How To Install the Big 3 Upgrade | Improve Your Vehicle's Electrical Charging System | Car Audio

[@deankay4434]

Always disconnect the battery negative before starting any electrical service. It is safety & protects electronics! Best practices are good. Purchase a digital multi meter (DMM) to have the ability to do “Voltage Drop” test and (OCV) open circuit voltage at the battery. There are good videos on both. The battery stored energy to start the car, un-lock, lock and power lights plus many other duties like certain memory functions & clock. Yours will vary. The alternator uses diodes to direct energy to negative (Back Case of Alternator) and the B+. Negative to the battery completes a DC circuit and most cars don’t have a “Full” dedicated frame. Negative wire to the battery (As his Example) have a “Tee” inline, that bolts to chassis but to the engine. Rebuilding or modifying can be fun but a good cable for negative should attach from the back of the alternator and continue on to the battery. You need grounds everywhere to chassis, engine, battery, frame (If applicable) but the littles ones found on intakes, cylinder head or rocker arm cover to the firewall (Bulkhead) are required but the battery to the block is the big one. After all, you want it to crank to start. A good battery tested at 100% state of health and (OCV) at 12.6-12.8 Vdc is correct. The alternator will charge a good battery at less than 1/2 an amp while driving. OEM alternators sense B+ but also temperature. Cold batteries take as much as 14.2 volts as hot batteries take 13.2. The Marine industry + some auto’s with the battery under the rear seat has temp sensors to adjust the rate of charge. Use wire that is quality with “Star Washers” inside or out that dig into both metals, the connector & car. Yes, remove paint to a minimum but protect your connections with a $6 tube of dielectric grease. Adding amps, DSP, and other aftermarket components need a single large fuse that totals the added load. Placed next to the battery as close as one can. Route using existing rubber grommet and avoid all pinch points to avoid fire. Amp clamps w / direct readout are reasonably priced and with the loads on, measure each. Write this down and purchase a distribution fuse center. Sizing wire for unknown amps is guessing and boxes lye about amperage requirements. You can never use “OutPut” for calculation of picking the correct fuse. Start with only the size indicated by the component then the system on at full, the amp clamp will show the correct fuse by 28.6 amps, get a 30 amp fuse, not a 50 amp. The fuse protects the wire and not the component. Voltage drop is measuring the loss of voltage across point “A” to point “B” while on at maximum. The higher the circuit amps, the higher the voltage drop, so a 120 amp circuit voltage drop is 0.500 Vdc. 1/2 of a volt is lost! Normal. 16 amp circuit will show 0.050 Vdc loss. Like headlights or blower fan. These are series circuits, therefore the component uses all the voltage in the circuit. A new switch, wires, connectors, fuse and ground will add up losses when on and new. Measure with DMM on volts, turn on circuit and measure B+ side, ground side both to battery, the component gets the rest. Anything kissing high volts is resistance due the ground, connector, switch, wire or even a fuse. Follow these suggestions and you will have no problems and it works well in diagnosing. Amps to a fuel pump are about 7.0 - 8.5 Amps. Higher than this, plugged filter, pinched line, etc. Lower means the pump is worn and will fail. A simple fuse jumper wire plugged in at the fuel pump fuse w / Amp clamp will show. Voltage drop? If the black or red meter leads are backward, the reading is the same only with a (-) sign in front of it.

[@averyalexander2303]

Quick tips- The nuts/bolts on the strut towers which hold the strut mount to the chassis work extremely well as ground points because they are nice and large, the metal on the strut towers is thick, and you can tighten them down tight without stripping it or causing damage because they are large and sturdy. Just don't ground to the strut/mount itself since it's usually isolated by rubber bushings. I would also suggest finding a large bolt on a sturdy part of the engine block or head to connect the ground to instead of connecting it to a small bolt on a valve cover, bracket, or something similar. That way the cable is connected to a thick piece of metal that can handle current well, and you can tighten the bolt down nice and tight for a solid connection. Also, as he said, make absolutely sure to sand/wire brush all connections to clean, shiny metal since paint and oxidized metal are very poor conductors. I hope that this information helps someone

[@micheledianemiller4589]

have to watch doing this ,,,, some vehicles have rubber mounts for struts

[@averyalexander2303]

@@micheledianemiller4589 Great point, thanks for mentioning that! I was referring to the nuts that hold the strut mount to the strut tower rather than the nut that holds the strut to the mount, but after rereading my comment I realize that what I wasn't totally clear, so I edited it for clarity so I don't confuse anyone.

[@TruthSeekerAll]

When you remove the nut that holds the struts, does it loosen the struts and does it need to be aligned back or something? Can we just loosen one of the nuts, put the wires there and just tighten the nut just like that and all will be fine? Its the first time I’m gonna do the big 3 so I’m quite nervous. Appreciate your inputs. Thanks a lot.

