Yeah it'll take the "path of least resistance" regardless. I mean sure you could remove the OEM completely but its really a waste of time. Now if your as OCD me and have the time and know-how then by all means.
Great content. The engine to chassis cable on my '94 BMW e34 525i was completely covered in green patina, of course the insulation was practically gone. Upgrading with a 1' 4 gauge cable.
Thank you, I have a 1999 Dodge Durango, have constantly had electrical problems. Going to do this Tuesday after the boys go to school. Monday get everything together and get the wires measured and ends put together. Have to see if I can find a stinger negative wire connector...
For the grounds, should you use the existing grounding spots that factory used or make new grounds? I heard talk of having shorter grounds because that's how grounds are meant to be.
What if you have an inline fuse going from the alternator to the positive battery terminal, can I just add another wire or do I have to cut the new wire and add a fuse in between?
Would of liked to see the calculations for this upgrade, also depending on how old the original wire are, the old wires could be causing underlining issues for the charging system!
@Travis Hamler I used welding wire which would have a different resistance, but I was referring to the video. Which doesn't show the performance improvements (multimeter).
To all the nay sayers, the big three is for current loss during heavy loads. Ie heavy bass at night will cause the lights to fade in and out and with the big three it significantly reduces and sometimes eliminates this from happening.
I don't understand why Tom's request is logically illogical I mean really what are you doing this for do you really even know if it's like the other videos I've been saying and listening to you guys keep saying you can increase the voltage that is an absolute joke you can't change the voltage if it was a wire is thin has paper or as thick is an elephant's trunk. So now that we have that truth out of the way back to the why you do this to start with I mean there should be a basis for everything there should be a start and the reason for anything you're doing so again if you're doing this for More Voltage you're wasting your time but like Tom said," it sounds like he could be educated" what is the total amperage that you gain the end of this because we all know well at least now we all know you cannot get any more voltage by changing the wire size you can only get more amperage Through the Wire so it sounds so silly that you would even question Tom's thought on how much amperage you could pull through your wires because that's all you're doing you're setting it up so you can draw the same voltage however more amperage through the wires which feeds the larger hungry for amperage not voltage to run properly. You took the words right out of my mouth Tom how about amperage test that's the real way of telling if this really does anything at all which we know by All rights it should and the one thing that I've always learned about electricity for my dad that used to do the electrical on B-52 bombers in the Air Force was that you needed as big as a ground has you have a hot wire. Which brings me to joke number two. I rebuild alternators for a living. Why would you need to ground an alternator that has no remote grounding components whatsoever and if the engine is grounded properly no Factory would send it out the door without having the proper gauge wire for the alternator that it is built with however if you are going to use a larger alternator then you could consider running a heavier wire and unlike all of you people that keep saying hook your grounds to the same place, that is so dumb and also not true you want to separate your grounds most people are just too lazy to get under the vehicle and established a new ground opposing the factory one that means opposite of perfect example is if you're going to use a rear-mounted battery which is the way to go aftermarket stereo amplifier you would run a charge wire back to the battery which would not have to be the welding lead you are talking about again we're talking amperage that comes from the alternator it doesn't matter it still a 12-volt alternator capable of putting out 14 point 8 volts however we all know that it's the amperage and the amount that it puts out that regulates the wire size. So if you ran a battery in the back you would also my suggestion run your ground wire right there. It's funny listening to you about you don't know why somebody would run a ground through something the size of a speaker. Do you know how many amps go through a ground LOL you're starting to get the drift I hope maybe you will change your videos when you use words like I don't know why and you're standing there talking about automobile manufacturers with educated employees seriously don't get me laughing I'll have to get some tape Cape my whole body to keep from cracking up anyways you're wasting a lot of time there's nothing worse than people that know what they're talking about looking right through BS and knowing it's just pure BS.. PS do you sell Wire by the Foot LOL
Great idea. Those three connections are prob. the most neglected major connections on a car. Gonna do my '92 EG Civic this weekend. Greetings from sunny Jamaica.
Its easy....all wires 0 gauge. Positive wire from battery goes to positive wire on alternator. Negative wire on battery goes to anything on the chassis. The more wires the the more current. Make sure you disconnect negative and positive on the battery before any work.
I dont quite remember but I couldve swore that a watched a SE video was a another big 3 video years ago but I thought he said the big 3 was upgrading wires, alternator and battery itself not just the wires to all 3!???
+Scott-Michael Kellar Hmmmm, I don't think that was our video? The Big 3 Upgrade refers to only the upgrading of the wires associated with the vehicle's charging system. Of course, upgrading the alternator or battery can certainly be done at the same time as the Big 3 for a more substantial performance boost.
+Sonic Electronix do you ever do any install videos for the 2007 - 2014 Chevy Tahoe or Suburban? none of the videos I ever see pertain to my type of vehicle
Excellent video using 4 gauge wire on stock cars👍. Saw some other videos where guys were using huge 0 (zero) gauge. Some great tips in the comments about dipping in a lube BEFORE crimping ends to prevent corrosion.
i think the battery to chassis ground upgrade is a good idea. stock alternator already has good wiring and the block is already grounded to chassis via motor mounts
This helped me alot to get rid of "alternator sound" in my speakers. Im also planning to do the block to ground and alternator to battery eventually but my alternator is pretty weak so don't know how much it will help.
The block is NOT grounded to the chassis via the motor mounts. The mounts have rubber or polyurethane bushings in them, which is why there is a block to chassis ground in the first place. Smdh.
MobileTaz funny u mention that now. last week my chassis ground melted and i put a huge cable from my battery to motor mount and another one from motor mount to chassis side of motor mount
It harnesses the full potential of your charging system. Factory wiring is a joke. Every vehicle I've owned gets this (along with a ground from the alternator mounting bolt to chassis) PLUS a bigger power wire from battery to starter.
@@jintarokensei3308 thats exactly what hes saying... the alternator can, the wire can't... actually very common on mass production cars. Made with cheapest copper components to save a buck.. Putting better copper on it, can make actually utilize the full potential of the alternator you already have....
Jintaro Kensei wire gauge is optimized for the electrical needs of the car, not the capability of the alternator. If you add extra electrical needs like subwoofers, you’re alternator might be able to handle it, but the charging wire and ground is too small to give it that power
+Makaio Prescott The Big 3 Upgrade lets your alternator push more current to you battery because of the larger gauge wire that is added. This helps to keep your battery at a more constant voltage, this becomes more important the more amplifiers you add to the system / the more power your sound system requires.
