Mad Electrical vs charge wire

[john h]

All,
I'm confused.   hoping someone can help me sort this out.   If I do the large #8 charge wire from the alt to the starter relay with a fusible link, will the load go through the large wire and mostly skip going through the firewall?  is that sufficient for taking the burning/melting risk out of the firewall connection?  I understand that keeps the ALT meter in use and many people don't like that connection.  I also plan on getting a the headlight relay from crackedback to take further load of the connection.  is there still a need to do the Mad Wiring alt delete?

Thanks
John

[73440]

Are you doing the loop back to the relay ?
Is it just the removal of wires at the amp gauge and drilling thru the firewall connectors that you are not doing?

http://www.madelectrical.com/electricaltech/amp-gauges.shtml

[john h]

Are you doing the loop back to the relay ?
Is it just the removal of wires at the amp gauge and drilling thru the firewall connectors that you are not doing?

http://www.madelectrical.com/electricaltech/amp-gauges.shtml

yes I was talking about running the wire straight from the Alternator to the Starter relay and skipping the firewall drill out. thus keeping the ALT Gauge in use.  will the larger charge wire and the headlight relay kit take sufficient load off the bulkhead connector to keep it from melting down?

[dodj]

yes I was talking about running the wire straight from the Alternator to the Starter relay and skipping the firewall drill out. thus keeping the ALT Gauge in use.  will the larger charge wire and the headlight relay kit take sufficient load off the bulkhead connector to keep it from melting down?

To make it better and still not drill the B/H connector, you can re-route the original charge wire from the alt and connect it to red wire that is connected to the starter relay. This red wire originally supplied the charge current to the battery from the B/H. If you run a charge wire directly to the starter solenoid and then attach the original charge wire from the alt there as well, you then have two heavy gauge wires supplying power through the B/H connector. Further reducing the chance of a meltdown. I disconnected the ammeter and bolted the two wires together as it would be completely non-functional anyway.
 

[1 Wild R/T]

Adding the charge wire & the headlight relays takes most of the load away & the rest of the load isn't gonna cause problems... However the Ammeter no longer truly works... It shows discharge at all times because the charge load bypasses the ammeter... So at that point you can move both wires attached to the ammeter to the same stud effectively bypassing the ammeter then add a Voltmeter so you know what really going on...

[bc3j]

I'm probably one of the few people left that like the ammeter. My charge wires run directly through the firewall via grommets bypassing the bulkhead connector and my relays are powered via Daniel Stern lighting. http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/relays/relays.html

[erat340]

I like to see the ammeter work, also. After I ran the underhood bypass, I left the meter wiring but swapped the wires at the terminals since the flow when charging now loops in the opposite direction so I see a slight charge on the ammeter normally. I also have a voltmeter custom fitted to the dash bezel just right of the heater control.

[TelisSE440]

I added a 10# gauge wire directly to the starter relay but didn't touch the ammeter. The ammeter worked, the needle didn't pass the middle except when discharging. The needle just had little movements but i could see big draws of current or shorts...

[john h]

This is all good info guys.  Thanks for the replies.  I think I will do the charge wire and the relays and leave it at that.  My car is a factory air car but all that stuff has been removed way back in 1991.  If I ever go back to air conditioning,  I will do the amp meter delete and firewall drilling Modification.

Should I run a #8 or #10 wire?  I think I have a 65 or 70 Amp Alternator.

 

[dodj]

I'm probably one of the few people left that like the ammeter.

It's not a matter of like. Full flow ammeters are dangerous. They can, and have burned down many cars.

[1 Wild R/T]

I like to see the ammeter work, also. After I ran the underhood bypass, I left the meter wiring but swapped the wires at the terminals since the flow when charging now loops in the opposite direction so I see a slight charge on the ammeter normally. I also have a voltmeter custom fitted to the dash bezel just right of the heater control.

No the gauge was correct before you swapped the leads.... It doesn't read the charge at all but it does still read the draw created by components that are fed through the ammeter so actually the gauge should always read a discharge... 

[TelisSE440]

This is all good info guys.  Thanks for the replies.  I think I will do the charge wire and the relays and leave it at that.  My car is a factory air car but all that stuff has been removed way back in 1991.  If I ever go back to air conditioning,  I will do the amp meter delete and firewall drilling Modification.

Should I run a #8 or #10 wire?  I think I have a 65 or 70 Amp Alternator.

Run a 8# gauge, it's so much better. I changed it yesterday. No problem whatsoever...

[john h]

Run a 8# gauge, it's so much better. I changed it yesterday. No problem whatsoever...

I have been thinking about this as I plan my project.  1 question I have with adding this wire from the alt post to the starter relay with a fuse or fusbale link is what keeps the battery from over charging?  doesn't the voltage regulator and the original charge wire work together to shut off the amps the alt gives out?  with the larger wire running basically to the battery, how does the battery not blow up?  if I use a fuse in between, how big of a fuse should I use?

Thanks for the info
John

[TelisSE440]

I have been thinking about this as I plan my project.  1 question I have with adding this wire from the alt post to the starter relay with a fuse or fusbale link is what keeps the battery from over charging?  doesn't the voltage regulator and the original charge wire work together to shut off the amps the alt gives out?  with the larger wire running basically to the battery, how does the battery not blow up?  if I use a fuse in between, how big of a fuse should I use?

Thanks for the info
John

If you have a stock electrical configuration in your car, the Voltage Regulator should always regulate the voltage given by the alternator, from the black large gauge wire. If you connect the wire from the alternator stud to the starter relay stud, then that voltage would be regulated too because it's the same... The regulating device is the VR which is like a brain giving orders to the alternator by using the green and blue wire as nerves connected to it. The same chance you have of over-charging the battery in stock form, is the same as by adding the by pass wire. Just my opinion, been using the wire for four months having over 500 miles and no problem at all...

[crackedback]

If you have a stock electrical configuration in your car, the Voltage Regulator should always regulate the voltage given by the alternator, from the black large gauge wire. If you connect the wire from the alternator stud to the starter relay stud, then that voltage would be regulated too because it's the same... The regulating device is the VR which is like a brain giving orders to the alternator by using the green and blue wire as nerves connected to it. The same chance you have of over-charging the battery in stock form, is the same as by adding the by pass wire. Just my opinion, been using the wire for four months having over 500 miles and no problem at all...

Yep,  The VR is the control module for activating/exciting the charging circuit in your alternator.