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Alternator direct to battery

4K views 8 replies 7 participants last post by  MadMaxiVan 
#1 ·
It seems alot of people have gone through the same steps as i have with no avail.....and their solution was a wire direct from alternator to battery. This seems like something i could do easily and quickly. I would just like some others input first before i jump into it. What Ga. wire should i use? Should i put an inline fuse on that?

Thank You
 
#2 ·
The best advice I can give you is to go here:
http://madelectrical.com/electrical-tech.shtml
Very informative site and you will not believe how much you don't know about wiring. I thought I was knowledgable until I read through it.
You will want at least an 8ga wire running to the battery (depends on length) and yes, please put a fuse or circuit breaker in the line. Closer to the alternator the better.
Mark
 
#4 ·
Im having an issue where my voltage fluctuates randomly, i have installed a new alternator, new battery, new starter....got a new idler pulley put on because i was losing tension on my belt....all of that and im back to my original problem
 
#5 ·
monstersafari said:
Im having an issue where my voltage fluctuates randomly, i have installed a new alternator, new battery, new starter....got a new idler pulley put on because i was losing tension on my belt....all of that and im back to my original problem
I wouldn't put any trust in the dash gauge reading... if your using that to determine that your voltage is fluctuating, you may be trying to fix something that aint broken. Get a analog volt meter, see if it's needle bounces around in time w/the one of the dash. The response time on digital meters(particularly cheap ones) is often to slow for this type of thing.
 
#6 ·
monstersafari said:
Im having an issue where my voltage fluctuates randomly, i have installed a new alternator, new battery, new starter....got a new idler pulley put on because i was losing tension on my belt....all of that and im back to my original problem
As thor124 mentioned, number one thing is to use a good quality analog voltage meter (or a high-end DMM) to verify what you're seeing with the in-dash meter.

Verify all wire terminals and connections are tight and free of corrosion. Double-check any wires that have been repaired with solderless crimp connectors. I've seen way too many wires pull out of crimped terminals with very little force. I crimp and solder every connector I install.

Another thing to check is the charge wire from the alternator. If it's original, it has a fusable link than can deteriorate over time. If you can't find a replacement locally, MadElectrical has them for $3 to $4 (just the fusable link section, not the complete cable.)
http://madelectrical.com/catalog/fusible-link.shtml

If it does turn out to be the in-dash meter, check the wiring before assuming the meter itself is faulty. When I first got my van, corrosion on the instrument panel connectors was causing problems with the fuel gauge. A little Scotchbrite, contact cleaner, and dielectric grease fixed things up. (Well, the fuel gauge still sucks, but at least it doesn't randomly stop functioning.)
 
#7 ·
Look for the "Big 3" upgrade thread. That little modification will help you out a lot.

Well, I'll put the basics here for you.

Using a minimum of 4gauge wire.
A wire from the Alternator + to the Battery +
A wire from the Alternator case to the chassis of van (someplace a good ground can be had, preferably like the frame or something).
A wire from the Battery - to the chassis of the van.

You do not replace any factory wiring. You only need to add these three wires.

I do this on any vehicle I get, first thing. The main reason, for me, is due to high powered stereo systems I install. I also recommend anybody to do it. It will enhance the electrical system, allow things to charge better, and faster.
 
#8 ·
I was wondering what size fuse to place between the alternator and the battery on the replacement wire? I have occasional bouts of no charge ranging from a couple of seconds to 5 minutes or so. This is always followed by a long period of good charge. Alternator is new, wires have good continuity from hot lead on back of alternator to battery and no connection to ground from the alternator. All connections are clean and tight. Battery is 1 year old. I know it is not the gauge as my ScanGuage also drops in voltage to match the dash gauge. Wiggling the wires by the link while the mtoor runs does not change charge amount. Any other ideas? Thanks
 
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