The Big 3
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Bronze Member Username: DurskiPost Number: 34 Registered: Nov-06 | At what RMS wattage should I consider upgrading the big 3? Also, Is there a company that makes Big 3 kits? The parts don't seem that difficult to find on my own, execpt for the shrink wiring or w/e it is, but I just don't want to work that hard.  |
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Gold Member Username: Nd4spd18Northwest PA Post Number: 3880 Registered: Jul-06 | The big 3 needs to be upgraded when you upgrade your alternator. There's no point to it otherwise. Usually an alt upgrade will be needed for over ~1000 watts. And no they don't make kits since every car is different. All you need is wire, terminals, electrical tape or heatshrink, and a crimper |
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Bronze Member Username: DurskiPost Number: 35 Registered: Nov-06 | thanks for the info M.S., you're always very helpful. |
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Gold Member Username: Th3pwn3rPost Number:... Post Number: 5720 Registered: Jul-06 | "And no they don't make kits since every car is different. All you need is wire, terminals, electrical tape or heatshrink, and a crimper" The good crimpers range in price from 180 to 200 dollars.They make crimpers that involve metal jaws in a clamp style that you use with a hammer too for about 40 bucks but if you're going to go that route you might as well apply your 1/0 ring terminals with just a hammer.Just make sure there's no way in hell that the terminal will fall off of the wire and electrical tape it after that.A lot of people say you can use a bench vice to apply the terminals but I don't recommend that method at all,the terminals can be pulled off by hand going that route and I've done it myself so...I've never been able to pull off a terminal that I hammered onto wire so that's probably your cheapest and safest way of doing it,although it makes the terminal very wide and flat it works.Also,be sure to have a very clean ground otherwise you still won't see good power out of your alternator.You can order wire by the foot just about anywhere so make sure you measure to see how much you'll need and remember too much is better than too little in this case. |
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Gold Member Username: Nd4spd18Northwest PA Post Number: 3922 Registered: Jul-06 | Rob, you can get a decent crimper that does up to 4/0 gauge for about $10. You put the terminal in as shown in the picture, hold on to the crimper and whack the top with a heavy hammer a few times (4 pound sledge works real good). I have one of these and for the price you can't beat it. www.weldingsupply.com Click "A Cable / Clamp / Stingers". Scroll down to "Lenco Swedge-On Tool Model 840l"  |
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Gold Member Username: Th3pwn3rPost Number:... Post Number: 5753 Registered: Jul-06 | That's the style I was talking about for 40 bucks that didn't work that well.Those look like they're designed much better though.Do you have any pictures of what the ring terminals look like after you've applied them with those crimpers? |
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Gold Member Username: Nd4spd18Northwest PA Post Number: 3964 Registered: Jul-06 | Nope but I can get you some pics soon....... I'm installing my comp. speakers next so and will take pics of everything when thats done. |
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Gold Member Username: AdddisorderPalm Beach, Florida Post Number: 5461 Registered: Jan-06 | actually ms as you probably know but ill just post for anyone else the big 3 can still be beneficial especially on older cars where the stock wiring is worn corroded and sometimes small around 6guage, so it can still help a little with a stock alt. but is a must for a HO. |
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Silver Member Username: Sinful_systems7015 INCH WANG... Post Number: 907 Registered: Nov-06 | Wow, this is the first time I have seen M.S. get something wrong.. ^^^^"And no they don't make kits since every car is different" Elemental Designs sells BIG 3 kits... Here is the link... http://www.edesignaudio.com/edv2/index.php?cPath=28_56 It's ok M.S., I just want to staighten things out to get all the cards on the table for anyone interested... Thats only one mistake, myself and others have made mistakes before..everyone makes mistakes. Keep up the good help... |
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Gold Member Username: Nd4spd18Northwest PA Post Number: 4229 Registered: Jul-06 | Haha well there ya have it, that will be the first "big 3 kit" I've ever seen............ It doesn't seem very useful to me though, since the length of the wires will be different on every car, you would still have to cut the wires to fit, and put the terminals on them. So it appears all they did is gather up all the parts needed and sell them as a kit? |
