big 3

Printed From: the12volt.com
Forum Name: Car Audio
Forum Discription: Car Stereos, Amplifiers, Crossovers, Processors, Speakers, Subwoofers, etc.
URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=99768
Printed Date: May 04, 2024 at 9:59 AM

Topic: big 3

Posted By: steveskal
Subject: big 3
Date Posted: December 07, 2007 at 9:22 PM

OK, I know there is a whole sticky on the subject but I just have one specific question on the topic that I have been getting differing opinions on and I'd like to try and set the records straight. OK, so I'm doing the big 3 upgrade and some are saying yes definitely use a fuse in between the battery and the alternator or you risk burning your car up, and others say nah, you don't need it...so which is it????

Also will using the fuse negate some of the benefits of even doing the big 3? I mean the idea is to increase the flow and wouldn't the fuse be kind of a bottleneck?

Replies:

Posted By: aznboi3644
Date Posted: December 08, 2007 at 12:14 AM

I didn't use a fuse in my alt to battery positive run...you will not need a fuse if you run the wire in a safe route...double loom it and tape it up.

If you keep the wire away from moving parts and high heat than you are fine without fusing it.

Posted By: forbidden
Date Posted: December 08, 2007 at 4:09 PM

Lets think about this. Here you are upgrading the electrical to make the transfer of current as efficient as possible. This means that you are going to be taxing the alternator to the extreme's. This means that the alternator is going to be getting uber hot. I guess that in a perfect world there is never a case of a alternator failing due to heat and shorting out (which of course is now connected to the battery and not fused). Maybe the built in voltage regulator is going to pack it in, who knows, my crystal ball does not show me if and when a problem may happen in your car. Be smart, fuse the line.

-------------
Top Secret, I can tell you but then my wife will kill me.

Posted By: haemphyst
Date Posted: December 08, 2007 at 9:25 PM

Or another way to look at it might be this way:

ANY power cable directly connected to the battery should be fused for that power cable's safe maximum rating.

Simple as that, and forever the safest way. How about this way:

Whether employed normally as an "in" cable (charge) or "out" cable (power), if the insulation is somehow compromised, it will INSTANTLY become an OUT! posted_image

-------------
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."