[@averyalexander2303]

@@TruthSeekerAll It won't loosen anything or affect the alignment. Just remove one of the nuts/bolts holding the mount to the chassis (not the one in the center holding the strut to its mount), sand or grind the surface under the head to clean, shiny metal, install the terminal, and reinstall the nut/bolt. If you are nervous about using a strut mount nut/bolt, there are a bunch of other things you can use too. I just found that the strut mount bolts work well almost universally since they are large and the strut towers are thick. If you have any more questions, feel free to ask

[@TruthSeekerAll]

@@averyalexander2303 Thanks so much. Have a great day. 👍

[@thecarman3693]

6:59 When connecting to an aftermarket battery terminal such as shown, it's best to first put the bare wire into a wire ferrule and then clamp it down inside the terminal block with the Allen set screw. This keeps the individual wire filaments from fraying and makes a better overall connection.

[@knifeknerdreviews4609]

Yeah I became a believer in wire ferrules after the first use... To think how many stereo systems I installed without those things back in 90s and 2000s...lol..

[@bostonseifrit3684]

​@@knifeknerdreviews4609same here😂

[@tissuepaper9962]

if you don't want to buy the crimping tool you can also just use solder to hold the ends together. The solder also gives the set screw something nice and soft to bite into for a great connection.

[@blabla903]

☝🤓

[@ericthegeneric1611]

I wasnt going to comment but man i respect that he gave different examples for different vehicles at the end. Very nice.

[@blownaway4371]

And additional 'tip' is before you crimp the terminal end, is to dip the freshly stripped wire into some light oil (PB blaster, WD-40 etc) because the wound wire will 'wick' the oil back up under the rest of the wire insulation to help prevent corrosion seeping up into wire after time. And then if you decide to use heat shrinking sleeves, it will protect just that much better. (ESPECIALLY for the Northern states that use salt etc on the roadways)

[@mickdeegan4651]

Exllent tip my goo frend dielectric grease doe's not sipe l like pblast

[@TedTedness-wu4vb]

Fluid Film and a quick hit with heat gun will wick the Fluid Film up into the cable too.

[@garonjohnson5922]

​@mickdeegan4651 Did you mean *wick? Or sipe?

[@sidgar1]

You can also solder it in, which will create a metal to metal bond which will leave no room between the wire and the connector and prevent oxidation between them

[@freeyourmind8849]

I have done this upgrade to a dozen different cars. but why? you will not gain any horsepower. but your car will start faster, your battery will last a little longer, reduce chances of shorts and check engine lights, and your interior lights and gouge will be slightly brighter. to the engineers that say don't do it. the car manufactures especially imports use the bare minimum metal and materials to get by to maximize profit on quantity of cars sold. we live in a world where quality is rare and quantity dominates. just look at the food Mcdonald's sells.

[@chrisgray8741]

freeyourmind88 I

[@joshwolden2929]

Well said.

[@ezeykod4438]

freeyourmind88 you just explained why

[@danielfierro3671]

Agree!

[@emotionalintelligence776]

Apparently, you missed the entire statement by Freeyourmind88 of why, surprisingly for people who do more than just let their cars drive them, we knew it had nothing to do with stereo installs although it could be applicable at a later point. VW's before 2010 should've automatically came with an upgrade kit as those cars were the poster child of bare minimum wiring.

[@chrisgraham2904]

The Big Three Upgrade is a great insurance for a trouble free starting system for the life of the vehicle. If you don't have a wiring kit, any welding shop can provide very high quality DC cables, sold by the foot and a variety of quality connectors. Total upgrade cost is about $50 and a little driveway labor.

[@chrisgraham2904]

If the upgrade prevents even one tow during the life of the vehicle, it's paid for. Without the upgrade, failure of any of these wires can cause expensive damage to the battery, the alternator, starter and other charging components.

[@oswaldjh]

The secondary ground that you see on the other vehicles shown are for the cylinder head which might be isolated from the block ground by the head gasket. The studs holding the head on might be covered in locktite and thus the need for that ground as a precaution. It might have been wise to find the block ground instead as this is the one the alternator is attached to.

[@98erics]

Good call on twisting the wire brush on the drill, I'm personally embarrassed that I didn't think of that. I'm always brushing way too big of an area, thanks for the idea dude.

[@greenmarine5]

that's actually a tool you can buy for your cordless Drill...LOL

[@chrisroemer1129]

Doing the Big 3 today on my 1996 Audi A4 Quatteo. Already have it in service mode(front bumper, rad support, etc removed). This video helped me make the decision to leave my factory power wire intact, just adding to the OE wires with my Big 3 kit(got mine from Skar Audio, 1/0 gauge kit). The engine to chassis ground isn't going to be too bad, it's easily accessible now that the front is off the car. The battery to chassis ground has me somewhat concerned, as the whole battery tray area is quite rusty. It's gonna be a lot of cleaning to get her right I think lol. Thanks for this truly helpful watch!! Made this job WAY easier to understand.

[@UnpredictableStuntN]

some people dont know how much of an improvement the big 3 is, great video!!

[@xspowermando9551]

Wait till u see the big 4

[@kingwillie206]

Noe Simental - I prefer Big Hero 6 myself.

