[Lumpy]

Nice and clean, Bones. Engine as well as install.

That fuse/relay block above your battery...Is that OEM for your year or aftermarket?

Lumpy

 

[WoodButcher]

Nice and clean, Bones. Engine as well as install.

That fuse/relay block above your battery...Is that OEM for your year or aftermarket?

Lumpy

The relay block is in mine too so that must be gen2 but what is that right over top the battery? pos cable on the firewall, big fuse?

 

[Lumpy]

Now I gotta be Mr Fire Marshal and ask about something, Mr Bones.

Your pics show one of those battery terminal extender things on the POS term of your battery.
No problem with that.

BUT

You've got some cable eyes attached on the BATT side of that adaptor and some on the OUTside of the adaptor.
Now let's say you, or some mechanic or fireman wants to disconnect the battery. As you remove the outside bolt
from that POS terminal, and allow that POS cable to to free, if it contacts bare metal, are you still connected
to POS via the other cable(s) on the BATT side of the adaptor?

Is that an arc welder waiting to happen?

Lumpy

 

[Mr Bones]

Now I gotta be Mr Fire Marshal and ask about something, Mr Bones.

Your pics show one of those battery terminal extender things on the POS term of your battery.
No problem with that.

BUT

You've got some cable eyes attached on the BATT side of that adaptor and some on the OUTside of the adaptor.
Now let's say you, or some mechanic or fireman wants to disconnect the battery. As you remove the outside bolt
from that POS terminal, and allow that POS cable to to free, if it contacts bare metal, are you still connected
to POS via the other cable(s) on the BATT side of the adaptor?

Is that an arc welder waiting to happen?
Lumpy

The stinger battery terminal are used for separating car audio form the van 12v so if i want to disconnect the audio i can do so with out interrupting the vans power. now for the mechanic it just adds one more step for him to disconnect the battery and for fireman they have no mercy they will cut everything under the sun. When adding any after market parts to your battery the risk for a short go's up 30 to 40% people who want after market audio except that risk you just need to make sure the battery is tied down not left loose you should no problem's. P.S i been install car audio since 1985 and i haven't had any short's dealing with the battery in any system that i have installed over the years.

 

[Lumpy]

The stinger battery terminal are used for separating car audio form the van 12v so if i want to disconnect the audio i can do so with out interrupting the vans power...

OK. But when you disconnect the audio power cable, is it still hot with + voltage or is it totally
dead and separate from any other veh + supply like ignition sense (for radio memory) or
headlamp sense (for audio gear lighting dim)?

Just want to be sure you don't kill yourself. And if you do, can I have your front leaf hangers?

Lumpy

 

[Mr Bones]

Nice and clean, Bones. Engine as well as install.

That fuse/relay block above your battery...Is that OEM for your year or aftermarket?

Lumpy

what is that right over top the battery? pos cable on the firewall, big fuse?

That is a 300amp ANL fuse for my audio system

 

[Mr Bones]

The stinger battery terminal are used for separating car audio form the van 12v so if i want to disconnect the audio i can do so with out interrupting the vans power...

OK. But when you disconnect the audio power cable, is it still hot with + voltage or is it totally
dead and separate from any other veh + supply like ignition sense (for radio memory) or
headlamp sense (for audio gear lighting dim)?

Just want to be sure you don't kill yourself. And if you do, can I have your front leaf hangers?

Lumpy

When i disconnect the audio power it is dead right now but when i add the battery rack in the back that will change but it will be fused and a battery quick disconnect in the back to shut off power if needed. If you want to separate the amplifiers from the vehicle you can but it cost a lot of money. Most of the guys with high end audio for competition are doing it but they are using 16v batteries to run there amps and multiple alternators but most people will not do this for their daily driver so headlamp dimming will happen even with a high amp alternator and battery. And for the front leaf hangers i have no idea what you are talking about?

 

[Speedfreak42]

Thanks for this how to. I just did it in my 2001 Safari cargo and I'm pleased with the results. My headlights are actually brighter. I recommend everyone do this to their van.

 

[Lumpy]

T

I recommend everyone do this to their van.

*** dew eye.

Lump

 

[Meterpig]

I measured last week the voltage at my heater blower...something like 11.4 volts. My battery sits at a pretty even 12.6 and 13.6 at idle. Why the drop for something that resides just mere feet away? Um....yeah.

To think that nobody's blower fan is actually running at full speed. Vroom!

 

[Lumpy]

That's a good point, pig. We all complain about the low velocity of the A/C fan - "Plenty cold but not much air force". Maybe we should be doing "The Big FOUR" and upgrading the gauge wire on that blower motor.