The real, simple, answer that anyone cares about is... it will help lessen or prevent your lights from dimming when you're really rockin. Some say to just buy a "CAP" to fix engine bogging and power drops but after running caps for years I have found that this simple and cheap upgrade will fix your bass flicker. Unless you have like 5000+ watts in amps but at that point you are way past just the "BIG 3"and running more than one alternator and battery. :)
The other replies are right, I just wanted to add that it is also needed when running complex light systems. I have a jeep and I have safari style lighting so I can light up a campground if i needed too.
Thanks you guys! I'm not running anything huge in my truck, just 2 10's running on 1000w split to 500w each sub. And all my lights work just fine when I'm pounding, no flickering or dimming. I've been wanting to do this just for kicks, but I also wanted to know of any benefits it may bring. My power and ground wires on my truck are 4 gauge, which is the same size that I'm running to my amp, so maybe if I ever do a more complex system that requires more power, I'll definitely do this! Thanks again.
I have a Jeep Patriot and did the big 3 last weekend. Had to remove mass airflow sensor, intake, wheels, underliner, fender liner, serpentine belt, air conditioning compressor, etc. Normal array of tools needed but also tensioner pulley tool. If you’re not ready to get this on a lift and do all that then you should take it to a mechanic.
I did this years ago & had my alternator rebuilt for 200 amps...voltage is running at 14-15 volts at times....also running a back up battery with a battery isolator (diode) & running 7 years strong.
For the new ground you made on the car for the battery, I would have put dielectric grease on the bare spot so water or salt doesn't rust out that spot and then eat away your fender
Yannis Clear coat would make the sanding you did pointless. You need bare metal and dielectric grease is meant for use on metal electrical contacts. Commonly used on spark plug wire to spark plug connections.
@@satchitananda1820 He applied the clear coat on the exposed areas AFTER making the connection. He didn't spray it BEFORE the connection. The clear coat isn't going to sneak it's way between the bare metal and the lug once it's screwed down tight. Also, grease can be washed off, clear coat is more durable.
@@MenacingRabbit how so. Its grounded to block. Ive done it to old cars just to get them running when the grounds arent conducting. Maybe 2o13ish and newer could have computer issues. But not the cars ive done it to
@@frankdehne1949 I just wanted to troll someone Frank, you're absolutely right about what you said. I like to leave random comments on various posts and see how worked up people get.
So power wire from alt power bolt to the positive battery terminal . Then the negative to chassis ground? Then motor ground to chassis ground? For the motor part did you make a different new ground or add it to the exfudting one?
The one thing I strongly disagree with in this video is to run an un-fused wire from the positive terminal. If something rubs against that wire or the casing melts, there be one hell of a dead short. Your car WILL burn to the ground. Hopefully nobody will be in it.
You do realize there is no fuse on the factory wire from the alternator to the battery either, don't you? We do fuse the positive wire to the amplifier, but if the factory is fine with securing their wire ( some aren't even in a protective plastic wire loom ) and not putting a fuse on it. Then a trained competent car audio installer should be fine doing it that way too.
@@meademorgan6614 Yeah there is. It's not actually a traditional fuse though, it's called a fusible link. It's just a short section of wire that's 4 gauges smaller than the protected wire, and wrapped in hypalon fireproof insulation. If there's a short, the smaller section of wire "blows out" like a fuse, opening the circuit before the protected wire can burn through.
Good call on twisting the wire brush on the drill, I'm personally embarrassed that I didn't think of that. I'm always brushing way too big of an area, thanks for the idea dude.
If the alternator goes directly to the fuse box, should i run a new wire from the alternator directly to the battery or replace the wire from the alternator to the fuse box and also the one going from the fuse box to the battery? Sorry if the question is worded confusing.
having your alternator run directly to your fuse box from factory is the same as having a fuse in line on your power wire. you would need to upgrade both in order for you to have any sort of benefit from it.
My hunch is any performance increase in your electrical system you get after doing this, is from cleaning(removing and reinstalling) the existing connections, and not from the actual upgrade.
it's both... current chooses the path of less resistance ( an uncorroded larger gauge wire that you install )the cleaning is the same concept ( reducing resistance)
For the small increase in driving performance, is the inclusion of the Alternator necessary? Mine is buried at the bottom. If the Alt. is left out, wear is a good location for wire #3 to go, along with a 4th wire? I hope this is still being watched. I would greatly appreciate any help.
The factory charge wire is designed for the oem sound system. It may be inadequate if you upgrade to a higher power system, adding another may unleash additional power from your alternator.
This video helped me alot after whatching 30 video before it. I couldn't understand but this video made my life alot less stressful and I got to learn in a way I understood and will always remember
unless you up the alternator, this is unnecessary. you're not going to get some big gain from upping the wire that the factory installed- it's already a matched set. now, if you actually upgrade the power source, thats a different story.
+Starstriple in what way? you won't up the system's capacity by just upgrading wires. in fact, the wiring from alternator to battery is already over the needed size.
Cashownsyourass if you watched the video you would've known thst this isn't about gain. Who the fuck looks for gain by uprading the alternator/battery cables?
If it was a brand new car that you plan on not adding any electrical mods to then you're right. If you're adding 1500w subs or your car is 40 years old then upgrading the main wires is not only going to improve your electrical system but its really cheap insurance (~$10 if you make your own wires from bulk cable)
this all is nessesary on all vehicles which hardly anyone does! helps can bus volt ref sytem and computers comunicate faster timing, gauges, charging, loads, a must for fog lights and big stereo amps, ect....
If you drive a ford made before 2010 this is a MUST do. Their electrical systems are pathetic. But for every car in general This procedure can only help. No matter what make/model.
"What's the point of this?" Really? Try running a 5,000 watt system on the stock wires... By the way, it's good that you showed the Patriot, I was looking into doing this myself to my 2016 Patriot, GREAT VIDEO GUYS!
@@Malek-b .. for system of that kind of current draw.. you will need to run a AWG#6 wire from you battery (+) side all the way things your trunk... You will need to fuse the cable to what ever the amplifier is fused at.. to make sure the cable does not over heat in any circumstances... now you can also add a (dry cell ) Cary battery (12v) to your trunk with the AWG#6 cable feeding the battery... And then from that battery the amplifier will be connected... You will also need to make sure that the battery in the trunk is also grounded... Now for your engine bay wiring. If you have rotten or degraded wiring coming off of your battery (under hood). You will need to clean them with anti oxidizing sprays and such... Make sure that the cables are in decent condition so it allows for maximum current flows... With the method that I described to hook up a system you will have all the power you would ever need.. Unless you are reaching 3,500watts and up.. Then you really need to go over your cable sizes.. the more powerful your system is, the more current draw, the more current draw...the more resistance in the cables.. there for heating of the cable will occure this is why it's crucial to have wiring far past the current capabilities of the system... It's kinda like anti fire insurance... Lol... But as I was saying .. you positive and your ground cables can also be change under your hood to a more substantial AWG so the current flows faster.. smaller cables =resistance.