[@LA_Commander]

That small wire you made fun of that you thought was the engine ground, wasn't the engine ground. That is a small ground wire made for the spark plugs in the head and the ignition system. Replacing that wire did nothing. You failed to identify the engine ground wire, which is most likely behind and back of the motor. So your customer only got a "big 2 upgrade" but he paid for a "big 3 upgrade". This happens a lot on Hondas, too.

[@NordicDan]

I'm a big fan of a crimp for the mechanical connection, and soldering to make a more solid, permanent electrical connection. It's how I've always made welding cables, and it's always worked great. I also use closed end terminal lugs (100% copper) and adhesive lined shrink wrap where the lug meets the insulation to create more long term resistance in wire degradation from age and oxidation.

[@taung9535]

Please look up why you’re wrong. It’s better to crimp in these situations

[@NordicDan]

@@taung9535 Or you could back up your thesis and avoid coming off as a prick, especially because in THIS situation, a crimped and soldered terminal is superior. 25+ years of experience working both ground vehicles and aircraft in addition to well over a thousand hours of formal training has taught me which situations require only a crimp, which require only solder, and which benefit from both; especially when you're going for a long term reliable electrical connection.

[@colemcdougal7670]

this video is so so old, but i couldn’t find a video on how to wire a big 3 on a celica ANYWHERE. this jus made my day

[@buddyrebel_Garcia]

I did a big 3 without a HO alternator and it made a big difference.

[@REVIEW_JUJUR]

*Doing this improve my battery charging voltage by 0.2 volt. Nice share...*

[@hiRyan329329]

Big 3 plus a high output alternator makes doing this way more worth it

[@Straight_White_Fatherly_Figure]

Definitely the best and clearest explanation that i could find, thank you very much, even 7 years later 👍🏻

[@johndoe-wh6td]

Huh, never knew you can upgrade that part

[@taichijohn6071]

This is the best Big 3 Upgrade videos that I've seen. The camera work is stable. You can see almost everything mentioned. The presentation is organized and features graphics. The presenter is knowledgeable, smooth, and easy to understand. The presenter is wearing a lav mic so the viewer can hear him clearly. The video presents more than one vehicle to illustrate differences in vehicle designs and challenges they may present. I give a big thumbs up on this very informative video!

[@jayisfedup6896]

I understand they did a good job on explaining. But you seem to not know sh$t! If you need a here is the battery an this is an engine block break down. You do not need to touch anything. You need to hire some1. You need basic skills an common knowledge before most if not all you tube DIY videos.

[@4yearsclean]

@@jayisfedup6896 Get off your high horse

[@adisadis6313]

And we are swimming into your saliva....

[@jacobsellars7910]

@@jayisfedup6896 sounds like hes fed up...

[@ahmedmansoor6711]

you sound like a school teacher marking a presentation

[@joshtaylor4249]

I've done all of these things..It works.. Excellent tutorial for those un savvy in automotive electrical.

[@olechuga2]

Sir, you are the very first (v1st) vehicle mechanic that I see working under the hood seating down. Excellent ... absolutely nothing wrong in working in a "comfy" style! Sir, thank you for your great video on "The big three (3).

[@tonistarks2874]

😁I just noticed

[@timschutte8310]

, Another Tip............ if you cannot find or get to the original engine block ground, don't worry about it. Just run an entirely NEW GROUND and leave the factory ground. Nothing wrong with doing that. After all, it's a factory ground anyways. so leave it for you do it yourself kind of people.

[@mallorycainjr.1921]

I needed this statement thanks you and also would a strut tower be a good ground for chassis to engine block? I have a 2002 chevy impala

[@RufusBuck5]

@@mallorycainjr.1921 yup.. I got a 2013 and I put it to the strut bolt..

[@semajkeaton331]

Run a new ground from the engine block to the battery?

[@slow_rednline4874]

@@semajkeaton331 yes I don't even use my OEM ground..I relocated my battery to the back and deleted my front battery ..it's grounded with double 4/0 cables

[@NickBEADG]

The 3rd one that goes from the block to the chassis also prevents your sensor bolts from rusting(believe it or not caused head gasket issues in Subarus). Don't change it to route to the battery, just upgrade thickness.

[@jonathonlyles3349]

I have used a hammer to smash the connector and it is very effective as a makeshift crimper

[@MrYessireebob]

I'd be more worried about those fogged headlights than the big 3

[@ChrisSmith-gl2yb]

Tony 109 haha

[@DefWun]

Legend says that to this day,those lights are the same color as a school bus.

[@JenGM24]

Brush.

[@ekofreezy3432]

😂👍

[@DIYeverything513]

LOL

[@Ella-gb3rj]

This tutorial provides clear and concise instructions on how to install the big three upgrade for your vehicle's electrical charging system. The steps are easy to follow and the explanations are helpful. I appreciate the time and effort that went into creating this content. It has been very informative and useful. Keep up the good work!

[@scott-michael812]

I dont quite remember but I couldve swore that a watched a SE video was a another big 3 video years ago but I thought he said the big 3 was upgrading wires, alternator and battery itself not just the wires to all 3!???

