NBS Big 3 upgrade

[JGresko]

Looks like I will have to do this mod along with a bigger alt. and dual batteries before I put my 2 subs in. My guage already drops into to the red zone if I run the plow to much with out giuving the truck some gas. PLus with all the lights I will have on the truck,I will need all the power I can get.

nebraskaz71, Where did you pick up the 270amp alt. for your truck??

[nebraskaz71]

excessive amperage

[JGresko]

Originally Posted by nebraskaz71

excessive amperage

Thanks, i will have to look into picking on up when I do my 350 swap with dual batteries and bigger cables.

[sk1er18]

I notice my voltage drop just using a puny little air compressor to fill a 2 liter air tank... so im thinking about doing this.

but for my truck, i run absolutely no amps for stereos. i have a few long-range lights and im thinking about getting a power-inverter to run a good air compressor with a 5+ gallon tank for OBA... but again that will be run few and far between.

for such an application, and considering we're adding this wire as a supplement to the stock wires... wouldn't 4 gauge suffice? 4 gauge and its connectors are a good deal cheaper and the wire is more pliable, therefore easier to run and hide.

what ya think?

[GoCougs]

I know that this is a little old, but I went out and measured for the cables. Im planning on doing this with either 0 guage or 1 guage. Im thinking that I need 2 feet for Alt to positive battery, 4' for battery negative to frame, 6" for battery negative to body (if I need to do that one) and what am I forgetting? Do I need to go engine block to frame? Or from alt bracket to frame?

Oh yeah, this is for a 96 2 door tahoe

[nebraskaz71]

ya block or alt to frame either one works, i also did cab to frame ground

[BigTruckDriver]

Originally Posted by jm30349

I am a little lost. The power wire on my 92 RCSB goes from the battery to the starter, not the alternator. What is the proceedure for this? Do I just upgrade that wire instead?

What did you figure on this set up, i have the same. thanks

[hawaiianstyle]

did anyone do the BIG THREE on a 2007 GMC 6.0L yet? Just checking on how the voltage was after completion. Want to do it to my GMC

[Lchauvin88]

Plan on doing this soon to my 96' gmc cab. I can't see but a hanful of pics. I will be using some 2gauge wire but my question is this: Where do I get the terminals to put on the wire ends for my alternator and the firewall ground?

I clicked a napa link but it said error 404 page not found.

[x6369x]

Originally Posted by Lchauvin88

Plan on doing this soon to my 96' gmc cab. I can't see but a hanful of pics. I will be using some 2gauge wire but my question is this: Where do I get the terminals to put on the wire ends for my alternator and the firewall ground?

Try your local hardware store (Lowe's/Home Depot) or even a welding supply shop.

[MindlessDeviant]

Originally Posted by x6369x

Try your local hardware store (Lowe's/Home Depot) or even a welding supply shop.

I know for a fact Lowes and Home Depot dont carry anything larger than an 8 gauge ring terminal around me. The only place I was able to find em was Frys electronics but they were asking $20 a pair!! I found a place online that has screw down 1/0 ring terminals for $4 a piece

[djracer]

Back to the fusing the alt wire! I would install a fuse just above the alternators output not the wires!

[bcampbe7]

I just did the "Big 3" upgrade on my 2004 Yukon this past weekend. I used 4 gauge wire on top of the existing wiring. The stereo shop where I bought the wire and terminals said I would not need to fuse the ALT-Batt wire. The guy said that he has rarely seen a ALT-Batt wire that is fused from the factory and didn't see a need in fusing the wire. To each there own I guess. If you want to throw a fuse in, go for it.

The lengths in the original post were more than enough for my vehicle.

I can't say that I noticed any sort of improvement as of yet, but I didn't have any glaring problems to begin with. I am planning on taking a long road trip over the Holidays, so I will see if the gas mileage has been helped.

Thanks to the original poster for the guidance.

[JD72]

The battery just gives engine-off accessory electrical supply, but it's main function is starter current. So a big starter cable is good. The real electrical supply is the alternator, so a big cable is good to the junction. But the battery likes a slow charge for long life, so a big cable from the alt. to the battery is not really good. That cable is for charging the battery and would be good if it was 10ga and about maybe 10 ft long.

[neonhomer]

Will this make a difference on a stock vehicle with a stock HU? I have been noticing slight dimming of my interior lights when I use my power windows.

I do plan on adding a 2500w power inverter, plus some minor stereo equipment..... but that is later...

Would 0 gauge suffice, or should I go to 1/0?

[dakbala]

I noticed this too. Before I even installed any aftermarket stereo stuff. The lights would dim when I use the power windows, the dimming is worse when I try to roll up a window that is already rolled up all the way...it also makes a high pitched buzzing noise too...

I now have two 12" woofers that don't dim the lights as much as my power windows do.

[neonhomer]

I noticed that too...... I spoke with a tech at the dealer, and was told it was normal..... but it don't seem to be normal.

So I wonder if the Big 3 upgrade would make a difference for this case, or am I going to have to actually change/upgrade/add to the wire for the fuse box.

Most fuse boxes I have seen have a 2nd lug on the power source side of the fuse block. I am not sure if the Chevy has it or not, but it would be interesting to add a 2nd line to bolster interior voltages.

Do the power windows feed from the inside fuse block, or the power distribution block under the hood?

[BigTruckDriver]

Originally Posted by MindlessDeviant

I know for a fact Lowes and Home Depot dont carry anything larger than an 8 gauge ring terminal around me. The only place I was able to find em was Frys electronics but they were asking $20 a pair!! I found a place online that has screw down 1/0 ring terminals for $4 a piece

I did not need connectors for this. At the local auto parts store they have battery wires/cables in different lengths in 0 gauge that have "factory" ends all ready in place. The ends are crimped and sealed, just bolt in place. The shortest I found was 8 incehs and the longest was 36-40 inches.

[gothoe?]

Is anyone here able to put together the cables/ring terminals together for me so I can just install them myself?? I'm lazy. Thanks

[Grohe]

Originally Posted by x6369x

Then added 2 runs of 1/0 from the pos side post to 2 circuit breakers (the 140A/160A were only temporary, they are now both 200A) ...

where did you get those circuit breakers at??