Lump

 

[Meterpig]

That's a good point, pig. We all complain about the low velocity of the A/C fan - "Plenty cold but not much air force". Maybe we should be doing "The Big FOUR" and upgrading the gauge wire on that blower motor.

Lump

That's my plan with the next van. Honestly, if you look at how much much the fan can draw, the wiring is insufficient. Even more so when OEM fans fill with dustbunnies.

 

[Vanjoe]

I just did the BIG3! And am getting Dielectric grease on my key board! I use it on every connection!
I also did the alt upgrade to the 145 amp alt off trucks. Behind the left mounting bolt on the alt on my 98 Astro, I saw a threaded bolt hole and used it for a ground to frame with a frame to body ground. I had added a batt to body ground back when I added an amp.Existing battery to engine ground was at least 4ga. I added positive alt to batt and need to add a fuse yet.....150 amp fuse is planned. I will soon add a batt to under hood fuse box wire and will be looking at the blower wires and some of the small grounds near the head lights. maybe even adding an easy ground from the trans to engine bolt to frame/body.
I did not think my headlights are any brighter but my dash gauge shows 14 plus volts ALWAYS, no matter what is running , even at idle!!! I used a junkyard alt just to give this a try without a big investment in case it didn't work. A 96 inch belt works perfect with the bigger alt and the only issue was the lack of space for a 4 ga. wire bolted on the back of the alt going to the batt. Had to place it just so to clear the bracket with the throttle and cruise cables.
Its all good, glad I finally did this and will report back on any issues that pop up. I had done so much reading on the Big 3 and was nervous about the issue some had after doing this. But so far very nice upgrade! Now, to go wire up the amp for subs and see how this works with 2 amps, 2 heaters, an inverter for 110 volt chargers and stuff and all the normal stuff all running at idle! :rockon:

 

[Lumpy]

... I had done so much reading on the Big 3 and was nervous about the issue some had after doing this...

Issue?

Lump

 

[97cargocrawler]

I did mine with 1/0 wire on a 300A alternator, plenty of room. I wish I had done it with 2/0 but I did leave the existing wiring intact so I guess it's about the same. I have not had any issues with mine despite having a super complex distribution system to get that juice to the winch, cabin and house batteries.

The main distro box on the firewall takes that 300A and spreads it to multiple other distro boxes around the van:

I'm sure I referred to this thread a few times. Threads like this gave me way too much confidence! My alt/wire upgrade led to 300lbs of house batteries, 2000W of AC power, electric water heater for a hot shower, 1000W of solar power and enough appliances to start my own roach coach. Be warned!

 

[Vanjoe]

I can;t find the posts and one thread on 12volt is 12 pages! But, after doing the upgrade quite a few people had lower amps from their alternator and lower voltage. As I recall, and I have no memory, it seemed to be an issue for some with the new wire from the alt to the battery. I think i just read TOO many sites gearing up to do this. But my fear was having weird problems after fixing something to be better. So far so good.
ETA.... one issue I now recall had to do with voltage sensing. When we add a direct line batt to alt, the alt senses good voltage and it delays the alt from kicking in for voltage drops.

 

[Meterpig]

I like the idea of putting in a separate distribution box instead of using the battery as a distribution point which is what all vehicles do. More or less, one is dependent on the battery-a constant degrading component. HMM.....

I start to think about doing this..then realize the battery really needs to go back by the tire and out of the engine compartment. So..there is that.

 

[Nomad]

I did mine with 1/0 wire on a 300A alternator, plenty of room. I wish I had done it with 2/0 but I did leave the existing wiring intact so I guess it's about the same. I have not had any issues with mine despite having a super complex distribution system to get that juice to the winch, cabin and house batteries.

The main distro box on the firewall takes that 300A and spreads it to multiple other distro boxes around the van:

I'm sure I referred to this thread a few times. Threads like this gave me way too much confidence! My alt/wire upgrade led to 300lbs of house batteries, 2000W of AC power, electric water heater for a hot shower, 1000W of solar power and enough appliances to start my own roach coach. Be warned!

I just wanna see this 300A alternator and where does one find such a beast knowing you its not a re&re project :banana: :rofl:

 

[five10freak]

I just wanna see this 300A alternator and where does one find such a beast knowing you its not a re&re project :banana: :rofl:

I'm not sure what brand alternator Cargo is using, but here is one example built by Mechman Alternators. On the spendy side, but they build quality. This is the monster I will be moving up to from my current 250amp alt, This one is for 96-05 Astros, they do offer one for 87-95 Astros.

Company http://www.mechman.com/alternators/buick/rainier/5-3l/2004-2006/e-series-370-amp-billet-gm-truck/

 

[97cargocrawler]