[@SonicElectronix]

+Scott-Michael Kellar Hmmmm, I don't think that was our video? The Big 3 Upgrade refers to only the upgrading of the wires associated with the vehicle's charging system. Of course, upgrading the alternator or battery can certainly be done at the same time as the Big 3 for a more substantial performance boost.

[@scott-michael812]

+Sonic Electronix gotcga

[@bacin87]

+Sonic Electronix do you ever do any install videos for the 2007 - 2014 Chevy Tahoe or Suburban? none of the videos I ever see pertain to my type of vehicle

[@Soderdna]

agreed. back in the day the big 3 was 1. Wires 2. Alternator 3. Battery

[@charliearroyo4809]

Its still the same,but some have more than 3 grounds under the hood. The bigger the ride the more grounds it has

[@mikeycurtis7861]

All grounds should be at the same point or as close to the same point as possible.. in the case of a bad high amp draw short, the path of least resistance will be confined to all grounds together, and will have the best protection from the ECU becoming that path. That's why most electrically sound vehicles have what's called star point grounding either on the chassis or the block. Another decent option is to have the star point, then a ground jumper from there to another spot and/or star point with another ground from the battery to another spot.

[@KOIFLA]

Thanks for the email with the link from Sonic. I had no idea to check this. The wires do look under sized for big systems on some of the cars shown. My 91 Saab 900 has surprisingly large wires from battery to ground and the engine to the battery. The wire from the alternator is not big but it's short going to the starter. It doubles on a stud to the battle and the cable to the battery is large. I'm going to make a new wire from the alternators and see if I get better voltage readings. I'm planning on changing the 85 amp alternator to a 120amp which is all I can find that fits this car so the bigger wire would be a good idea.

[@justaguynamedmax8207]

He smoked Hella weed before making this video

[@donavanobrein5356]

why do you say that?

[@justaguynamedmax8207]

+Donavan O'brein I didn't say it, his eyes did.

[@MrMortenST]

he needs to wash his hands after butt stuff

[@seanwatts8342]

Who else would mod a 2001 Celica?

[@dallasnativo4130]

Sean Watts crap.

[@toyboxlemonza3293]

Lol, those pathetic termination lugs. These are NOT recommended for battery systems. Buy high quality thick lugs for a good ground that won't fail once corrosion sets in.

[@Patrick.Weightman]

2:40 because there should be quite a few of them, hidden all throughout. My v6 has like 4 about that size

[@stephendverner]

Explained well. Doing this job tomorrow.

[@supermanwhitt]

Love the you go in depth also THE HAT IS GROOVY!!!

[@tommangu9940]

would love you guys to do an amp dyno test before the big 3 & after to see what the difference is 👌 Love your guys videos....great info

[@greenmarine5]

....that's logically pointless

[@bobbyotay]

I don't understand why Tom's request is logically illogical I mean really what are you doing this for do you really even know if it's like the other videos I've been saying and listening to you guys keep saying you can increase the voltage that is an absolute joke you can't change the voltage if it was a wire is thin has paper or as thick is an elephant's trunk. So now that we have that truth out of the way back to the why you do this to start with I mean there should be a basis for everything there should be a start and the reason for anything you're doing so again if you're doing this for More Voltage you're wasting your time but like Tom said," it sounds like he could be educated" what is the total amperage that you gain the end of this because we all know well at least now we all know you cannot get any more voltage by changing the wire size you can only get more amperage Through the Wire so it sounds so silly that you would even question Tom's thought on how much amperage you could pull through your wires because that's all you're doing you're setting it up so you can draw the same voltage however more amperage through the wires which feeds the larger hungry for amperage not voltage to run properly. You took the words right out of my mouth Tom how about amperage test that's the real way of telling if this really does anything at all which we know by All rights it should and the one thing that I've always learned about electricity for my dad that used to do the electrical on B-52 bombers in the Air Force was that you needed as big as a ground has you have a hot wire. Which brings me to joke number two. I rebuild alternators for a living. Why would you need to ground an alternator that has no remote grounding components whatsoever and if the engine is grounded properly no Factory would send it out the door without having the proper gauge wire for the alternator that it is built with however if you are going to use a larger alternator then you could consider running a heavier wire and unlike all of you people that keep saying hook your grounds to the same place, that is so dumb and also not true you want to separate your grounds most people are just too lazy to get under the vehicle and established a new ground opposing the factory one that means opposite of perfect example is if you're going to use a rear-mounted battery which is the way to go aftermarket stereo amplifier you would run a charge wire back to the battery which would not have to be the welding lead you are talking about again we're talking amperage that comes from the alternator it doesn't matter it still a 12-volt alternator capable of putting out 14 point 8 volts however we all know that it's the amperage and the amount that it puts out that regulates the wire size. So if you ran a battery in the back you would also my suggestion run your ground wire right there. It's funny listening to you about you don't know why somebody would run a ground through something the size of a speaker. Do you know how many amps go through a ground LOL you're starting to get the drift I hope maybe you will change your videos when you use words like I don't know why and you're standing there talking about automobile manufacturers with educated employees seriously don't get me laughing I'll have to get some tape Cape my whole body to keep from cracking up anyways you're wasting a lot of time there's nothing worse than people that know what they're talking about looking right through BS and knowing it's just pure BS.. PS do you sell Wire by the Foot LOL

[@freeair7292]

@@bobbyotay agreed,thumbs up for you!

