I have side and top posts on my battery and have left the side posts alone.

I've completed the 2 of the big three as far as I know.

Negative to Chassis and Positive to Alternator. Both with 2AWG.
I haven't got to chassis to frame yet.

My voltage meter has already gone from about 14 to 16. 18+(is where it then goes into red zone).

I'll get to the chassis to frame shortly, but am I damaging anything driving it with the voltage up to 16ish now? Or...is this a good thing that the voltage has increased?

PS: I also would like to do Negative to Frame, Engine Block to Frame and replace engine ground strap to firewall.

 

All's fine.

Did block to frame, block to firewall and it's calmed down a bit. Staying within range.

 

your voltage should not go above 14.4 at any point. if your up to 16 volts, either your voltmeter is way off calibration or your alternator needs a rebuild. At 16 volts you'll get a nasty fried egg smell from yuor battery boiling and dying. Please check your voltage with a digitial multimeter.

 

Thanks for your concern! Everything has managed to settle back to normal with respect to the voltage after the last steps. I'm at the 14.4 now on the guage. It's been a couple of weeks now and no funky smells and no issues with respect to driveability except some brighter lights in the interior which I'm quite happy with and no more headlight dimming when my sub's thumping.

A great mod.

 

When it comes to good grounding, its hard to go overboard. Sometime too much is just right.

 

Thad, how much did it cost you for all the wiring, and end peices? Curious to know how much increasing the wire gauge would cost me.

99% of the people on here say its necessary. I have never had much of an issue with my system after the capacitor was installed. But on occassion, I'll still get a slight dimming of the lights.

 

If you are strapped for cash, use wire/cable for an arc welder, and copper ring terminals from a hardware store.

 

I noticed you increased Positive to Alternator, what about Negative return? (the positive will only be as good as it's Ground path)
Good thinking about increasing grounds to all points including Engine.

 

What I did run was:

Stock Lines Left Alone
Top Post Neg to Inner Fender about 6 inches along the inside just before the coolant tank.
Top Post Neg to Frame below, where there exists 2 other lines where existing grounds are placed. 15 inch or so run.
Top Post Pos to Alternator direct, 20 inch or so run.
Top Post Pos to Stereo Fuse, was already there for me.
Replaced Ground Strap on engine to firewall drivers side
Engine to Frame: Used Bolt hole in spot where Air Pump was to the frame below 8 inches approx, to just behind the Centrelink. You can instead use the front bolt or other bolt near Alternator Bracket to Frame below.
Frame to Body: drilled two pilot holes just underneather passenger side frame to body, used tapping screws and 8 in run of cable.

I hope this helps.

I'd like to thank all the forum members above who helped advise me what the Big Three was. Although I'm a newb to this stuff, I'm very grateful the way I was treated despite my electrical or mechanical misgivings.

Take Care Guys.

 

welding wire from any welding supply or from princess auto ($3.00ft for 1/0ga)


gl


nice job Thad!