MrFluffy

Has anyone ever done a DIY on the big three upgrade ?

Im about too do it, probably this week some time and I was wondering if anyone has done a diy because it would make my life alot easier LOL, if not I may do one

StreetKA

iTrader: (8)

can you explain whats BIG three upgrade ?

richardparker

iTrader: (7)

I've done the big 3.
A DIY would help those who don't know.
0 gauge wire usally:

alt to batt+
batt- to engine ground
batt- to chassis ground

MrFluffy

these are all using big gauge wiring (8awg,4awg, or even 0awg)

1, connect wire from positive on the alternator too positive on the battery

2,connect wire from battery negative to chassis

3, Engine ground to chassis

It just helps the electricity flow better, but its kinda pointless if you dont have a system

MrFluffy

Man you posted before I got a chance

I just wanted to know where you hooked the grounds up and how much wire I need before I go to the store I hate going back for more stuff and Im using 0awg so I dont want to buy too much $$$

richardparker

iTrader: (7)

I could be wrong but,I think I used 10-12 feet.
It's been awhile.
The - to the engine is the same as the factory -wire.
And the - to the chassis is the factory -wire too by the radiator support area.
I did not remove the factory wire just doubled them with 0 gauge on top and big connects.

CL-S progression 01

iTrader: (2)

LOL big three??

I thought u were gonna say Intake Headers Exhaust? damn son

MrFluffy

No my alt is at 12amps at a stop so I wana do the big three and see if it helps but I think im gona have to replace the alt

thanks rick I think I will just measure the stock wiring to figure out the length I dont know why I didnt think of that

97BlackAckCL

iTrader: (6)

Don't people search anymore? I used the diy from this forum, the 2nd gen forum

MrFluffy

What did you put in the search I search for it for 20 min all I found was some talking about it and how it helped

Link please ?

friesm2000

iTrader: (4)

Rajca has already made a DIY on this subject s, so go searching for that

MrFluffy

^^ thanks ive already done that for 20min before I started the thread and have continued to do that all afternoon and all I found was this

https://acurazine.com/forums/showthr...ht=Big+upgrade

If you know where the DIY is could you tell me

friesm2000

iTrader: (4)

f***ing simple :shakehead, all i did was search for "big three", with the username being "Rajca", and under the results it was the third thing

anyways:
https://acurazine.com/forums/2g-tl-1999-2003-98/diy-big-3-a-692969/

MrFluffy

I just found it at the same time you did I thinks there something wrong with the search because it kept cutting 3 and I didnt find it that way I found it this way

https://acurazine.com/forums/showthr...ht=Big+upgrade

Any ways thanks

monkeybutt

Might wanna fuse the B+ to Alt.

By the way what kind of amplifers/power are you running?

MrFluffy

2 RF 300-1

But Im running at 12 amps when im not moving and my stereo is not in right now (I take it out in the winter) but its low because I have an underdrive crank pulley and I think I need a new alt

friesm2000

iTrader: (4)

that is actually about right iirc for a car just sitting there especially if no accesories are on (also what is the charging voltage at idle; if over 14 alternator is perfectly fine, 13.6 to 14 need to start looking at it closer, and below 13.6 it is discharging)


btw people have run much larger amps with out ever doing the big three (i got a 500w alpine, with out ever touching the cables or the alternator (still origional at 109K), and i also have a underdrive pulley installed also, and i do play my stereo at idle no problem

MrFluffy

Sorry I ment to say its at 12 volts when im idling with my lights on

friesm2000

iTrader: (4)

without anything else on, but just the headlights/running lights on (at the battery itself???, i would also check it at the alternater terminal itself also first, to make sure there is not too much resistance in the wiring)


then i would switch out the underdrive pulley as the next step to see if it comes back normal (which it might)

but as long as the wiring itself is still good, i would say the alternater itself is bad (still should be putting out more then that even with a underdrive pulley on there)

MrFluffy

It was going down to just above 13 before I put the underdrive pulley in, so I think its the alt too