[@rudyhaalilio8095]

I think its more for keeping your voltage stable then adding volts... it'll save your alternator also...

[@HarmonicFoul]

@@bobbyotay jesus but fair lol i would like to second the motion for a before and after amperage test lol

[@mrolskul]

I actually upgraded, and added a few more grounding points to my 1985 Corolla GT-S, along with the battery ground, over a decade ago. I thought of the alternator charging wire to the battery but wasn't sure how to do it. I will be definitely be upgrading the charging wire today which will compliment my upgraded alternator (OEM was a mere 60 amperes) with a 100 amperes unit for a 1993 MR2 (w-p/s), which happens to be Plug & Play. Thanks a lot for this informative video, very helpful!

[@fred0356]

LOL "have fun" that jeep patriot had me dying.

[@markcoe69]

Thanks guys for the valuable information and your time making it.

[@Joe_1971]

So basically you can leave the old ground connector and old charging wire and just add the new ground and charging wire, and because it's thicker current will take the path of least resistance and flow through the thicker wire.

[@chapelbarnes6427]

Any idea why my battery light came on after I did this?

[@nelagordon24]

For the charging wire any additional wire you add smaller or larger than the original wire size you'll see an improvement.

[@joelmatousek1817]

Lol, I looked up how to do this, and conveniently I have a Toyota Celica lol

[@5xlustrum658]

5 years later and still extremely helpful!!!

[@pfoxhound]

I got a real ground wire. That looks like a thick wick for desoldering, you can see it on semi truck cabin to frame connection. Engine is a moving part and needs something flexible...

[@gtstanton9785]

I gotta say heaven, in car audio for 20 for almost 25 years and I have to say your guy’s video at SONIC Electronics is the best on KZbin!

[@KOIFLA]

All done on the Saab 900. Put 4ga from the alternator to the battery and went from 12 volts to 13.1 no load and much more stable when adding load. Thanks Sonic

[@CarshowRellStudios]

Gonna probably do this for my 900 also

[@RenePerez-pu4cj]

For the grounds, should you use the existing grounding spots that factory used or make new grounds? I heard talk of having shorter grounds because that's how grounds are meant to be.

[@chriscamp5190]

It should be ok as long as however you do it just make sure that the connections are solid on both the factory wires and the new ones

[@ThisIsSolution]

I like shorter wires, even though electrical resistance is basically the same

[@cleven269]

I remember this mod from back in the day. Didn’t know people still did it.

[@thrashingmetal]

I don't suggest throwing a layer of clear coat. That liquid will get down to contact and causes problems to conduct current. Maybe a soft layer like you did is fine.

[@drivn4895]

"..now THIS is one of the ones where I'd say.... ueghhhhh... Have fun." lol

[@luisnegron8894]

That was the best.

[@lively_spirit_bbb]

I thought the big 3 included a bigger alternator to power extra sound system amps and such

[@jintarokensei3308]

Why do this if you ain't swapping the alternator?

[@jtpro]

It harnesses the full potential of your charging system. Factory wiring is a joke. Every vehicle I've owned gets this (along with a ground from the alternator mounting bolt to chassis) PLUS a bigger power wire from battery to starter.

[@jintarokensei3308]

@@jtpro yeah but if your alternator can't pump out the juice, you don't need the extra cabling.

[@TheDarkToes]

@@jintarokensei3308 thats exactly what hes saying... the alternator can, the wire can't... actually very common on mass production cars. Made with cheapest copper components to save a buck.. Putting better copper on it, can make actually utilize the full potential of the alternator you already have....

[@jintarokensei3308]

@@TheDarkToes I see. I was under the impression that wire gaige is optimized for power throughput by factory default.

[@cooltv931]

Jintaro Kensei wire gauge is optimized for the electrical needs of the car, not the capability of the alternator. If you add extra electrical needs like subwoofers, you’re alternator might be able to handle it, but the charging wire and ground is too small to give it that power

[@michaelmorales3384]

Smart, really basic safe steps.Thanks ,audiosz.

[@jdzomba8305]

Phenomenal video, super informative, just wanted to complain cuz I just got into a jeep recently, not a patriot and it’s newer so I mean I’d assume it’s a different layout in the engine bay, but mannn ofc the jeep was put on display as yeah, good luck buddy lol

[@nathanc5789]

First time I've seen the Big 3 done incorporating the original wiring with the new wiring. Interesting.

[@richbernhagen3137]

My thoughts exactly..hes parelling which I feel is not right

[@elvd1296]

LMAO

[@elvd1296]

@@richbernhagen3137 it's right it's just extra and basically useless

[@fragslayer]

Yeah it'll take the "path of least resistance" regardless. I mean sure you could remove the OEM completely but its really a waste of time. Now if your as OCD me and have the time and know-how then by all means.

