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Electrical system problems?

Discussion in 'General Car Audio Discussions' started by N8SI4, Sep 28, 2009.

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  1. N8SI4

    N8SI4 Full Member

    Hello, I'm new to car audio and am putting a system in my car.

    I was wondering if I need to be worried about my 2001 Jeep Wrangler's electrical system after putting my system in it, would I need to worry about doing something like the big three? I am putting in:

    - Pioneer DEH-5100UB HU
    - Pair of 4x6 speakers
    - Pair of 5 1/4 speakers
    - Alpine 200W Class A/B Bridgeable 4/3/2-Channel MOSFET Amplifier (For speakers)
    - Alpine 500W Class D Mono MOSFET Amplifier with Adjustable Crossover (For Sub)
    - Alpine 10" Type r sub

    I am not sure if you guys will be able to tell me with the info I provided but hopefully you can err on the side if I might have a problem or not. Everything in my jeep is stock right now.

    Thank you!
     
    N8SI4, Sep 28, 2009
    #1
  2. Kvo_8

    Kvo_8 Full Member

    the big three would be fine for what you are running. i would look into getting a HO alternator prob after 1500 watts rms, depending on your alternator
     
    Kvo_8, Sep 28, 2009
    #2
  3. N8SI4

    N8SI4 Full Member

    Thanks for the response Kvo. Thats what I was asking, if I would have to buy a new alternator and make the big three modification? I am not really sure about the specs of the one that comes stock in a 2001 wrangler, I am having trouble finding it. I was just wondering if the set up I am going with will require a change, or will everything stock be fine to power everything?
     
    N8SI4, Sep 28, 2009
    #3
  4. cccullen

    cccullen Full Member

    if you have a 4.0L engine then your stock alternator is 117amps.

    do the big three first and take if from there. Chances are, with the stock alternator and the wattage you'll be pushing you should be just fine with the big 3 only
     
    cccullen, Sep 28, 2009
    #4
  5. pedro quiroga

    pedro quiroga Well-Known Member

    im running about the same amount of power with a stock 105 amp alt with the big 3 also.

    you should be fine.
     
    pedro quiroga, Sep 28, 2009
    #5
  6. N8SI4

    N8SI4 Full Member

    Thanks Cullen and Pedro.

    I just want to make sure... So putting this set up in without making any further mods (like the big 3) wouldn't be a good idea then?

    It is a 4.0L engine cullen so i guess the alternator is 117 amps like you said. I will start studying up on how to do the big 3.

    Thanks again for the help.
     
    N8SI4, Sep 28, 2009
    #6
  7. pedro quiroga

    pedro quiroga Well-Known Member

    the big 3 is easy.
     
    pedro quiroga, Sep 29, 2009
    #7
  8. N8SI4

    N8SI4 Full Member

    I have seen a few tutorials on how to do the big 3 mod - is there any particular one you guys recommend so a newbie like myself can figure it out? (i didn't get anything when I searched)

    Also, do you buy a kit to do this or just buy the 0 gauge wire at an auto parts store with the ring terminal attached? Do I need anything else than the wires? I see ppl talking about a fuse or something? and also I would have to buy new battery terminals right?
     
    N8SI4, Sep 30, 2009
    #8
  9. N8SI4

    N8SI4 Full Member

    Here is my battery:
    [​IMG]

    Alternator:
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Sep 30, 2009
    N8SI4, Sep 30, 2009
    #9
  10. pedro quiroga

    pedro quiroga Well-Known Member

    you deff need to clean up those terminals. you can also make your own wiring for the big 3.
     
    pedro quiroga, Sep 30, 2009
    #10
  11. cccullen

    cccullen Full Member

    I have the big 4 now and no dimming!!!! just finished it up this morning at 4:30am. lol

    Ok, like pedro said, you're gonna need to clean up those terminals or better yet but new ones.

    I think the big three kits are for sale. Do you have any experience in soldering?

    The big three:

    1. Battery positive terminal to alternator positive (do not take out the current wires just place the new 1/0 ga. wire over the old one.
    2. Chassis ground to engine ground (your grounding point should be on the body of the alternator)
    3. Engine ground to battery negative.

    Also when doing your grounds you'll have to sand down the points to bare shiny metal.

