2/0 wiring upgrade
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Fleet Owner
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2/0 wiring upgrade
I just got finished upgrading the wire from the alternator to the passenger battery to 2/0 (actually just added a 2/0 cable) and upgrading to a 2/0 cable also from the passenger side battery to the drivers side battery.
I have not upgraded the ground wires yet, but I probably will soon. The ground wires are cool to the touch. The positive wires were quite hot originally. They are much cooler now. I have an IR temperature scanner. The positive wire from the alternator was getting up to 185 *F by the IR gun with the stock cable (would have probably gotten higher when towing a heavy load on a hot day for many hours). They are all around 140*F or below now. My test run was unloaded on the highway for 30 minutes.
Voltage w/ the new DC power alternator is running around 14.3 after start-up and then seems to stay around 14V now.
I am pleased w/ all the mods, but I had cables custom made and I specified them with too short of a length. The install isn't pretty, but it is functional. I will post pics later (even though I am not proud of the looks).
I have not upgraded the ground wires yet, but I probably will soon. The ground wires are cool to the touch. The positive wires were quite hot originally. They are much cooler now. I have an IR temperature scanner. The positive wire from the alternator was getting up to 185 *F by the IR gun with the stock cable (would have probably gotten higher when towing a heavy load on a hot day for many hours). They are all around 140*F or below now. My test run was unloaded on the highway for 30 minutes.
Voltage w/ the new DC power alternator is running around 14.3 after start-up and then seems to stay around 14V now.
I am pleased w/ all the mods, but I had cables custom made and I specified them with too short of a length. The install isn't pretty, but it is functional. I will post pics later (even though I am not proud of the looks).
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Fleet Owner
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The wire from the alternator to the primary battery is pretty small, that is the wire that was getting quite hot. I will have to check into the size unless someone else knows it. I think the wire connecting the batteries is #2 wire, but not absolutely sure .
American Wire Gauge table and AWG Electrical Current Load Limits with skin depth frequencies
American Wire Gauge table and AWG Electrical Current Load Limits with skin depth frequencies
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Fleet Owner
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Yup, looking very good. Significant voltage upgrade from before (I am sure a big reason was the new alternator)!
Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2009
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From: Moyock, NC
Mark,
great ideal to change these anyway...where did you get your wires made? Can I just go the The HomeDepot and make my own? I will check my temos this weekend with my digital pyro laser thermometer...."fire the laser"...
great ideal to change these anyway...where did you get your wires made? Can I just go the The HomeDepot and make my own? I will check my temos this weekend with my digital pyro laser thermometer...."fire the laser"...
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Fleet Owner
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I can send you pics and some "learnings" if you are interested.
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Fleet Mechanic
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I have not upgraded the ground wires yet, but I probably will soon. The ground wires are cool to the touch. The positive wires were quite hot originally. They are much cooler now. I have an IR temperature scanner. The positive wire from the alternator was getting up to 185 *F by the IR gun with the stock cable (would have probably gotten higher when towing a heavy load on a hot day for many hours). They are all around 140*F or below now. My test run was unloaded on the highway for 30 minutes.
-blaine
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Fleet Owner
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I'm not at all doubting the reasons for the mod, but I AM curious as to the true cause of the hot cables... Would not heat conductance in the metal be responsible for a good deal of the 185*? The alternator is mounted to the head (or at least touching it), which is running 180-200*, and is sitting in front of a radiator that dumps heat at 150-180 degrees...
-blaine
-blaine
I should have stated up front that the real reason for the mod is that I am going to be adding a third battery (will install it in the bed under the tool box) and a power inverter. Also, for alternators above 200A (I opted for a 190A, but who knows what the future will bring!), a wiring upgrade is highly advised ny the alternator suppliers that I talked to.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jul 2005
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Mark
Sounds like a great job - very good diagnostics and very good science.
It is not a small issue to install / make safe cables.
If at all possible, it is always preferable to have the cables insulated by a second layer (split plastic hose is OK), or something to protect it (but do not trap moisture and salt) in case the primary insulation failed.
If you are adding a 3rd battery - be sure you add a battery isolator so that draining that house battery do not drain your starting battery.
I think doubling up on cable is a great way to go - and I am sure you cleaned and tweaked the old cable.
Did you fuse the cable(s)?
Voltage looks excellent - I note yours is staying above 14V once you get going, while mine is hanging around high 13s with all the toys running (wiper, AC, headlights, etc.) so I may have issues with my alternator to battery to power box wiring and I am a candidate for upgrading as you did.
Sounds like a great job - very good diagnostics and very good science.
It is not a small issue to install / make safe cables.
If at all possible, it is always preferable to have the cables insulated by a second layer (split plastic hose is OK), or something to protect it (but do not trap moisture and salt) in case the primary insulation failed.
If you are adding a 3rd battery - be sure you add a battery isolator so that draining that house battery do not drain your starting battery.
I think doubling up on cable is a great way to go - and I am sure you cleaned and tweaked the old cable.
Did you fuse the cable(s)?
