i installed my 170 amp alternator like last week..

i got my 4 gauge to upgrade too but im gettin 2 different stories from people

yes i need to upgrade power wire
No i dont..

i got stock wire now..because the truck isnt pullin any more amps NOW..nothing added to the truck

but come this weekend im gunna have a 900 Watt amp on it..

my friend has a 190 amp in his s-10 and has a set of PIAAs lights, 350 kicker amp and other stuff..and didnt upgrade wire and is fine good to go..

my thing is..it looks like a PAIN IN THE *** to rerun that wire..is it important that i get that ran or can i just go with it?

 

Your amp will produce 190amps at highway speeds, you probably need to upgrade power cable asap.

 

did you mean your ALT?

it CAN produce that but it wont unless something is using the power.

That all being said. I would upgrade the stock wire(s) suck.

 

yeah...

 

evan, think about it this way:

while re-running the wires, you will not only learn more about your truck, but will have peace of mind that you're running new things

do it bud (not sure if you need it, per se), you'll be happy you spent the time. And while you're at it, do a short write up (a la, where the problem spots are, etc.)

 

haha be one with the truck..i had some bonding time with it..but i ran it last night..wasnt as bad as i thought silver 4 gauge gotta loom it today..it kinda looks like a ricer with the bigger different color wire under the hood lol..

now i gotta figure out a way to load up my 1/0 on there with that 4 gauge plus the stock stuff or just get an optima battery with the extra terminals on it and go from there..

i dont wanna over load it yah know

 

Amps are drawn, not pushed. If the accessories and devices are not turned on, those amps are not flowing. It never hurts to upgrade the wiring as long as you properly fuse it and use the right connectors so it isn't a hack-job.

 

explain the fusing part..

i crimped down my 4 gauge ran it and good to go..also did the grounds too..i was told to do also..

anythin else i need to do

 

Yea, wash ur butt!!!

 

haha Evan's got a dirty butt

 

why cant we all just get along haha

 

Use that 1/0 or bigger.

I'm running 2/0 right now



You want to have the least resistance as possible (but not too extreme).

I have heard 4 guage is fine, but I always like to go overboard. I run about 1.2kw right now. Not including lights + A/C and I BARELY, I mean not even noticably dim at a HARD bass note. I was using a meter at idle with lights and a/c and it droped .24 consistently....hard to believe (on a stock amp w/ 2/0 wires)

 

well im runnin 1/0 for my system..but just upgraded using 4 gauge..

 

Use something larger under the hood IMO...

Many audio guru's say your fine with 4 gauge, but I like to go overboard.

Steve Meade runs 4/0 so should I (BTW he runs 4 MT 18's)...he has something like 15kwRMS IIRC

 

haha well i had the 4 gauge layin around so i used it..maybe one day ill get the bigger wire and put it in..

 

It is often overlooked but the alternator-to-battery wire does need a fuse to protect it. It will need to be a bigass expensive one. But it is a required component. It should be rated for whichever is less... The alterator capacity or the wire's capacity.

 

^^^I got one, but I honestly don't know the rating...it is off the amp though (the amp rating)

 

how i find out the amp rating?

 

when i upgraded mine, i used 4ga, ran it through the top crossmember that you radiator is connected to, above the header panel.

it is not fused, the factory one isnt....and if your alt becomes disconnected, you truck should just shut off, with no worries...but maybe im wrong

i have 4ga alt to bat, 4ga body ground, 1/0ga frame ground, 1/0ga system wire, and another 1/0ga ground in the back where the system is...my factory starter ground is upgraded, and my battery to fuse/distribution under the hood has 4ga too

 

Yep!

The stock one is fused. It just isn't a conventional inline fuse. it is a fusible link which looks like normal wire. Either that or it is a fuse in the underhood power box. Could be either.

If ther alterternator wire becomes disconnected, the truck will continue to run for as long as the battery can sustain it the electrical load. This is probably quite some time.

And yes, the new one should be fused. For HighRollerII, i would get a 200 amp inline fuse and put that on your new wire.

 

im jw, how many amps is a stock alternator on a 03 ranger?

 

95 amps I believe.

 

Aw, man... You kill me. lol

Brenton

 

you can get an ANL fuse and holder that is 200 amps, that is what i would reccommend.

 

When I installed a new 160A HD alternator with HD bridge rectifier, bearings and larger case I used 4 ga fine stranded wire with soldered silver coated copper connectors between the fuse block terminal and the alternator. Piggy backed the wire the same route the old wire was routed and put it inside split black plastic wire loom.
Installed a 175A Mega fuse to replace the factory 125A which came with the 95A factory alternator. This fuse is located between the two terminals on the back of the fuse block where the alternator charging cable and battery cable tie into the fuse block.
I installed a pulley with different diameter to provide 14.6-14.8V and then installed a Optima 34 series 1000A battery which more that handles the ICOM 706 MK2G HF radio.



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