Im still doing the big three just ordered the parts. I will see what that does and then if it doesnt go to mid 13s then I will do the alt. but I wanted to do the big three anways because My amps are hungry (Stupid RF)

But I am running HID fogs as well as HID headlights not sure how much power that is using

Rajca

iTrader: (8)

like stated ive done a diy on it. u cant only search the cl side. search the tl side also. exactly the same car besides the obvious cosmetics differences

hid barely use any power (i think)

friesm2000

iTrader: (4)

still sounds low, still should be enough for the butt warmers and such being on or the heater fan also (or the A/C during the summer), so many more loads that are still completely stock and normal on our cars

MrFluffy

I thought the HIDs hardy used any power but it seems to dip and stay a lil low so I dont know

BTW I love that DIY it was exactly what is was looking for and the price on the wiring was awesome too (I pay $4 a foot for 0 awg here)thanks Im retarted when it comes to searching and I search both TL and CL side and Then I got it through the audio side and through a link on another post

MrFluffy

CollinCL

What is the purpose of this? Correct me if I'm wrong but the alternator already has a regulator on it, and when that fuse blows your battery is gonna stop charging. So unless you're checking that fuse every time you get in and out of the car odds are you're gonna blow it without knowing it and wind up with a dead battery.

MrFluffy

Its incase the power wire comes lose and grounds out it could cause a fire thats the only reason

there should be no other reason the fuse would blow assuming you have a large fuse 250amps the alt would never put out that much though

friesm2000

iTrader: (4)

i meant that there are many more loads (and larger) put on the alternater that come stock on the car, then just a set of additional hid lights that you put on (and yes hid lights due use less power then normal halogen lights)

basically yes, so x2 (or it shorts out in general, like from rubbing through the insulation)

and still better with a discharged battery , then a burned down car, and anyways the charge light should also be on, if the fuse does happen to blow

MrFluffy

I find that the seat heaters dont make it drop that much but the rear defrost makes it drop like crazy

friesm2000

iTrader: (4)

ethier way, still a bigger/even load as those hid fogs

MrFluffy

No not im not arguing that the loads that come stock are crazy. But what I find really weird is when I click the ligths once so just back lights and side markers(which are custom leds 24 to be exact so hardly any power and all my interior lights are leds as well) it really dips

Btw as soon as I go its around 14.2

friesm2000

iTrader: (4)

just imagine all the stock loads at idle , your battery will discharge then, so yeah your alternator is on the line of really just needing to be replaced (or at least the stock crank pulley put back on , but you proably don't want to do that though)

MrFluffy

My alt been pretty low for like a month now so Im going to do the big three when i get my parts and hopefully it holds out a little longer cause my wife is gonna kill me if I have to buy an alt I just payed 2900 for my tranny

civicdrivr

iTrader: (9)

IIRC 12amps is correct for idle. You need to bring it up to around 3k rpm to see 14.

MrFluffy

do you think when im running my stereo it will stay at 12 ?

civicdrivr

iTrader: (9)

EDIT Thinking about it more thats the reading I should get when I test my bike. Strike that.

I did a quick search and you should be at 13.7-15.8 at idle with nothing on. But it does vary with temperatures.

MrFluffy

Its cold here but its never been above 14 , let alone 15.8

Rajca

iTrader: (8)

ull never see 15.8 or 15. 14.7 i believe is the max. but its always just under that. with the system in my tl it would drop down to the low 13s and sometimes even lower. now it in the really high 13s low 14s

friesm2000

iTrader: (4)

yeah 15.8 will blow out the battery and electronics more then likely, but yeah should be in the high 13's to the low 14's at idle especially with everything thing off, no with loads it will start dropping some but it still should not be going below 13 or so at idle

MrFluffy

well Im going to start with th big three and see what happens but im probably goning to do the alt right after that LOL

civicdrivr

iTrader: (9)

How would 15amps blow out our electronics when at higher rpms the alternator sees 100+?