Rewiring for larger alternator
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 936
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From: Tulsa OK
Rewiring for larger alternator
I've read that you should upgrade the ground wire and the battery wire for the alternator when going up to 100a or a 140a alternator. How big should the wires be? I know the ground should be bigger than the battery wire, so how big are we talking here? 8 gauge? 4 gauge? 0 gauge? Are these sizes of wire that any of the parts houses are going to carry?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 2,668
Likes: 43
From: Eastern US XX
Originally Posted by Xakk
I've read that you should upgrade the ground wire and the battery wire for the alternator when going up to 100a or a 140a alternator. How big should the wires be? I know the ground should be bigger than the battery wire, so how big are we talking here? 8 gauge? 4 gauge? 0 gauge? Are these sizes of wire that any of the parts houses are going to carry?
http://www.madelectrical.com/
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 9,192
Likes: 27
From: Boca Raton Florida
Read and use the MAD Electric paper on this subject.
Basically the answer is Yes the wire should be changed, but it depends on what you are doing. My recomendation is go to Relays to run fans and headlights, supply the load current for these from a term block connected directly to the back of the alt, this will be a new wire, size dependant on the load it needs to supply, Headlights and fans can be 50 amps. This means there will be 2 wires on the back of the alt, the new one and the stock one. The stock wire carries the battery charge current and there is no need to change it. The new wire needs to be protected with a fuseable link or Fuse between the alt and term block.
Basically the answer is Yes the wire should be changed, but it depends on what you are doing. My recomendation is go to Relays to run fans and headlights, supply the load current for these from a term block connected directly to the back of the alt, this will be a new wire, size dependant on the load it needs to supply, Headlights and fans can be 50 amps. This means there will be 2 wires on the back of the alt, the new one and the stock one. The stock wire carries the battery charge current and there is no need to change it. The new wire needs to be protected with a fuseable link or Fuse between the alt and term block.
