what is the big 4

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still_walkin

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Joined: April 18, 2007

Location: California, United States

Posted: December 18, 2007 at 2:34 AM / IP Logged

I read about the big 4 on another forum big it didn't descibe what is was . I know the big three could someone explain. Here the link where I found it

https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp~TID~49445~PN~1

1993 sdv

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haemphyst

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Posted: December 18, 2007 at 9:49 AM / IP Logged

I think what Rob was referring to was a ground bond between high resistance ground points and the battery return. The Big 3 refers to:

1: The alternator.

2: Underhood wiring, including chassis and engine block ground.

3: The battery

(Not necessarily in that order, though... They all need to be addressed, so the order doesn't matter, as they are all equally important.)

It all reminds me of something that Molière once said to Guy de Maupassant at a café in Vienna: "That's nice. You should write it down."

DYohn

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Posted: December 18, 2007 at 9:59 AM / IP Logged

Actually the Big 3 refers to upgrading the three main wring components of any vehicle's electrical system, the cables between the alt and the battery, between the battery and the chassis, and between the engine and the chassis. Rob's "big 4" comment is adding a ground return lead from the amp to the battery if the vehicle's chassis return resistance is too high.

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still_walkin

Silver - Posts: 644

Joined: April 18, 2007

Location: California, United States

Posted: December 18, 2007 at 1:50 PM / IP Logged

So basically instead of grounding the amp to the chasis he ran a wire directly to the battery. If a ground is to be only 3ft or less is that safe if he ran a ground from front of the vechile to back I'm lost. Is it worth doing

1993 sdv

Alpine 4x6 6x9 5 1/4 swr-10d4

alpine v60

12.5 VGA flip down

Nettop pc w/10" touch screen

78nova

5-re audio 5x7 ,10" sub &

Xtx-500.5

"Take the faceplate off get the jumperpack"

stevdart

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Joined: January 24, 2004

Location: Pennsylvania, United States

Posted: December 18, 2007 at 4:51 PM / IP Logged

Distance of ground wire, as you said "If a ground is to be only 3ft or less", is only a recommendation. It is for the novice to understand that he must keep resistance at a minimum, and emphasizes that the entire chassis metal is conductive ground. DYohn's reply explains why and when you would consider running a ground wire home run instead of using the chassis.

As for your question of safety: If a ground return wire is damaged it could contact metal, but the metal is also ground. Quite different than having a nonfused power wire contact ground.

Build the box so that it performs well in the worst case scenario and, in return, it will reward you at all times.

still_walkin

Silver - Posts: 644

Joined: April 18, 2007

Location: California, United States

Posted: December 18, 2007 at 9:11 PM / IP Logged

So is it worth it. So instead of wiring the cars chasis he was wiring directly to the negitive post on the battery.

1993 sdv

Alpine 4x6 6x9 5 1/4 swr-10d4

alpine v60

12.5 VGA flip down

Nettop pc w/10" touch screen

78nova

5-re audio 5x7 ,10" sub &

Xtx-500.5

"Take the faceplate off get the jumperpack"

DYohn

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Location: Arizona, United States

Posted: December 18, 2007 at 9:22 PM / IP Logged

Measure your chassis return resistance to know if you need to do it or not.

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aznboi3644

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Joined: May 01, 2006

Location: United States

Posted: December 19, 2007 at 1:13 AM / IP Logged

My wiring upgrades are a bit overboard.

-Alt to battery

-battery to body (about 3-4 ground straps)

-body to frame

-alt casing to engine block..then from there daisy chain to the battery

still have to do battery to frame

still_walkin

Silver - Posts: 644

Joined: April 18, 2007

Location: California, United States

Posted: December 19, 2007 at 5:46 AM / IP Logged

So did it work. Before you upgraded the ground from the amp to the battery did you notice a difference or not.

DYohn

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Location: Arizona, United States

Posted: December 19, 2007 at 10:11 AM / IP Logged

If you need it, yes it's worth it. If you don't, probably not worth it.

FIRST you need to determine if you need it. Did you understand that part of the post you quoted?

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