WrenchGuys BIG 3 Thread

[WrenchGuy]

I figured I'd post up my installation of the Big 3 to help the guys out. Its enough I think for everyone to get an idea. I did mine with the plan of having Audio system grounds to the frame. In which I grounded the battery directly to it.

Here we go, I will acknowledge a couple things I didn't utilize cuz it was too late...lol (sorta)

These will be the areas your going to be workin with when you pop the hood





I tried to make my pics user friendly as possible. The first wire I'm doing is the battery to frame ground.(This could be run to the chassis but for good current flow from the back grounds I'm going to the frame directly.)

You can run this wire down next to the radiator. UTILIZE the plastic loop that is open on the radiator!! I cut my wire already before I noticed it. 1/0 fits right in it. You may have to put your terminal on after its through there though.



Then there is the bumper support bolts that make a perfect ground connection. They're right under the Washer Fluid jug behind the drivers side fog light.



Grab your 15mm socket and remove the 3 bolts that hold it on. Easy job except for the damn dirt in your face. Wear goggles...lol





Then use whatever tools you got to clean the metal off to make it bare. I used a Dremel but whatever you can come up with will work as long as you get everything off of it.



Then do the same thing on the mating face of the support and where the connection will be me made.



I used a step bit to make the terminal hole larger to fit the bolt. Gravy. Then just bolt the support back on with your wire connected to it.



Make the connection at the battery and your finished with the battery to frame ground. I used KnuKonceptz terminals which have "compression fittings" so not having the terminal on yet was fine but I cut the wire too short to utilize the loop on the radiator. I didn't see it before hand oh well.

[WrenchGuy]

The Alt to Positive is very simple and I'm sure everyone has a grasp on that. I've determined that fusing this thing is installers preference. I'm not to worried about it myself.



Then there was commotion over the chassis to engine ground on mine being quite long. Well I probed all over the place and the old ground seems to me to be the best since its a pain the ass to get to the other end of the stock one. I just went from the stock chassis end to the mount bolt on the Alt bracket.



May not be perfect but should put everyone in the right direction on doing this thing...lol Zip tie at the end. I also used rubberized undercoating to coat the battery to frame ground.

Ask away!

[greengumby]

Holy Crap dude awesome write up ...it answered all my questions

Great job!

Also where did you get the blue alt?

how many amps?

[WrenchGuy]

Originally Posted by greengumby

Holy Crap dude awesome write up ...it answered all my questions

Great job!

Also where did you get the blue alt?

how many amps?

Thanks! I figured it would help.

Its an EA (Excessive Amperage) alternator 300 amps. Its been working great. As far as service Nate is a very good guy with excellent communication.

You can just about any color for a little extra. Paint or powdercoat.

[MrMorganUSC]

Excellent write up WrenchGuy.....I do believe I am going to be doing this soon. Today is my first day with my Tahoe....I noticed the battery that is in there is side mount which looks gay. Is everything the same on a side mount battery?

Also....kinda OT from Big 3 but where is a place in the firewall to run power wire through?

Scott

[WrenchGuy]

Originally Posted by MrMorganUSC

Excellent write up WrenchGuy.....I do believe I am going to be doing this soon. Today is my first day with my Tahoe....I noticed the battery that is in there is side mount which looks gay. Is everything the same on a side mount battery?

Also....kinda OT from Big 3 but where is a place in the firewall to run power wire through?

Scott

There are several add ons for the side posts. I would get a dual post battery when you get one. Mine is dual post.

There is an accessible grommet around the brake cyclinder.

[MrMorganUSC]

Originally Posted by WrenchGuy

There are several add ons for the side posts. I would get a dual post battery when you get one. Mine is dual post.

There is an accessible grommet around the brake cyclinder.

So when doing the big 3 which posts do you use to connect the "added" big 3 wires?

This sounds like a dumb question......

Edit....Also....what kind of battery is that you got Wrenchguy? I don't want/need to buy an optima, I am only going to be running 600 watts of audio. All i need is a decent Dual post. Am I wrong that some auto place will take your old batt as credit, or did I dream that?

Scott

[WrenchGuy]

Originally Posted by MrMorganUSC

So when doing the big 3 which posts do you use to connect the "added" big 3 wires?

This sounds like a dumb question......

Edit....Also....what kind of battery is that you got Wrenchguy? I don't want/need to buy an optima, I am only going to be running 600 watts of audio. All i need is a decent Dual post. Am I wrong that some auto place will take your old bat as credit, or did I dream that?

Scott

3 wires to upgrade and you do not have to change stock wiring at all.

Battery NEGATIVE to Chassis or Frame

ENG to CHASSIS ground. (This will be the alternators actual ground.)

Battery POSITIVE to ALT.

The battery I have is a Deka Intimidator series which you can get at http://remybattery.com/Departments/E...R-Battery.aspx There are also accessories there too.

Some Auto Places will take em back for you or its like 10 bucks towards your bat not real sure.

[tast101]

Just really inspired me to do it. Since I'll have some left over cable after my install. Just gotta get me some heatshrink, which I have to get anyway and terminal connectors.

[MrMorganUSC]

Originally Posted by WrenchGuy

3 wires to upgrade and you do not have to change stock wiring at all.

Battery NEGATIVE to Chassis or Frame

ENG to CHASSIS ground. (This will be the alternators actual ground.)

Battery POSITIVE to ALT.

The battery I have is a Deka Intimidator series which you can get at http://remybattery.com/Departments/E...R-Battery.aspx There are also accessories there too.

Some Auto Places will take em back for you or its like 10 bucks towards your bat not real sure.

Yes i know where what the big 3 is....I was asking where on the battery you connect....the top post or the side posts?

Sorry if I wasn't clear.

Scott

[treepete]

dude, great thread, and nice pictures.

Is that knuconcepts wire? or what is the kind of wire you used?

Thanks,
Pete

[WrenchGuy]

Originally Posted by MrMorganUSC

Yes i know where what the big 3 is....I was asking where on the battery you connect....the top post or the side posts?

Sorry if I wasn't clear.

Scott

I used the top posts. That way I didn't need the longer terminal lug for sideposts. The side posts just have the stock wiring.

I'm also putting another battery over in the corner so I used 3 way terminals. 3 1/0 at that. But can be used for 4 GA also.

[WrenchGuy]

Originally Posted by treepete

dude, great thread, and nice pictures.

Is that knuconcepts wire? or what is the kind of wire you used?

Thanks,
Pete

I have some KLM on the way but no its not Knu. I have all kinds of different wire going on...lol Audio brands and Welding cable. I'm more function than fashion. I'm trying to use audio brands under the hood for style but welding cable runs are going to the back.

[treepete]

so really, welding cable is acceptable for doing all the wiring? I think I saw some rolls of it at my local hardware store. I suppose, the bigger, the better in this situation? like 1 GA or 0 GA?

yeah those colored wires are very stylish, and compared to my stock wires, they are HUGE and FAT.

[WrenchGuy]

Originally Posted by treepete

so really, welding cable is acceptable for doing all the wiring? I think I saw some rolls of it at my local hardware store. I suppose, the bigger, the better in this situation? like 1 GA or 0 GA?

yeah those colored wires are very stylish, and compared to my stock wires, they are HUGE and FAT.

Yes welding cable is very acceptable. Little smaller diameter cuz the jacket isn't as huge as the audio brand.

I used 1/0 because I have a rather big application. If you follow the stock battery ground you will see 4GA would even help. Its hilarious how small it is. I would do it in 1/0 so you will never have to do it again if you plan on adding to the electrical.