Great video and ill be doing the big 3 sooner than later. And what he means by adding a fuse holder you would cut the wire in a spot that you can easily get to if it pops now make sure you get a fuse holder up to 150 amp because it will blow every 2 days and make sure you do a battery test so you know ur pushing at least 114 volts
Why ground the battery and the engine block? It’ll just give a longer road completing the circuit. Nevermind I just realized the thicker ground wires and the frame can carry a lot more current than the factory wire.
I gotta say heaven, in car audio for 20 for almost 25 years and I have to say your guy’s video at SONIC Electronics is the best on RUclips!
6:59
When connecting to an aftermarket battery terminal such as shown, it's best to first put the bare wire into a wire ferrule and then clamp it down inside the terminal block with the Allen set screw. This keeps the individual wire filaments from fraying and makes a better overall connection.
Yeah I became a believer in wire ferrules after the first use... To think how many stereo systems I installed without those things back in 90s and 2000s...lol..
@@knifeknerdreviews4609same here😂
if you don't want to buy the crimping tool you can also just use solder to hold the ends together. The solder also gives the set screw something nice and soft to bite into for a great connection.
☝🤓
@@knifeknerdreviews4609In my opinion, not that impressed so far. The 1/0 ones I bought for my power wire wouldn’t fit into my 1/0 EFX distribution block. My 8 gauge ferrules don’t fit into any terminal on my older Rockford Fosgate 4 channel, or 2 channel even. Also on the 1/0 the ferrule was too small for my sky high 1/0 wire. I order all of the ferrules from Crutchfield. The 14 gauge ones worked ok but didn’t really clamp to the wire like I would’ve liked
This is the best Big 3 Upgrade videos that I've seen. The camera work is stable. You can see almost everything mentioned. The presentation is organized and features graphics. The presenter is knowledgeable, smooth, and easy to understand. The presenter is wearing a lav mic so the viewer can hear him clearly. The video presents more than one vehicle to illustrate differences in vehicle designs and challenges they may present. I give a big thumbs up on this very informative video!
I understand they did a good job on explaining. But you seem to not know sh$t! If you need a here is the battery an this is an engine block break down. You do not need to touch anything. You need to hire some1. You need basic skills an common knowledge before most if not all you tube DIY videos.
@@jayisfedup6896 Get off your high horse
And we are swimming into your saliva....
@@jayisfedup6896 sounds like hes fed up...
you sound like a school teacher marking a presentation
And additional 'tip' is before you crimp the terminal end, is to dip the freshly stripped wire into some light oil (PB blaster, WD-40 etc) because the wound wire will 'wick' the oil back up under the rest of the wire insulation to help prevent corrosion seeping up into wire after time. And then if you decide to use heat shrinking sleeves, it will protect just that much better. (ESPECIALLY for the Northern states that use salt etc on the roadways)
Exllent tip my goo frend dielectric grease doe's not sipe l like pblast
Fluid Film and a quick hit with heat gun will wick the Fluid Film up into the cable too.
@mickdeegan4651 Did you mean *wick? Or sipe?
You can also solder it in, which will create a metal to metal bond which will leave no room between the wire and the connector and prevent oxidation between them
Always disconnect the battery negative before starting any electrical service. It is safety & protects electronics! Best practices are good.
Purchase a digital multi meter (DMM) to have the ability to do “Voltage Drop” test and (OCV) open circuit voltage at the battery. There are good videos on both.
The battery stored energy to start the car, un-lock, lock and power lights plus many other duties like certain memory functions & clock. Yours will vary. The alternator uses diodes to direct energy to negative (Back Case of Alternator) and the B+. Negative to the battery completes a DC circuit and most cars don’t have a “Full” dedicated frame. Negative wire to the battery (As his Example) have a “Tee” inline, that bolts to chassis but to the engine. Rebuilding or modifying can be fun but a good cable for negative should attach from the back of the alternator and continue on to the battery. You need grounds everywhere to chassis, engine, battery, frame (If applicable) but the littles ones found on intakes, cylinder head or rocker arm cover to the firewall (Bulkhead) are required but the battery to the block is the big one. After all, you want it to crank to start. A good battery tested at 100% state of health and (OCV) at 12.6-12.8 Vdc is correct. The alternator will charge a good battery at less than 1/2 an amp while driving. OEM alternators sense B+ but also temperature. Cold batteries take as much as 14.2 volts as hot batteries take 13.2. The Marine industry + some auto’s with the battery under the rear seat has temp sensors to adjust the rate of charge.
Use wire that is quality with “Star Washers” inside or out that dig into both metals, the connector & car. Yes, remove paint to a minimum but protect your connections with a $6 tube of dielectric grease.
Adding amps, DSP, and other aftermarket components need a single large fuse that totals the added load. Placed next to the battery as close as one can. Route using existing rubber grommet and avoid all pinch points to avoid fire. Amp clamps w / direct readout are reasonably priced and with the loads on, measure each. Write this down and purchase a distribution fuse center. Sizing wire for unknown amps is guessing and boxes lye about amperage requirements. You can never use “OutPut” for calculation of picking the correct fuse. Start with only the size indicated by the component then the system on at full, the amp clamp will show the correct fuse by 28.6 amps, get a 30 amp fuse, not a 50 amp. The fuse protects the wire and not the component. Voltage drop is measuring the loss of voltage across point “A” to point “B” while on at maximum. The higher the circuit amps, the higher the voltage drop, so a 120 amp circuit voltage drop is 0.500 Vdc. 1/2 of a volt is lost! Normal.
16 amp circuit will show 0.050 Vdc loss. Like headlights or blower fan. These are series circuits, therefore the component uses all the voltage in the circuit. A new switch, wires, connectors, fuse and ground will add up losses when on and new. Measure with DMM on volts, turn on circuit and measure B+ side, ground side both to battery, the component gets the rest. Anything kissing high volts is resistance due the ground, connector, switch, wire or even a fuse. Follow these suggestions and you will have no problems and it works well in diagnosing. Amps to a fuel pump are about 7.0 - 8.5 Amps. Higher than this, plugged filter, pinched line, etc. Lower means the pump is worn and will fail. A simple fuse jumper wire plugged in at the fuel pump fuse w / Amp clamp will show. Voltage drop? If the black or red meter leads are backward, the reading is the same only with a (-) sign in front of it.