    I also have a chassis ground to my battery negative post but i don't think that was important. I made a mistake the first time i did the big 3. lol

    First i would do a measurement to see how long your runs will be.
    1. measure from the battery positive post to the alternator positive. make the measurement with a little slack cuz you don't want the wire to be too tight fitting.
    2. then measure from you bracket of your alternator (engine neg.) to your chassis.
    3. lastly make a measurement from the engine block (where you can see a bolt that would make a good ground) to the batter negative post/terminal.

    If you buy a big 3 kit it will come with the ring terminals but i'm gonna make a guess that you'll have to put on the ring terminals yourself. It's really not that hard. I didn't have much experience crimping and soldering and i was able to do it without any problems.

    If you need more help on where to make the ground points then take some pics of your engine bay again and we can pick the points for ya.
     
    Last edited: Sep 30, 2009
    cccullen, Sep 30, 2009
    #11
  12. N8SI4

    N8SI4 Full Member

    Awesome! Thanks Cullen. I am planning on doing the modification this weekend at some point. If I get it done I will post up pics of how it turns out. My enclosure should be shipped to me soon, so once I get that I should be ready to put the system in.
     
    N8SI4, Sep 30, 2009
    #12
  13. cccullen

    cccullen Full Member

    that's what we're here for. :)

    it's very important that you do make sure to sand down those grounds though (bare metal), i can't stress that enough.

    if you have any problems on how to crimp or solder, youtube has a lot of info. on that. whenever i'm in doubt about something i just try to watch as many videos as i can to learn. lol

    Anyhow, like i said if you have any problems finding a good ground point just let us know.
     
    cccullen, Sep 30, 2009
    #13
  14. N8SI4

    N8SI4 Full Member

    Ahh I have another question..

    I was going to use my Engine Block for my engine ground rather than the body of the Alternator because it is already set up that way in my jeep, is that alright? If it is better to use the Alternator (which I think I read earlier is the most important, how would I connect a wire to the body of it?

    Cullen - You said above in step 2 to "connect Chassis ground to engine ground" Does it make any difference connecting the Chassis ground to the battery negative instead? I saw some ppl do it that way.

    It seems like it would be ALOT easier to connect the chassis ground to the engine ground like you said above because I would have to get a battery terminal that would accommodate two 0-gauge wires coming into it from the Engine block AND the Chassis. Just wondering because the way my jeep is set up stock is like this:

    1. Battery Positive to Alternator
    2. Battery Negative to Engine block
    3. Battery Negative to Chassis

    EDIT: I just saw above you said you connected the Chassis Ground to Negative Terminal but don't think its that important. So I guess I will just connect the Chassis ground to Engine Ground.
     
    Last edited: Oct 2, 2009
    N8SI4, Oct 1, 2009
    #14
  15. N8SI4

    N8SI4 Full Member

    One more thing if you don't mind..My battery terminals have the 2 higher gauge stock wires coming into them... it looks like this: (I know I will have to clean this up a lot)

    [​IMG]

    Can I just clean these up and put the ring of the 0 gauge wire under the stock terminal? Or do I need to buy a terminal that will have a 0 gauge spot on it along with two smaller ones for the stock wires? Thanks for the help guys.
     
    N8SI4, Oct 1, 2009
    #15
  16. N8SI4

    N8SI4 Full Member

    Any ideas guys? I just ordered 0 gauge wiring and ring terminals, i'm still wondering what to do about that battery terminals..
     
    N8SI4, Oct 4, 2009
    #16
  17. cccullen

    cccullen Full Member

    I would say spring for new terminals. those look pretty bad already. you may want to find a terminal that has a wing nut up top so you can put all the wires there with no problems. Always keep your stock wires so when you do the big 3 you'll just be adding wires.
     
    cccullen, Oct 4, 2009
    #17
  18. cccullen

    cccullen Full Member

    I did it that way (chassis to negative post) and my results weren't that good. I got better results and more steady voltage when i grounded the engine to chassis then chassis to negative battery post. You should really ground the chassis to the engine and that ground should be on the bracket or straight on the housing of the alternator or really near the alternator.
     
    cccullen, Oct 4, 2009
    #18
  19. N8SI4

    N8SI4 Full Member

    Okay, thanks CC I will that. I'll look and see what I can find for new battery terminals. I have seen ones that have an opening for 0 gauge along with smaller inputs. I'm not sure what gauge the stock wiring is in the jeep, so the wing nut idea sounds like it will work.
     
    Last edited: Oct 4, 2009
    N8SI4, Oct 4, 2009
    #19
  20. N8SI4

    N8SI4 Full Member

    N8SI4, Oct 5, 2009
    #20
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