[@anthonyfernandez3310]

Why don’t you replace the stock wires?

[@immrnoidall]

the engine ground on my jeep grand,has broken right off. i never knew a thing. until i fixed it. everything got better.

[@johannjohann6523]

Instead of "crimping" you can "solder" you end connections. Just make sure you have "solid" connecter, and not two pieces crimped together for best results. Take your connector drill a small hole where you would normally crimp. Dip the wires into flux and place into the connector. Now heat the connector, once hot keep the flame/heat on the bottom as much as possible and now feed your solder through the hole. Once done make sure to add a heat shrink piece to cover up the hole and secure connector to wire.

[@azthundercloud]

Been doing this for years. if resistance goes down current flow goes up. I always tell customers dont pay me until you try it. everyone payed up.

[@ravenfn831]

The one thing I strongly disagree with in this video is to run an un-fused wire from the positive terminal. If something rubs against that wire or the casing melts, there be one hell of a dead short. Your car WILL burn to the ground. Hopefully nobody will be in it.

[@mattslawncare5651]

ravenfn lol i wonder if the cars still around

[@chibb2954]

he addressed that already

[@meademorgan6614]

You do realize there is no fuse on the factory wire from the alternator to the battery either, don't you? We do fuse the positive wire to the amplifier, but if the factory is fine with securing their wire ( some aren't even in a protective plastic wire loom ) and not putting a fuse on it. Then a trained competent car audio installer should be fine doing it that way too.

[@MobileTaz]

@@meademorgan6614 Yeah there is. It's not actually a traditional fuse though, it's called a fusible link. It's just a short section of wire that's 4 gauges smaller than the protected wire, and wrapped in hypalon fireproof insulation. If there's a short, the smaller section of wire "blows out" like a fuse, opening the circuit before the protected wire can burn through.

[@c.m.cunningham1175]

Would of liked to see the calculations for this upgrade, also depending on how old the original wire are, the old wires could be causing underlining issues for the charging system!

[@c.m.cunningham1175]

@Travis Hamler I used welding wire which would have a different resistance, but I was referring to the video. Which doesn't show the performance improvements (multimeter).

[@CarlOblander]

He doesn't know his head from his ass, so ohms law is a bit ahead of him.

[@marcusbryant2007]

i think you also need to ground the alternator

[@suda695]

+Arnel H. Ofren It's grounded to the engine via the bolts which in turn is grounded itself

[@frankdehne1949]

@@suda695 it helps to ground alt straight to battery

[@MenacingRabbit]

@@frankdehne1949 you will actually run into electrical issues if you do that.

[@frankdehne1949]

@@MenacingRabbit how so. Its grounded to block. Ive done it to old cars just to get them running when the grounds arent conducting. Maybe 2o13ish and newer could have computer issues. But not the cars ive done it to

[@MenacingRabbit]

@@frankdehne1949 I just wanted to troll someone Frank, you're absolutely right about what you said. I like to leave random comments on various posts and see how worked up people get.

[@robertneill3057]

Had a 1974 VW Camper. The output wire definitely was not upto the size as stated on the wiring diagram. This resulted in dim warning light symtoms. The alternator was contained within the engine tinware below the righthand fan housing cooling duct. There's a small rubber elbow between the fan housing and the alternator to supply the cooling air.

[@shaunessex3095]

The chassis ground cable is a great way to help multiple sensor failures caused by magnetic fields created from the cars electrical circuits , from the information that I've seen it and was recommended for the chassis only and ' not to ground the engine aswell'

[@genericdude6551]

The only thing I'd add is to use conductive anti-corrosive paste on all connections.

[@Snakebite420]

What about a fuse on the ALT CHARGING WIRE To the terminal? They usually go to the fuse box to prevent any issues that could happen. Running it straight to the battery could give you issues and damage your components.

[@erniearambula3525]

Good lord my battery is located in the trunk that's gonna be one long ass cable 🙄

[@3v068]

Not really. All you need to do is find the shortest path to a solid steel ground, then do that. It doesnt have to be away from the trunk.

[@Derp0Army]

@@3v068 ah yes short both leads to the car chassis! thanks dude just saved so much money in copper!

[@3v068]

@@Derp0Army Lol if you're fucking stupid and attach your positive to the chassis ten yeah.

[@rotweilerdc]

@@3v068 power cable will still be long...

[@mpccenturion]

This is a great idea for preventing the dreaded - rusty and falling off wires that are burnt and rubbed through and sparking when it rains and there is road salt. Up my way - this kind of stuff is for diesels, like the old or new TDI or old Mech pumps. Winter requires a 1000 COLD CRANK AMPS. And then you have to get all that power to the starter and not melt off the connections, so dont forget to keep going with the upgrades. Best regards - you did a great job explaining and including solder use. Cheers!

[@buddahmayne9273]

Good video im gettin ready to do the big 3 on my GMC Sierra

[@monstaro19]

Might run another ground from the alternator to the strut chassis too if that can power up the chassis than that's more juice for the power box relay and fuse grounds.. in a ride

[@jamesorr1200]

This video was extremely helpful. Thank you!