I have done this upgrade to a dozen different cars. but why? you will not gain any horsepower. but your car will start faster, your battery will last a little longer, reduce chances of shorts and check engine lights, and your interior lights and gouge will be slightly brighter. to the engineers that say don't do it. the car manufactures especially imports use the bare minimum metal and materials to get by to maximize profit on quantity of cars sold. we live in a world where quality is rare and quantity dominates. just look at the food Mcdonald's sells.
freeyourmind88 I
Well said.
freeyourmind88 you just explained why
Agree!
Apparently, you missed the entire statement by Freeyourmind88 of why, surprisingly for people who do more than just let their cars drive them, we knew it had nothing to do with stereo installs although it could be applicable at a later point. VW's before 2010 should've automatically came with an upgrade kit as those cars were the poster child of bare minimum wiring.
Sir, you are the very first (v1st) vehicle mechanic that I see working under the hood seating down. Excellent ... absolutely nothing wrong in working in a "comfy" style!
Sir, thank you for your great video on "The big three (3).
😁I just noticed
I've done all of these things..It works.. Excellent tutorial for those un savvy in automotive electrical.
Definitely the best and clearest explanation that i could find, thank you very much, even 7 years later 👍🏻
As a certified automotive technician of way too many years, and an avid car audio lover since before i could legally drive - please, when you put your wires into your eyelets or other terminal connectors - solder the wire into the connector. If you're not comfortable torching 0 gauge into a eyelet at least use heat shrink instead of the rubber sleeves over the connections to prevent oxidation and corrosion. Your vehicles electrical system will thank you and it's much safer.
Quick tips- The nuts/bolts on the strut towers which hold the strut mount to the chassis work extremely well as ground points because they are nice and large, the metal on the strut towers is thick, and you can tighten them down tight without stripping it or causing damage because they are large and sturdy. Just don't ground to the strut/mount itself since it's usually isolated by rubber bushings. I would also suggest finding a large bolt on a sturdy part of the engine block or head to connect the ground to instead of connecting it to a small bolt on a valve cover, bracket, or something similar. That way the cable is connected to a thick piece of metal that can handle current well, and you can tighten the bolt down nice and tight for a solid connection. Also, as he said, make absolutely sure to sand/wire brush all connections to clean, shiny metal since paint and oxidized metal are very poor conductors. I hope that this information helps someone
have to watch doing this ,,,, some vehicles have rubber mounts for struts
@@micheledianemiller4589 Great point, thanks for mentioning that! I was referring to the nuts that hold the strut mount to the strut tower rather than the nut that holds the strut to the mount, but after rereading my comment I realize that what I wasn't totally clear, so I edited it for clarity so I don't confuse anyone.
When you remove the nut that holds the struts, does it loosen the struts and does it need to be aligned back or something? Can we just loosen one of the nuts, put the wires there and just tighten the nut just like that and all will be fine? Its the first time I’m gonna do the big 3 so I’m quite nervous. Appreciate your inputs. Thanks a lot.
@@TruthSeekerAll It won't loosen anything or affect the alignment. Just remove one of the nuts/bolts holding the mount to the chassis (not the one in the center holding the strut to its mount), sand or grind the surface under the head to clean, shiny metal, install the terminal, and reinstall the nut/bolt. If you are nervous about using a strut mount nut/bolt, there are a bunch of other things you can use too. I just found that the strut mount bolts work well almost universally since they are large and the strut towers are thick. If you have any more questions, feel free to ask
@@averyalexander2303 Thanks so much. Have a great day. 👍
The Big Three Upgrade is a great insurance for a trouble free starting system for the life of the vehicle. If you don't have a wiring kit, any welding shop can provide very high quality DC cables, sold by the foot and a variety of quality connectors. Total upgrade cost is about $50 and a little driveway labor.
If the upgrade prevents even one tow during the life of the vehicle, it's paid for. Without the upgrade, failure of any of these wires can cause expensive damage to the battery, the alternator, starter and other charging components.
That small wire you made fun of that you thought was the engine ground, wasn't the engine ground. That is a small ground wire made for the spark plugs in the head and the ignition system. Replacing that wire did nothing. You failed to identify the engine ground wire, which is most likely behind and back of the motor. So your customer only got a "big 2 upgrade" but he paid for a "big 3 upgrade". This happens a lot on Hondas, too.
I could imagine it’s not ideal, but since the whole motor is metal I could assume it will do well if your counting on better voltage stability
It will work for the meantime but after about a year I would definitely check the wire for the small possibility of overheating wire. Though it tends to to happen more times than not on the positive side of the polarity.
My brother had a '69 Camaro, California car with very little rust. Constant electrical problems, too many to list. Ended up running heavy gage wire replacing factory positive and negative battery cables. Helped! Added heavy ground wires to several spots of front body panels. Helped more! Ran ground terminals with connections to each other. Much better! Then, ran heavy Ground to engine block, both cylinder heads, and front frame. It made a world of difference. Was amazed how much resistance there was between metal on car...
All done on the Saab 900. Put 4ga from the alternator to the battery and went from 12 volts to 13.1 no load and much more stable when adding load. Thanks Sonic
Gonna probably do this for my 900 also
I actually upgraded, and added a few more grounding points to my 1985 Corolla GT-S, along with the battery ground, over a decade ago. I thought of the alternator charging wire to the battery but wasn't sure how to do it. I will be definitely be upgrading the charging wire today which will compliment my upgraded alternator (OEM was a mere 60 amperes) with a 100 amperes unit for a 1993 MR2 (w-p/s), which happens to be Plug & Play.
Thanks a lot for this informative video, very helpful!
I did the big 3 today and it made a big improvement!!
Why don’t you replace the stock wires?
I wasnt going to comment but man i respect that he gave different examples for different vehicles at the end. Very nice.
I thought for the alternator upgrade you had to actually replace the alternator?
You do, but i guess that isn't technically part of the "Big 3" upgrade. But if you're running more than 1000-1200 WRMS, it's reccomened to buy a high output alternator and REPLACE your stock alt with it. I can push upwards of 1200 watts in my chevy s-10 but the headlights dim significantly and im sure its not good on the battery or the alt when i do that. Sucks because alts cost a shitton of money even if you just want a little extra wattage like 1500rms.
