I would also think about upgrading the main power cable from the battery to the fuse block (the one that runs across the radiator shroud). When the truck is running, all the power is going through this undersized wire and it is long (voltage drop). The positive to the starter is only for starting.
Big 3 Upgrade Directions w/ Pictures
- Thread starter Brandon X
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When I have the front and rear air on high, radio on, headlights on, and I roll down the window, I could be sucking down 90 amps through that little skinny 7-8 foot wire. It cant be much bigger than 8 ga. For a wire that long carrying that much load, bigger is better, just like the alt to batt, etc.
SunlitComet
OBS Jedi-Do Good
actually 6 ga for battery to the power block. 2ga from battery to alt.
Do you happen to know what the factory size is for each?.....looks like 8 ga to the block and 10ga? to the alt.
SunlitComet
OBS Jedi-Do Good
As listed above but with correction. Alt to battery is same as 6 ga to power block. A 10 ga fusible link is spliced in nearest the battery for the alt to battery. The 2 ga. was actually from battery to starter. Sorry about that. That was for '96. I think '99's went to a 4ga. from batt to power block. Can double check others if needed but I think other where similar in size. Having to convert from metric to AWG size on the diagrams. My subscriptions are far '95,'96 and '99 so I get coverage for '92 to maybe 2000 carryovers but sometimes it takes more research to find out exactly what wire was redesigned in a '98 for example. '98's should be same as say '96 but of course a new auto 4x4x was introduced that changed diagrams. So I go to the '99 charts for that. Make sense.
---------- Post added at 07:23 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:20 AM ----------
Any 2ga. high end wire would be good for upgrade on batt alt or power block with everything else in system stock.
---------- Post added at 07:29 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:23 AM ----------
Personally want to go high amp alt with some extra batteries but run inline fuses with a power post where POS+ from power block, alt and batt meet up. Have not been fan of the double stack battery terminals with no fuse protection for battery to power block.
---------- Post added at 07:23 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:20 AM ----------
Any 2ga. high end wire would be good for upgrade on batt alt or power block with everything else in system stock.
---------- Post added at 07:29 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:23 AM ----------
Personally want to go high amp alt with some extra batteries but run inline fuses with a power post where POS+ from power block, alt and batt meet up. Have not been fan of the double stack battery terminals with no fuse protection for battery to power block.
Even if you don't have 2ga lying around, adding almost any extra wire between battery and fuse block is an improvement!!
Personally, I'm going to see what gauge fits in the channel on top of my fan shroud. If i can't go any larger then stock, I'll think of sending a second wire over there if I can hide it and/or make it appear stock.
SunlitComet
OBS Jedi-Do Good
someone here had a 2 or 4ga in the slot but had to delete the convoluted tubing protection.
I did the big 3 upgrade tonight and 4 guage will fit on the fan shroud and also you can reuse the factory wire loom. It actually fits better then the 6-8 guage wire that was there in the first place. Will have pics of the install probably tomorrow night or by 4th of july. I am doing a dual battery setup so it takes a little longer to get all your wiring in order and to look like stock.