[@_wimza_7983]

those head lights need a good sanding. also you looked baked as fuck x

[@marcello033]

Haha yes indeed I was thinking..can i fix them for you

[@uhpixr]

Someone tell me why I thought the Big 3 meant 3 brand new high out put alts...

[@Bay_Area_john]

Lol I thought it was alternator, battery, and isolator.

[@UQRXD]

Just check between neg battery terminal and car ground if no voltage difference under load wire is fine same for pos battery to terminal on alternator.

[@wilborth5th]

BEST VIDEOS YOU CAN FIND TO IMPROVE THE “HEALTH” OF YOUR CAR, BETTER ELECTRICITY CURRENT DEFINITELY WILL MAKE YOUR CARS PERFORMANCE WAY BETTER, THANKS

[@eknaap8800]

Why are you YELLING?

[@lorenzocheatham6255]

My battery is in the trunk I'm dreading this upgrade...

[@wheeldemon74]

There's absolutely ZERO gain from any of this

[@chibb2954]

if the result of current flowing faster to your amplifier is absolutely ZERO gain then I guess you're right.

[@ketillundsrensen6167]

A little bit late but if it is the positiv wire you concerns for the just do the Ground part..

[@slow_rednline4874]

@@wheeldemon74 yes dummy, it's for people with stereo systems..

[@KolaMokwele]

"Improve Your Vehicle's Electrical Charging" Good stuff

[@elvd1296]

LOL

[@salvadorcastanosjr2050]

Nice and clean wiring harness

[@mohammadredzwan9724]

Awesome tips . thanks for this very useful big 3 upgrade 👍

[@elicoolestguy]

Could you show us how to add an inline fuse for the positive wire? Or would you route through the fuse box following the original wire?

[@jasonturner4625]

Be cautious on this advice. You need a fuseable link (or fuse or breaker) on the alternator wire. The ground should be two single point connections. One to the block and one to the chassis. All other devices should ground to the chassis. The dual ground he just created between the battery and the chassis made a ground loop. This is not good for system noise on the ecus or stereo. On the block side, most newer engines have a large ground near the starter and a small braided ground near the coils. This too is important as the braid reduces rfi created by the high voltage coils. It's not simply bigger is better. Done properly this will be more efficient, but it is not going keep the headlights from dimming. For this, a $50 ups battery installed near the amplifier will beat this hands down on improvement and cost.

[@julianayala03]

i was looking for someone to mention ground loops.

[@Mikester85]

This video is ESSENTIAL!!!

[@joey4277]

The ground wire in the video is stock, thats the size all cars use to ground their 4 cylinder engines and v6 i believe

[@tv43405]

Great video never seen anything like it. I hade a electrical issue 2004 Hyundai Elantra it down shifted when going down the highway when hot also headlights would flicker. Dealership couldn't find the issue read some where to ground it better. Bought wires at Walmart grounded the battery and engine almost like you did issue solved. The original ground was on fender on paint so the treads were the only battery ground I took the paint off. I'm going to run another wire like you did on the positive thanks for the info and video God Bless you.

[@Boxing007]

My 2005 Honda element has an alternator that has 105 amps. Which kit would you recommend?

[@jabroni6199]

The factory one it came with. This is totally useless unless you have an electrical load that needs it AND an upgraded alternator to keep up.

[@zorans5200]

@@jabroni6199 ... Completely useless application unless you plan on making your car into a towing truck..

[@sat_sonic]

This is truly and excellent idea to do. Especially if you have a vehicle that mounts it’s battery under the passenger seat or back in the trunk.

[@gabepettinicchio7454]

For the small increase in driving performance, is the inclusion of the Alternator necessary? Mine is buried at the bottom. If the Alt. is left out, wear is a good location for wire #3 to go, along with a 4th wire? I hope this is still being watched. I would greatly appreciate any help.

[@elijahlining5940]

It a big deal if you're not getting connection and your windows break one by one😂

[@batvette]

The factory charge wire is designed for the oem sound system. It may be inadequate if you upgrade to a higher power system, adding another may unleash additional power from your alternator.

[@lowhertzhighspl]

SUGGESTION 4 A VIDEO: How to add a new baffle onto an existing box without dismantling anything.. WHY?: For those.. ..who have stripped all of their subs screw holes, ..who need more box flexing support, ..needing deeper baffles for longer sub mounting screws, ..switching from square subs to round subs or vice versa, ..wanting to change the appearance of the front of their box/enclosure, ..and so on. Personally I NEED to do this because T-Nuts chewed up my MDF and so I'd like to add either a 1" wood baffle or a 1/2" black piece of PVC/ABS and install Threaded Inserts into the new baffle while sandwhiching the threaded inserts in between the old and new baffles. If interested, you could also teach us how to effectively attach the new baffle to the old baffle while painting or wrapping it to match your vehicle's interior or something interesting/helpful like that.

[@yameya1851]

How is this upgrade useful to the car, if skipped doing it for years what are the key points the my electrical system is weak or bad and how is it going to effect the performance,, Thanks for the show, now for the real deal👌

[@thomass9099]

I did the big 3 today and it made a big improvement!!