This is a great idea for preventing the dreaded - rusty and falling off wires that are burnt and rubbed through and sparking when it rains and there is road salt.
Up my way - this kind of stuff is for diesels, like the old or new TDI or old Mech pumps. Winter requires a 1000 COLD CRANK AMPS. And then you have to get all that power to the starter and not melt off the connections, so dont forget to keep going with the upgrades.
Best regards - you did a great job explaining and including solder use. Cheers!
For the charging wire any additional wire you add smaller or larger than the original wire size you'll see an improvement.
The secondary ground that you see on the other vehicles shown are for the cylinder head which might be isolated from the block ground by the head gasket. The studs holding the head on might be covered in locktite and thus the need for that ground as a precaution. It might have been wise to find the block ground instead as this is the one the alternator is attached to.
i have my battery under the passenger seat,can i just install the negative cable from battery - to the floor?vs running the cable to the front chassis??
Yea of course
Yea of course
This upgrade did just about nothing for my 98 civic. All I have in car is two Fosgate P-100's that I got from Sonic Electronics. I run all LED lights on headlights, tail lights, and interior so minimal draw from light system. Headlights still dim the same as they did before the "Big Three".
Dam too I wanted to do it to my 96 Corolla 5 speed
Gotta upgrade the alternator
BEST VIDEOS YOU CAN FIND TO IMPROVE THE “HEALTH” OF YOUR CAR, BETTER ELECTRICITY CURRENT DEFINITELY WILL MAKE YOUR CARS PERFORMANCE WAY BETTER, THANKS
Why are you YELLING?
, Another Tip............
if you cannot find or get to the original engine block ground, don't worry about it. Just run an entirely NEW GROUND and leave the factory ground.
Nothing wrong with doing that. After all, it's a factory ground anyways. so leave it for you do it yourself kind of people.
I needed this statement thanks you and also would a strut tower be a good ground for chassis to engine block? I have a 2002 chevy impala
@@mallorycainjr.1921 yup.. I got a 2013 and I put it to the strut bolt..
Run a new ground from the engine block to the battery?
@@semajkeaton331 yes I don't even use my OEM ground..I relocated my battery to the back and deleted my front battery ..it's grounded with double 4/0 cables
Huh, never knew you can upgrade that part
All great improvements to stabilise an electrical system. However there are a few issues you didnt mention.
First is the cable you have used. In cars Main power wires should be solid copper flex strand and not plated or aluminum. The aluminum cables work harden and break with the vibration. They corrode internally causing problems electrolysis wise. They should be about %30 bigger than copper to achieve the same duty cycle. The insulation is rarely rated for under bonnet use, be it heat, chemical or even abrasion. There is a very good reason why cars are wired in copper and not aluminum considering if aluminum was used they would be lighter and cheaper. My usual pick for these types of cables is Welding Flex. Double Insulated, Very Flexible and able to handle high temps without issue.
The connectors used also play a huge part. Never solider them on the big wires as it changes the heat treatment of the wire causing them to become hard and brittle at the joint. Bolt on connectors to high loads need a robust solid face to attach to. Anything beyond 50 amps should be to thick to bend even with a pair of pliers. WHY? Resistance to vibration, No additional electrical resistance at high current loads. They wont overheat at high current loads causing the fastener to come loose. For a 200 amp load 4mm thick minimum.
One major reason why you do this is, the ground to chassis.
Negative battery to chassis it will make stronger tight ground connection. When vehicle shakes and corrosion if only one ground cable the original one it will loose contact to the chassis. One reason why your dashboard lights flicker and gauges going nuts. Check engine light will come on code says low voltage in Ecm, PCM modules. Abs lights, battery icon etc will show up in the dashboard. So it’s a must to do this upgrades.
I'd be more worried about those fogged headlights than the big 3
Tony 109 haha
Legend says that to this day,those lights are the same color as a school bus.
Brush.
😂👍
LOL
I'm a big fan of a crimp for the mechanical connection, and soldering to make a more solid, permanent electrical connection. It's how I've always made welding cables, and it's always worked great. I also use closed end terminal lugs (100% copper) and adhesive lined shrink wrap where the lug meets the insulation to create more long term resistance in wire degradation from age and oxidation.
Please look up why you’re wrong. It’s better to crimp in these situations
@@taung9535 Or you could back up your thesis and avoid coming off as a prick, especially because in THIS situation, a crimped and soldered terminal is superior. 25+ years of experience working both ground vehicles and aircraft in addition to well over a thousand hours of formal training has taught me which situations require only a crimp, which require only solder, and which benefit from both; especially when you're going for a long term reliable electrical connection.
Any idea why my battery light came on after I did this?
Hey thank yall for this video. watched this video probably 5 years ago and I was such a noob I didn’t even understand but now that I have had more cars and abilities have grown this is so awesome lmaooo
Doing the Big 3 today on my 1996 Audi A4 Quatteo. Already have it in service mode(front bumper, rad support, etc removed). This video helped me make the decision to leave my factory power wire intact, just adding to the OE wires with my Big 3 kit(got mine from Skar Audio, 1/0 gauge kit). The engine to chassis ground isn't going to be too bad, it's easily accessible now that the front is off the car. The battery to chassis ground has me somewhat concerned, as the whole battery tray area is quite rusty. It's gonna be a lot of cleaning to get her right I think lol. Thanks for this truly helpful watch!! Made this job WAY easier to understand.
What about a fuse on the ALT CHARGING WIRE To the terminal? They usually go to the fuse box to prevent any issues that could happen. Running it straight to the battery could give you issues and damage your components.
Be cautious on this advice. You need a fuseable link (or fuse or breaker) on the alternator wire. The ground should be two single point connections. One to the block and one to the chassis. All other devices should ground to the chassis. The dual ground he just created between the battery and the chassis made a ground loop. This is not good for system noise on the ecus or stereo. On the block side, most newer engines have a large ground near the starter and a small braided ground near the coils. This too is important as the braid reduces rfi created by the high voltage coils. It's not simply bigger is better. Done properly this will be more efficient, but it is not going keep the headlights from dimming. For this, a $50 ups battery installed near the amplifier will beat this hands down on improvement and cost.
i was looking for someone to mention ground loops.
First time I've seen the Big 3 done incorporating the original wiring with the new wiring. Interesting.
My thoughts exactly..hes parelling which I feel is not right
LMAO
@@richbernhagen3137 it's right it's just extra and basically useless
Yeah it'll take the "path of least resistance" regardless. I mean sure you could remove the OEM completely but its really a waste of time. Now if your as OCD me and have the time and know-how then by all means.
