CandyCamaro427

I cannot believe how much BULLSHIT there is in this thread that has nothing to do with the OP's original post. Since the OP has dipping voltage the best thing I would recommend would be to get a higher output alternator. Replacing OEM wires with 0 gauge wires will not help anything if you have a weak alternator. Don't rely on bigger wires and start looking at the bigger picture of what actually makes the power. After a higher output alt is when you should consider bigger wires and then battery after that. It all depends on what your goals are currently and in the future. If your planning on running a 1500 watt+ sound system then big three on top of better battery and alt is necessary but a simple voltage drop fix would be an alternator output issue. Big 3 would help in some cases of low voltage but the OEM wires are suited to accommodate other OEM accessories including the alternator.

devestator_x

iTrader: (1)

Ok, so what your saying is that my real world results of what I did to my own car are total bullshit? That my 4 year old OEM replacement alternator wasnt good enough even though it was a factory replacement using the factory wiring? Oh and before anyone pipes up that it's the age of the wiring, etc. Scott Moyers award winning all original IROC has this same problem.

Just to let you know, my voltage dip had 0 to do with the sound system. I tested it multiple times, stereo on, off, AC on off, etc etc. It dipped no matter what. The only thing I changed was the addition of the Big 3 upgrade. My voltage dip went away. I didnt replace my stock wiring, I added to it, which is the proper way to do the Big 3.

Allow me to refer you to a thread on another forum...
http://www.stevemeadedesigns.com/boa...for-the-big-3/
The OP in this thread asks if CCA is good enough for a big 3 upgrade in his car using a 1200watt amp and a stock 80 amp alternator. The reply is he could use 2ga or even 4ga and still be fine in terms of voltage. So if an 80 amp alternator has enough juice to power a 1200watt amp as long as the wiring is upgraded, why would you want to do the opposite?

You would rather try to cram 140, 180, 200+ amps through wiring that cant handle the 80 amps it's already seeing? Why not spend the lesser dollar amount and see if it improves, then if you still see 0 change then do the more expensive upgrades? What gauge would you say the factory wiring is? I'd say mine is 8 gauge going to the starter and my battery to chassis ground was MAYBE 12 possibly 14. Battery to alt ground was 8ga and alt + to battery + was 12 maybe 14. According to this chart...http://www.the12volt.com/info/recwirsz.asp 12ga can only run about 40 amps of current. 8ga can only run 100 at most.

Power & Ground Cable Specs
Cable Size
Wire Gauge-Current Capacity
------------Amperage (amps)
1/0---------350
2-----------225
4-----------150
8-----------100
10----------60
12----------40
14----------25
16----------15

If your chassis to battery ground wire is only 12ga, you arent going to flow the 8ga 100amps, you will be seeing 40 amps. I really dont see how this is bullshit... I did the upgrade (for other reasons beyond the volt dip), it worked, pretty cut and dry. Post #1 of this thread says nothing of the volt dip. I brought that up as it was a side effect cure on my car, an added benefit of doing the upgrade for a much larger stereo system in the future.