[@johnnystech8392]

Your subs are hitting harder?

[@kristopherthomas8187]

He didn't replace the charging cable, he just added a second one to it

[@gboyspeed]

Just like road, wider the road you get more space for get some speed

[@AWThethrower]

Unfortunately theres still a case where some of the power will go to the smaller path, despite the path of least resistance.

[@locomax5000]

I disagree, the current is going through both and inversely proportional to the resistance, +resistance -current, resistance +current

[@richbernhagen3137]

Smaller wire more resistance by product of current flow is heat..that smaller wire will heat and could actually strain and imbalance the load. Should never parallel different gauges of wire...general rule unless your running 500 mcm for like a 4000 amp service step up your gauge but pulling parallel 500's is way easier than 1000mcm....this trickles down to same theory to this install

[@falcorthewonderdog2758]

Simple circuit testing would show these mods may make you feel good but basically do nothing for the charging circuit. Second guessing automotive engineers can lead to other issues caused by your mods.

[@glowiever]

this. cleaning the ground contacts is sufficient

[@a.k.3659]

Why you so stoopid? It is suggested that if you install a car audio system of 1000 watts or greater you will need to upgrade the stock wiring in the charging system. This is the most overlooked necessities of car audio. The stock wiring is only adequate for the electronics the vehicle came with from the factory. Any extra demand will require upgrading the wire and possibly the alternator. Upgrading these three main wires will ensure that you will get the maximum performance your alternator is able to deliver. They all make up the charging circuit and will require upgrading when you put more demand on the charging system with aftermarket electronic accessories.

[@michaelyang3851]

What a nonsense "upgrade". I will only do it if I was rebuilding a car, but a 2011 Celica that never had any issues is just throwing you money to the bin.

[@wngimageanddesign9546]

You just showed the wrong way to crimp the connector and the wire. The split should not be pushed into the wire. Added better grounding is an old trick for better ignition and sensor performance. Always ran a star connection of OFC cable from negative battery terminal to grounding point, then to engine block and one to cylinder head(s). The ones to the cylinder heads can be only 12GA. I used 4GA as minimum for battery terminal runs. 2-0GA for big V8s.

[@tetelestai7095]

The "why" is not addressed. What's the point?

[@islander959]

Power hungry aftermarket audio systems

[@johnyfrankendub]

Better consistent voltage

[@BmwolotlE90]

does it have to be 0/1 awg wire? what about 4awg? my amp is only 600w max its alpine pdx m6 and subs are 2 12 inch infinitys

[@chrisr5675]

If the alternator goes directly to the fuse box, should i run a new wire from the alternator directly to the battery or replace the wire from the alternator to the fuse box and also the one going from the fuse box to the battery? Sorry if the question is worded confusing.

[@realmearthheaven1257]

C L58 I have this issue, what did u do

[@hunteraguillard4528]

having your alternator run directly to your fuse box from factory is the same as having a fuse in line on your power wire. you would need to upgrade both in order for you to have any sort of benefit from it.

[@realmearthheaven1257]

Rin Kumiko I was told to just run a new ire straight from alternator to battery and leave the fuse box wire from alternator to the battery alone

[@drs250]

🤔 you did 3 grounds, but that there’s 5 ground wires in total 🤦🏻‍♂️ one of them is the transmission 🤔 and the other one I don’t know 🤷🏻‍♂️. Btw thanks for the video it help a lot

[@johnkosheluk1041]

You have to put a fuse on the blue wire because the white wire coming from the fuse box has a fuze

[@BebeGoose7]

What does the Big 3 help with, or improve?

[@scott-michael812]

all the wire the same helps stop "choking" the alternator and battery flow.

[@SonicElectronix]

+Makaio Prescott The Big 3 Upgrade lets your alternator push more current to you battery because of the larger gauge wire that is added. This helps to keep your battery at a more constant voltage, this becomes more important the more amplifiers you add to the system / the more power your sound system requires.

[@accordingtohonda4308]

The real, simple, answer that anyone cares about is... it will help lessen or prevent your lights from dimming when you're really rockin. Some say to just buy a "CAP" to fix engine bogging and power drops but after running caps for years I have found that this simple and cheap upgrade will fix your bass flicker. Unless you have like 5000+ watts in amps but at that point you are way past just the "BIG 3"and running more than one alternator and battery. :)

[@Matt-ct5ks]

The other replies are right, I just wanted to add that it is also needed when running complex light systems. I have a jeep and I have safari style lighting so I can light up a campground if i needed too.

[@BebeGoose7]

Thanks you guys! I'm not running anything huge in my truck, just 2 10's running on 1000w split to 500w each sub. And all my lights work just fine when I'm pounding, no flickering or dimming. I've been wanting to do this just for kicks, but I also wanted to know of any benefits it may bring. My power and ground wires on my truck are 4 gauge, which is the same size that I'm running to my amp, so maybe if I ever do a more complex system that requires more power, I'll definitely do this! Thanks again.