Great content. The engine to chassis cable on my '94 BMW e34 525i was completely covered in green patina, of course the insulation was practically gone. Upgrading with a 1' 4 gauge cable.
Thank you, I have a 1999 Dodge Durango, have constantly had electrical problems. Going to do this Tuesday after the boys go to school. Monday get everything together and get the wires measured and ends put together. Have to see if I can find a stinger negative wire connector...
the engine ground on my jeep grand,has broken right off. i never knew a thing. until i fixed it. everything got better.
For the grounds, should you use the existing grounding spots that factory used or make new grounds? I heard talk of having shorter grounds because that's how grounds are meant to be.
It should be ok as long as however you do it just make sure that the connections are solid on both the factory wires and the new ones
I like shorter wires, even though electrical resistance is basically the same
Could you show us how to add an inline fuse for the positive wire? Or would you route through the fuse box following the original wire?
What if you have an inline fuse going from the alternator to the positive battery terminal, can I just add another wire or do I have to cut the new wire and add a fuse in between?
this video is so so old, but i couldn’t find a video on how to wire a big 3 on a celica ANYWHERE. this jus made my day
Would of liked to see the calculations for this upgrade, also depending on how old the original wire are, the old wires could be causing underlining issues for the charging system!
@Travis Hamler I used welding wire which would have a different resistance, but I was referring to the video. Which doesn't show the performance improvements (multimeter).
He doesn't know his head from his ass, so ohms law is a bit ahead of him.
I thought the big 3 included a bigger alternator to power extra sound system amps and such
This is truly and excellent idea to do. Especially if you have a vehicle that mounts it’s battery under the passenger seat or back in the trunk.
To all the nay sayers, the big three is for current loss during heavy loads. Ie heavy bass at night will cause the lights to fade in and out and with the big three it significantly reduces and sometimes eliminates this from happening.
Can i use 0 gauge for this upgrade, because i have 0 gauge to my 3k drago massive amp.
LOL "have fun" that jeep patriot had me dying.
would love you guys to do an amp dyno test before the big 3 & after to see what the difference is 👌
Love your guys videos....great info
....that's logically pointless
I don't understand why Tom's request is logically illogical I mean really what are you doing this for do you really even know if it's like the other videos I've been saying and listening to you guys keep saying you can increase the voltage that is an absolute joke you can't change the voltage if it was a wire is thin has paper or as thick is an elephant's trunk. So now that we have that truth out of the way back to the why you do this to start with I mean there should be a basis for everything there should be a start and the reason for anything you're doing so again if you're doing this for More Voltage you're wasting your time but like Tom said," it sounds like he could be educated" what is the total amperage that you gain the end of this because we all know well at least now we all know you cannot get any more voltage by changing the wire size you can only get more amperage Through the Wire so it sounds so silly that you would even question Tom's thought on how much amperage you could pull through your wires because that's all you're doing you're setting it up so you can draw the same voltage however more amperage through the wires which feeds the larger hungry for amperage not voltage to run properly. You took the words right out of my mouth Tom how about amperage test that's the real way of telling if this really does anything at all which we know by All rights it should and the one thing that I've always learned about electricity for my dad that used to do the electrical on B-52 bombers in the Air Force was that you needed as big as a ground has you have a hot wire. Which brings me to joke number two. I rebuild alternators for a living. Why would you need to ground an alternator that has no remote grounding components whatsoever and if the engine is grounded properly no Factory would send it out the door without having the proper gauge wire for the alternator that it is built with however if you are going to use a larger alternator then you could consider running a heavier wire and unlike all of you people that keep saying hook your grounds to the same place, that is so dumb and also not true you want to separate your grounds most people are just too lazy to get under the vehicle and established a new ground opposing the factory one that means opposite of perfect example is if you're going to use a rear-mounted battery which is the way to go aftermarket stereo amplifier you would run a charge wire back to the battery which would not have to be the welding lead you are talking about again we're talking amperage that comes from the alternator it doesn't matter it still a 12-volt alternator capable of putting out 14 point 8 volts however we all know that it's the amperage and the amount that it puts out that regulates the wire size. So if you ran a battery in the back you would also my suggestion run your ground wire right there. It's funny listening to you about you don't know why somebody would run a ground through something the size of a speaker. Do you know how many amps go through a ground LOL you're starting to get the drift I hope maybe you will change your videos when you use words like I don't know why and you're standing there talking about automobile manufacturers with educated employees seriously don't get me laughing I'll have to get some tape Cape my whole body to keep from cracking up anyways you're wasting a lot of time there's nothing worse than people that know what they're talking about looking right through BS and knowing it's just pure BS.. PS do you sell Wire by the Foot LOL
@@bobbyotay agreed,thumbs up for you!
I think its more for keeping your voltage stable then adding volts... it'll save your alternator also...
@@bobbyotay jesus but fair lol i would like to second the motion for a before and after amperage test lol
"Improve Your Vehicle's Electrical Charging" Good stuff
LOL
Great idea. Those three connections are prob. the most neglected major connections on a car. Gonna do my '92 EG Civic this weekend. Greetings from sunny Jamaica.
Its easy....all wires 0 gauge. Positive wire from battery goes to positive wire on alternator. Negative wire on battery goes to anything on the chassis. The more wires the the more current. Make sure you disconnect negative and positive on the battery before any work.
I dont quite remember but I couldve swore that a watched a SE video was a another big 3 video years ago but I thought he said the big 3 was upgrading wires, alternator and battery itself not just the wires to all 3!???
+Scott-Michael Kellar Hmmmm, I don't think that was our video? The Big 3 Upgrade refers to only the upgrading of the wires associated with the vehicle's charging system. Of course, upgrading the alternator or battery can certainly be done at the same time as the Big 3 for a more substantial performance boost.
+Sonic Electronix gotcga
+Sonic Electronix do you ever do any install videos for the 2007 - 2014 Chevy Tahoe or Suburban? none of the videos I ever see pertain to my type of vehicle
agreed. back in the day the big 3 was 1. Wires 2. Alternator 3. Battery
Its still the same,but some have more than 3 grounds under the hood. The bigger the ride the more grounds it has
This video is ESSENTIAL!!!
*Doing this improve my battery charging voltage by 0.2 volt. Nice share...*
Big 3 plus a high output alternator makes doing this way more worth it
All is great but just one question: why keep the old power cable from alternator to the battery positive even after installing the new one?