Voltage looks excellent - I note yours is staying above 14V once you get going, while mine is hanging around high 13s with all the toys running (wiper, AC, headlights, etc.) so I may have issues with my alternator to battery to power box wiring and I am a candidate for upgrading as you did.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jul 2005
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No doubt that it is hot under the hood. However, there is no way the heat conductance from the engine makes its way to the electrical cables through the alternator contact with the engine mating surfaces. The measured temperatures of the alternator cable (before and after the upgrade) are at fairly identical conditions and it is dramatically cooler with the upgrade.
The way to get around this issue is exactly as you did.
Rather than measure absolute temperature, measure change in temperature.
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Fleet Owner
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Thank you Brad, I will post my pics as well.
One issue I encountered was with the alternator to battery cable. I found out that you just can not disconnect it. That cable (somewhere in the loom is a splice) supplies power to the alternator's voltage regulator. So I just piggy-backed the new 2/0 cable to the OEM wire.
Gearloose1 - thank you for the kind words and suggestions. I have not yet added a secondary insulation/protection covering yet, but I recognized the need while I was laying the cable in all possible routing scenarios! I will definitely be doing that as soon as the rains end and I can get back under the hood.
I did not fuse the cables. I was considering it, but was in too much of a hurry and decided not too - it would have been a nice thing to have done for sure though ...
Edit - Gearloose1, you are correct (at least for me) it was not a small job. Too much trial and error for the way I like a job to go. Well anyway I am glad I did it and, for the most part, it is done.
One issue I encountered was with the alternator to battery cable. I found out that you just can not disconnect it. That cable (somewhere in the loom is a splice) supplies power to the alternator's voltage regulator. So I just piggy-backed the new 2/0 cable to the OEM wire.
Gearloose1 - thank you for the kind words and suggestions. I have not yet added a secondary insulation/protection covering yet, but I recognized the need while I was laying the cable in all possible routing scenarios! I will definitely be doing that as soon as the rains end and I can get back under the hood.
I did not fuse the cables. I was considering it, but was in too much of a hurry and decided not too - it would have been a nice thing to have done for sure though ...
Edit - Gearloose1, you are correct (at least for me) it was not a small job. Too much trial and error for the way I like a job to go. Well anyway I am glad I did it and, for the most part, it is done.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jul 2005
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Mark:
If I can be so, um, up front -
Please buy / install fusible links to the cables when you work on it again.
In the event of a short to ground (e.g. you hit drop a wrench on it, get into an accident where the wires are shorted, or if it is under vehicle, something or snag on a rock), that is the only thing that can prevent:
a) destruction of alternator and batter(ies)
b) possible fire
Visualize all the energy stored in 2 batteries released in the span of a few seconds.
Fusible links are dirt cheap and they just bolt on the end of the cables.
Get one that is rated about 25% below the combined power capacity of your wires.
With respect to the cable loom and the power to the rectifier.
Are you sure that is not the "sense" wire?
That is the way the alternator detects the voltage from the batteries and on the basis of that information, decide to either "cut" or keep charging.
If I can be so, um, up front -
Please buy / install fusible links to the cables when you work on it again.
In the event of a short to ground (e.g. you hit drop a wrench on it, get into an accident where the wires are shorted, or if it is under vehicle, something or snag on a rock), that is the only thing that can prevent:
a) destruction of alternator and batter(ies)
b) possible fire
Visualize all the energy stored in 2 batteries released in the span of a few seconds.
Fusible links are dirt cheap and they just bolt on the end of the cables.
Get one that is rated about 25% below the combined power capacity of your wires.
With respect to the cable loom and the power to the rectifier.
Are you sure that is not the "sense" wire?
That is the way the alternator detects the voltage from the batteries and on the basis of that information, decide to either "cut" or keep charging.
Hotshot
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 13,834
Likes: 25
From: Middle Tn.
Mark:
If I can be so, um, up front -
Please buy / install fusible links to the cables when you work on it again.
In the event of a short to ground (e.g. you hit drop a wrench on it, get into an accident where the wires are shorted, or if it is under vehicle, something or snag on a rock), that is the only thing that can prevent:
a) destruction of alternator and batter(ies)
b) possible fire
Visualize all the energy stored in 2 batteries released in the span of a few seconds.
Fusible links are dirt cheap and they just bolt on the end of the cables.
Get one that is rated about 25% below the combined power capacity of your wires.
With respect to the cable loom and the power to the rectifier.
Are you sure that is not the "sense" wire?
That is the way the alternator detects the voltage from the batteries and on the basis of that information, decide to either "cut" or keep charging.
If I can be so, um, up front -
Please buy / install fusible links to the cables when you work on it again.
In the event of a short to ground (e.g. you hit drop a wrench on it, get into an accident where the wires are shorted, or if it is under vehicle, something or snag on a rock), that is the only thing that can prevent:
a) destruction of alternator and batter(ies)
b) possible fire
Visualize all the energy stored in 2 batteries released in the span of a few seconds.
Fusible links are dirt cheap and they just bolt on the end of the cables.
Get one that is rated about 25% below the combined power capacity of your wires.
With respect to the cable loom and the power to the rectifier.
Are you sure that is not the "sense" wire?
That is the way the alternator detects the voltage from the batteries and on the basis of that information, decide to either "cut" or keep charging.