Alternator upgrade - which one?

[Chryco Psycho]

by running the jumper the way I explained there is still darw through the ammeter to the inside circuits so the ammeter will still give you an indication what is going on as far as charging or discharging without putting all the load across the ammeter& buckhead connection

[tommyg29]

Chryco, this answers my question in the other thread. Youre saying that just installing the jumper with NO other modifications whatsoever (at the bulkhead connector or the amp gauge) will work to relieve some of the load. In other words, the alternator current to charge the battery will mostly seek the shorter path. I know something about plumbing, and if electricity works the same way that will be the case

[422STROKER]

That mod is all I did to mine, added a #8 in parallel to the factory wiring along with Headlight relays.  I run a decent amp and use the factory 60A alt on mine with a cheapo Autozone battery.  Clean all connections and use dielectric grease to keep corrosion down when reassembling.

Tom

You have too look for the fuse holder to notice it since I wrapped it in with the factory stuff.


Note the ECONOMY battery with the sticker pulled off.LOL

Also upgraded wiring to the grounds, can't hurt.

[tommyg29]

Nice, thanks guys for all the suggestions. I dont see enough reason to disconnect the gauge. I'll clean up the contacts real good, make the headlight relay mod, and the starter relay jumper mod, and take my chances.
Challengeorange: that first picture looks like Vitamin C body color, and Hemi Orange under the hood, but it must just be the lighting. Very clean wiring. I have my msd6al box under the battery also, but your wiring is MUCH cleaner looking. You also still have the ballast resistor?

[422STROKER]

Thanks, the paint is Single stage under the hood and BC/CC out.  Looks close unless the light changes for sure.

I have the ballast resistor but it doesn't do anything.  The coil is fed from the MSD ignition directly.

Tom

[tommyg29]

This is a drawing I did using a sketch I saw somewhere in here. I'll just run the 8 gauge wire across the front of the engine. I read somewhere about making this a fusible link, or installing a fuse. If so, what size, and WHAT IS A FUSIBLE LINK ANYWAY? Does that just mean you can install a fuse anywhere on that line?

[GoodysGotaCuda]

Fusile link is a smaller style wire that will melt when too much current is put through it. Similar to a fuse, but it is a lot more delayed and can handle spikes that a fuse/break cannot. However to replace it when it "blows" you have to cut it out and do it again...The theory behind it there is if something in that circuit were to blow it, someone couldnt just put a bigger fuse in and keep going.

I have 100a circuit breaker on my charging system side with my 90a alternator

[tommyg29]

So if I install an 8 gauge jumper, I should put in a fuse just before the relay.
Does it really matter if a fuse goes in? Can a bad alternator put out so much amperage it would damage the relay or the battery?
Sorry, just asking.

[tommyg29]

hehe,
gratuitous shot of my ride, just for the fun of seeing it online.

[Chryco Psycho]

the factory did not install a fuse in that cicuit & I have noit done so either in the cars I have modified , it cannot hurt to add one though , with th ecurrent flow from the Alt to the start realy you would really want the fuse closer to the Alt to prevent it from melting if the wire got pinched somewhere between the alt & start relay but the down side to this is there is also a lot of current available at the battery so if the wire was pinched & shorted would a fuse help as there is as much current on either side of the wire so the only way to protect that circuit would be to fuse both ends which is why I didn`t fuse the ones I have done

[tommyg29]

Chryco, that certainly makes sense. Just like with plumbing, you would just get a backflow, as all charging current would then be running through the dash again.

[matt63]

Nice, thanks guys for all the suggestions. I dont see enough reason to disconnect the gauge. I'll clean up the contacts real good, make the headlight relay mod, and the starter relay jumper mod, and take my chances.
Challengeorange: that first picture looks like Vitamin C body color, and Hemi Orange under the hood, but it must just be the lighting. Very clean wiring. I have my msd6al box under the battery also, but your wiring is MUCH cleaner looking. You also still have the ballast resistor?

If you run another wire off of the alternator your ammeter won't be telling you anything as it only reads the current going through the bulkhead.  It will just read a partial alternator output.  Just replace it with a voltmeter.

[tommyg29]

uh, I may just go with a 10 gauge jumper. 8 gauge wire, especially auto specific, is non-existent locally. 
I guess it just isnt used much anywhere. 10 g on up is common, and rolls of it can be bought for $4 at the auto stores. That should be better than nothing.

[422STROKER]

Go to Wal-Mart and get the 400W Amp kit, comes with the 8ga wire with a fuse holder fuses and some other stuff you may need someday.  IIRC it was 20-30 bucks.

Tom

[BruteForce]

uh, I may just go with a 10 gauge jumper. 8 gauge wire, especially auto specific, is non-existent locally. 
I guess it just isnt used much anywhere. 10 g on up is common, and rolls of it can be bought for $4 at the auto stores. That should be better than nothing.

8 gauge wire has about 50% more capacity than 10 gauge. So you could just run two 10 g wires in parallel and have more than enough.