Excellent video using 4 gauge wire on stock cars👍. Saw some other videos where guys were using huge 0 (zero) gauge. Some great tips in the comments about dipping in a lube BEFORE crimping ends to prevent corrosion.
i think the battery to chassis ground upgrade is a good idea. stock alternator already has good wiring and the block is already grounded to chassis via motor mounts
This helped me alot to get rid of "alternator sound" in my speakers.
Im also planning to do the block to ground and alternator to battery eventually but my alternator is pretty weak so don't know how much it will help.
The block is NOT grounded to the chassis via the motor mounts. The mounts have rubber or polyurethane bushings in them, which is why there is a block to chassis ground in the first place. Smdh.
MobileTaz funny u mention that now. last week my chassis ground melted and i put a huge cable from my battery to motor mount and another one from motor mount to chassis side of motor mount
Be aware if u have headlight dimming just doing the big 3 usually makes it worse best and easiest thing you can do is change to high output alternator
some people dont know how much of an improvement the big 3 is, great video!!
Wait till u see the big 4
Noe Simental - I prefer Big Hero 6 myself.
I've seen some weird shit when I've googled "Big 3 Upgrade", so thanks a TON for this straightforward vid. Much appreciated!!
I'm going to do this. I have basic toos but a fair amount of mechanical engineering knowledge. Thank you 💪👍🇳🇿
Why do this if you ain't swapping the alternator?
It harnesses the full potential of your charging system. Factory wiring is a joke. Every vehicle I've owned gets this (along with a ground from the alternator mounting bolt to chassis) PLUS a bigger power wire from battery to starter.
@@jtpro yeah but if your alternator can't pump out the juice, you don't need the extra cabling.
@@jintarokensei3308 thats exactly what hes saying... the alternator can, the wire can't... actually very common on mass production cars. Made with cheapest copper components to save a buck..
Putting better copper on it, can make actually utilize the full potential of the alternator you already have....
@@TheDarkToes I see. I was under the impression that wire gaige is optimized for power throughput by factory default.
Jintaro Kensei wire gauge is optimized for the electrical needs of the car, not the capability of the alternator. If you add extra electrical needs like subwoofers, you’re alternator might be able to handle it, but the charging wire and ground is too small to give it that power
This video was extremely helpful. Thank you!
What does the Big 3 help with, or improve?
all the wire the same helps stop "choking" the alternator and battery flow.
+Makaio Prescott The Big 3 Upgrade lets your alternator push more current to you battery because of the larger gauge wire that is added. This helps to keep your battery at a more constant voltage, this becomes more important the more amplifiers you add to the system / the more power your sound system requires.
The real, simple, answer that anyone cares about is... it will help lessen or prevent your lights from dimming when you're really rockin. Some say to just buy a "CAP" to fix engine bogging and power drops but after running caps for years I have found that this simple and cheap upgrade will fix your bass flicker. Unless you have like 5000+ watts in amps but at that point you are way past just the "BIG 3"and running more than one alternator and battery. :)
The other replies are right, I just wanted to add that it is also needed when running complex light systems. I have a jeep and I have safari style lighting so I can light up a campground if i needed too.
Thanks you guys! I'm not running anything huge in my truck, just 2 10's running on 1000w split to 500w each sub. And all my lights work just fine when I'm pounding, no flickering or dimming. I've been wanting to do this just for kicks, but I also wanted to know of any benefits it may bring. My power and ground wires on my truck are 4 gauge, which is the same size that I'm running to my amp, so maybe if I ever do a more complex system that requires more power, I'll definitely do this! Thanks again.
I have a Jeep Patriot and did the big 3 last weekend. Had to remove mass airflow sensor, intake, wheels, underliner, fender liner, serpentine belt, air conditioning compressor, etc. Normal array of tools needed but also tensioner pulley tool. If you’re not ready to get this on a lift and do all that then you should take it to a mechanic.
I did this years ago & had my alternator rebuilt for 200 amps...voltage is running at 14-15 volts at times....also running a back up battery with a battery isolator (diode) & running 7 years strong.
For the new ground you made on the car for the battery, I would have put dielectric grease on the bare spot so water or salt doesn't rust out that spot and then eat away your fender
Wouldn't clear coat be cheaper?
Yannis Clear coat would make the sanding you did pointless. You need bare metal and dielectric grease is meant for use on metal electrical contacts. Commonly used on spark plug wire to spark plug connections.
Konrad, the metal connection is already made, the clearcoat just goes above and around it. Just like an umbrella in the rain.
@@satchitananda1820 He applied the clear coat on the exposed areas AFTER making the connection. He didn't spray it BEFORE the connection. The clear coat isn't going to sneak it's way between the bare metal and the lug once it's screwed down tight. Also, grease can be washed off, clear coat is more durable.
2:40 because there should be quite a few of them, hidden all throughout. My v6 has like 4 about that size
i think you also need to ground the alternator
+Arnel H. Ofren It's grounded to the engine via the bolts which in turn is grounded itself
@@suda695 it helps to ground alt straight to battery
@@frankdehne1949 you will actually run into electrical issues if you do that.
@@MenacingRabbit how so. Its grounded to block. Ive done it to old cars just to get them running when the grounds arent conducting. Maybe 2o13ish and newer could have computer issues. But not the cars ive done it to
@@frankdehne1949 I just wanted to troll someone Frank, you're absolutely right about what you said. I like to leave random comments on various posts and see how worked up people get.
Can you use bigger than 4 gauge wire,, or is 4 gauge recommend..??
So power wire from alt power bolt to the positive battery terminal . Then the negative to chassis ground? Then motor ground to chassis ground? For the motor part did you make a different new ground or add it to the exfudting one?
"..now THIS is one of the ones where I'd say.... ueghhhhh... Have fun." lol
That was the best.
He smoked Hella weed before making this video
why do you say that?
+Donavan O'brein I didn't say it, his eyes did.
he needs to wash his hands after butt stuff
Who else would mod a 2001 Celica?
Sean Watts crap.
The one thing I strongly disagree with in this video is to run an un-fused wire from the positive terminal. If something rubs against that wire or the casing melts, there be one hell of a dead short. Your car WILL burn to the ground. Hopefully nobody will be in it.
ravenfn lol i wonder if the cars still around
he addressed that already
You do realize there is no fuse on the factory wire from the alternator to the battery either, don't you? We do fuse the positive wire to the amplifier, but if the factory is fine with securing their wire ( some aren't even in a protective plastic wire loom ) and not putting a fuse on it. Then a trained competent car audio installer should be fine doing it that way too.
