upgrading my electrical system???
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Junior User
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upgrading my electrical system???
I want to run a 1 awg gauge wire from my alternator to the positive post on the battery. The stock wiring has the wire from the alternator running into the solinoid and then to the positive battery terminal.Can I just leave the stock wiring hooked up as is and also run a 1awg wire directly to the positive on the battery without messing anything up?? I'm upgrading the grounds throughout the truck and I am trying to eliminate any noise that might occur. Does this make any sense? I have read on other forums that this is a great and simple way to eliminate unwanted noise. I'm just not sure how or if I can leave the stock wiring intack from the alternator to the solinoid and also wire a piece of 1awg directly from the alt to the battery. Thanks in advance for your input and advise.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Aug 2005
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From: Easton,Ks
No it makes no sense at all. I do not know what you read where but they did know what they were talking about.
Do you have noise? If yes you need filtering not larger wires.
Are you changing to a larger alternator? If no a larger wire will not help you at all.
A 1GA wire from your alternator to the battery is bypassing all protection and will burn up the alternator or battery if you have a problem, not to mention fire.
Do you have noise? If yes you need filtering not larger wires.
Are you changing to a larger alternator? If no a larger wire will not help you at all.
A 1GA wire from your alternator to the battery is bypassing all protection and will burn up the alternator or battery if you have a problem, not to mention fire.
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Joined: Jan 2001
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From: Virginia
You can certainly do that. But you may have problems getting the fittings for the wire all worked out so you can use a wire that big. I would think a 6 gauge wire would be plenty big enough. This is the same size as the battery cable going to the starter. A 1 guage wire is huge.
As far as eliminating noise, the battery will clamp down on some of the noise. But I think the most important thing to do is provide a the supply to the component straight from the battery that is prone to picking up noise. I don't see much difference in putting the alt output at the solenoid or the battery +, but I would run anything that had a tendency to pick up noise, directly to the battery +.
As far as eliminating noise, the battery will clamp down on some of the noise. But I think the most important thing to do is provide a the supply to the component straight from the battery that is prone to picking up noise. I don't see much difference in putting the alt output at the solenoid or the battery +, but I would run anything that had a tendency to pick up noise, directly to the battery +.
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Junior User
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Thanks for the info Franklin- what I have done is run a 1awg from my neg battery terminal to the chassis,and then I ran a 1awg from the chassis to the engine block. now I want to run a 1awg from the block (alternator) back to the battery to complete the circut. I have read that this is a good upgrade and will improve the efficientcy of my trucks electrical system.Upgrading my grounding system more or less.I understand that this will help keep my lights from dimming when I will be running my preamp with my stereo. I don't want to do anything that will cause damage to my truck. I guess I can run the 1awg wire from my alt... to the solinoid and from there to the positive post on the battery ?? Thanks for your response.
Postmaster
Joined: Nov 2003
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From: Utah County, UT
Man 1 awg is huge, but at any rate, Would replace the wiring to the solenoid as well. In all essence it would be paralleled, but I am guessing you are doing this for high current stereo application. I presume you are pulling power for the amp(s) from the postive side of the battery. At least upgrade the wiring to the point of your high current devices connection. i.e. if you are pulling the power from the post off the solenoid, then definately go alt, solenoid, battery.
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2005
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From: Big Red country
You can certainly run a parallel wire from the alt to the battary if you wish, and who knows for sure, you might see some kind of benefit from it. I am assuming that the stock wire you are referring to goes from the same terminal on the solenoid to both the battery and the alt. A bigger wire will give you some benefit if you are pulling large amounts of amperage for amplifiers. Remember that you are working with 12 volts here. It doesn't take much resistance in a wire to drop a volt when you have large amounts of current. A bigger wire will have less resistance and therefore will have less voltage drop for a given amount of current. Dropping to 11V is almost 10%, that is enough to dim lights and cause clicks and pops in an amp that is trying to draw alot of current to produce that "punch".
Now, if the stock wire is not going to the same terminal on the solenoid to each location, DON'T do it.
Now, if the stock wire is not going to the same terminal on the solenoid to each location, DON'T do it.
