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Battery & Starter Wires

16K views 12 replies 5 participants last post by  Lumpy 
#1 ·
I asked for help on this a while ago, but never got to completely fixing it. Broke the end to the cable that goes from the battery to the starter. Crimped a new head onto to it but I think the other cable connected to the starter may have short in it.

What does wire #3 connect to? The alternator?


Also, there is a big discrepency in prices for replacement battery cables. Which would you choose from rockauto.com and why?
 
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#2 ·
Yes - Your #3 connects to the alternator BATT or + terminal, typically through a fusible link. A good modification is to add a very large gauge cable (2AWG or larger, mine is 00 AWG) from the ALTERNATOR BATT terminal to the + terminal of the battery. Run it through a huge fuse like the high power stereo guys use. My 200A alternator is fused with a 250A fuse. If you do add that piece of cable, you can keep the old #3 wire in place or delete it.

Which battery cable from RAuto? One that's the right length, obviously, for your year van, plus the LARGEST gauge you can find. It can carry hundreds of amps during starting. You want BIG wire. And it's a good idea to cover that huge wire with a piece of split loom. That's the ONE wire in your van that is NOT fused in any way. If it ever rubs through the insulation or in some other way shorts out, it kills the battery and could have a lot more serious catastrophic failures.

Lump
 
#4 ·
hamiltonfighter said:
I thought the #3 cable was the + terminal. Where does #3 connect to?
Lumpy said:
Yes - Your #3 connects to the alternator BATT or + terminal, typically through a fusible link.
As noted by Lumpy: The large single wire (#3) to the the booted connector on the alternator via a Fusible Link.

Uncle Bob
 
#9 ·
You comfortable with tools and modifying things a bit? Consider doing the "Big Three" upgrade. There's a sticky link in this sub-forum.

The #3 wire in this diagram carries current FROM the alternator to the battery. It takes a kind of strange trip to get there going past the starter terminal on the opposite side of the engine compartment. Part of the Big Three upgrade is to make that path shorter. Send a LARGE gauge wire from the ALTERNATOR direct to the BATTERY (through a large fuse).

There's instructions and links in the sticky. There's dozens of YouTubes about how to do it. You can buy kits that contain the parts or you can buy discreet components. Look at some of the high power stereo sites and forums and so forth to see how they do it.

Once you've done the upgrade you'll likely notice small "Wow Factors" like your headlights are brighter, turn signals faster etc.

Lump
 
#13 ·
You're dealing with hundreds of amps here. Your descriptions are vague and arbitrary.

I haven't the slightest idea what you're describing. Get more specific about what you've done, what you're calling what, what (AND WHY) you want to delete something.

Otherwise, better leave it stock.

Lump
 
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