@@meademorgan6614 Yeah there is. It's not actually a traditional fuse though, it's called a fusible link. It's just a short section of wire that's 4 gauges smaller than the protected wire, and wrapped in hypalon fireproof insulation. If there's a short, the smaller section of wire "blows out" like a fuse, opening the circuit before the protected wire can burn through.
Good call on twisting the wire brush on the drill, I'm personally embarrassed that I didn't think of that. I'm always brushing way too big of an area, thanks for the idea dude.
that's actually a tool you can buy for your cordless Drill...LOL
Always use a fusible link to the battery positive, unless of course you're okay risking destroying your charging system and causing a massive fire...
let say i have 45amp alternator,what should be the fuse amperage?tnx
My 2005 Honda element has an alternator that has 105 amps. Which kit would you recommend?
The factory one it came with. This is totally useless unless you have an electrical load that needs it AND an upgraded alternator to keep up.
@@jabroni6199 ... Completely useless application unless you plan on making your car into a towing truck..
If the alternator goes directly to the fuse box, should i run a new wire from the alternator directly to the battery or replace the wire from the alternator to the fuse box and also the one going from the fuse box to the battery? Sorry if the question is worded confusing.
C L58 I have this issue, what did u do
having your alternator run directly to your fuse box from factory is the same as having a fuse in line on your power wire. you would need to upgrade both in order for you to have any sort of benefit from it.
Rin Kumiko I was told to just run a new ire straight from alternator to battery and leave the fuse box wire from alternator to the battery alone
Someone tell me why I thought the Big 3 meant 3 brand new high out put alts...
Lol I thought it was alternator, battery, and isolator.
I did a big 3 without a HO alternator and it made a big difference.
honestly this is a good thing to do wether you are doing stereo equipment or not.the factory alt power and groundwires are very small in most cases
My hunch is any performance increase in your electrical system you get after doing this, is from cleaning(removing and reinstalling) the existing connections, and not from the actual upgrade.
it's both... current chooses the path of less resistance ( an uncorroded larger gauge wire that you install )the cleaning is the same concept ( reducing resistance)
There is no point in doing this upgrade unless you have aftermarket equipment causing stress on your electrical system.
For the small increase in driving performance, is the inclusion of the Alternator necessary? Mine is buried at the bottom. If the Alt. is left out, wear is a good location for wire #3 to go, along with a 4th wire? I hope this is still being watched. I would greatly appreciate any help.
It a big deal if you're not getting connection and your windows break one by one😂
The factory charge wire is designed for the oem sound system. It may be inadequate if you upgrade to a higher power system, adding another may unleash additional power from your alternator.
does it have to be 0/1 awg wire? what about 4awg? my amp is only 600w max its alpine pdx m6 and subs are 2 12 inch infinitys
Thanks god i have an accord and its very easy because the engine is very simple and the alternator is the first thing you see when opening the hood
This video helped me alot after whatching 30 video before it. I couldn't understand but this video made my life alot less stressful and I got to learn in a way I understood and will always remember
So your running a + cable that bypasses the factory fuse, nice... (Sarcasm)
There should be appropriate fuses on each line. The factory fuse isn’t enough for a powerful aftermarket system and therefore should be bypassed.
@@kingwillie206 exactly ..this guy is a moron
The "why" is not addressed. What's the point?
Power hungry aftermarket audio systems
Better consistent voltage
unless you up the alternator, this is unnecessary. you're not going to get some big gain from upping the wire that the factory installed- it's already a matched set. now, if you actually upgrade the power source, thats a different story.
no, it's not necessary, but it helps.
+Starstriple in what way? you won't up the system's capacity by just upgrading wires. in fact, the wiring from alternator to battery is already over the needed size.
Helps what.
If there is no problem with the charging system or the grounding system. what is it helping?
Cashownsyourass if you watched the video you would've known thst this isn't about gain. Who the fuck looks for gain by uprading the alternator/battery cables?
If it was a brand new car that you plan on not adding any electrical mods to then you're right. If you're adding 1500w subs or your car is 40 years old then upgrading the main wires is not only going to improve your electrical system but its really cheap insurance (~$10 if you make your own wires from bulk cable)
this all is nessesary on all vehicles which hardly anyone does! helps can bus volt ref sytem and computers comunicate faster timing, gauges, charging, loads, a must for fog lights and big stereo amps, ect....
If you drive a ford made before 2010 this is a MUST do. Their electrical systems are pathetic. But for every car in general This procedure can only help. No matter what make/model.
"What's the point of this?" Really? Try running a 5,000 watt system on the stock wires...
By the way, it's good that you showed the Patriot, I was looking into doing this myself to my 2016 Patriot, GREAT VIDEO GUYS!
If you are dumb enough to run a 5,000WATT system in-stock wiring ... Then that's on you.
ZORAN S. Where do I get the Big 3 wires from I’m still learning stuff about car audio. I plan on having a system with 1200 watts or 1500
@@Malek-b .. for system of that kind of current draw.. you will need to run a AWG#6 wire from you battery (+) side all the way things your trunk... You will need to fuse the cable to what ever the amplifier is fused at.. to make sure the cable does not over heat in any circumstances... now you can also add a (dry cell ) Cary battery (12v) to your trunk with the AWG#6 cable feeding the battery... And then from that battery the amplifier will be connected... You will also need to make sure that the battery in the trunk is also grounded...
Now for your engine bay wiring.
If you have rotten or degraded wiring coming off of your battery (under hood). You will need to clean them with anti oxidizing sprays and such... Make sure that the cables are in decent condition so it allows for maximum current flows... With the method that I described to hook up a system you will have all the power you would ever need..
Unless you are reaching 3,500watts and up..
Then you really need to go over your cable sizes.. the more powerful your system is, the more current draw, the more current draw...the more resistance in the cables.. there for heating of the cable will occure this is why it's crucial to have wiring far past the current capabilities of the system... It's kinda like anti fire insurance... Lol...
But as I was saying .. you positive and your ground cables can also be change under your hood to a more substantial AWG so the current flows faster.. smaller cables =resistance.
ZORAN S. what
Lol, I looked up how to do this, and conveniently I have a Toyota Celica lol
Weve all gone to high school with "this guy"
Great video and ill be doing the big 3 sooner than later. And what he means by adding a fuse holder you would cut the wire in a spot that you can easily get to if it pops now make sure you get a fuse holder up to 150 amp because it will blow every 2 days and make sure you do a battery test so you know ur pushing at least 114 volts
Why ground the battery and the engine block? It’ll just give a longer road completing the circuit.
Nevermind I just realized the thicker ground wires and the frame can carry a lot more current than the factory wire.