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Silver Member Username: Sinful_systems7015 INCH WANG... Post Number: 924 Registered: Nov-06 | I guess, but you will have to cut wires any way you go about it, this just makes getting quality wire and terminals easy.... Besides I would want to put the terminals on myself so I can assure a proper connection, plus I like to fill with solder and sometimes silicone seal the grounds when in place to avoid moisture and corrosion as well as to keep it from lostening due to vibrations.... Just trying to help... |
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Silver Member Username: Sinful_systems7015 INCH WANG... Post Number: 925 Registered: Nov-06 | M.S., it's understandable that you haven't seen it when many car audio shops don't even know what the BIG 3 is or does.... Now you know and hopefully you will remember this next time you get asked this question.... |
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Gold Member Username: Th3pwn3rPost Number:... Post Number: 6013 Registered: Jul-06 | "0 Gauge Big 3 Red Upgrade Kit Includes all 0 Gauge & 0 Gauge Accessories: 3 ft. ground to chassis (black) 4 ft. ground to engine block (black) 8 ft. power to alt (red) 2 packs of ring terminals" All this for only one hundred dollars. Rofl. F uck that kit you're getting 15 feet of 1/0 wire and ring terminals for one hundred bucks...no thanks. It can be purchase for far less than that. It would be all seperate and not in "Kit" form but they're f ucking crazy. |
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Gold Member Username: Th3pwn3rPost Number:... Post Number: 6015 Registered: Jul-06 | The Red/black wire kit is so over priced. The blue/silver kit is fairly priced. I wonder if the only difference is color... I'm also wondering if there's a difference in the thickness of the actual wire and or flexibility...hmm. |
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Gold Member Username: AdddisorderPalm Beach, Florida Post Number: 5488 Registered: Jan-06 | wow that is a rip off. plus those terminals they sell are cheap and crappy i and would suggest not wasting money on them. go to an autopart store instead |
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Gold Member Username: •cam•Post Number: 1139 Registered: Nov-06 | I solder my ring terminals on. There is no way in hell that I'll settle for crimped terminals under the hood. |
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Bronze Member Username: BaalpeteorPost Number: 22 Registered: Oct-07 | whatever works for you cham. Just a question i see they selling 0 gauge.. and someone here before said you ned to get the same gauge that your amp uses (from bat to amp) for the big 3. is this true? seems to be a hassle using 0 gauge instead of 4 altho 0 will look alot cooler running more powerlines and all |
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Gold Member Username: Nd4spd18Northwest PA Post Number: 4317 Registered: Jul-06 | Thats not really the best rule to go by. Depending on how big the alternator is 4 gauge may work. But as a genreal rule, big 3 should always be done in 0 gauge to ensure that there will be no issues. |
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Bronze Member Username: BaalpeteorPost Number: 25 Registered: Oct-07 | ya I got ya do it right the first time so you don't have to ever mess with it again. thx |
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Gold Member Username: Th3pwn3rPost Number:... Post Number: 6089 Registered: Jul-06 | "Thats not really the best rule to go by. Depending on how big the alternator is 4 gauge may work. But as a genreal rule, big 3 should always be done in 0 gauge to ensure that there will be no issues" Since when does the SIZE of an alternator matter? It's about the amperage noobcakes  What M.S. meant by how "big" they alternator was he was talking about how much amperage it produced. I just wanted to clarify that for the people who don't know all that much about charging systems(noobs). |
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Bronze Member Username: BaalpeteorPost Number: 27 Registered: Oct-07 | ya ill just buy a 50 lb alternator that must use 50/0 gauge  |
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Gold Member Username: Th3pwn3rPost Number:... Post Number: 6113 Registered: Jul-06 | ^My typing was so bad up there in that post.  |
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Bronze Member Username: MarcoooPost Number: 78 Registered: Mar-07 | According to Iraggi you can use 4 gauge for alts putting out under 200 amps and need to use 0 gauge for more than 200 amps. |
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Bronze Member Username: BaalpeteorPost Number: 38 Registered: Oct-07 | well in that case, if I had a single HO alternator (puts out 200 amp) i'd need 0 gauge, b/c dont an alt put out more than what its rated if its pushed and needs to? (thus why an alt can die from dimming lights b/c its working harder than it should?) but im not sure if the 200 amps is idle or not also |
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Bronze Member Username: MarcoooPost Number: 80 Registered: Mar-07 | I'd say depends on the maker just like how the rms on subs and amps are underrated, just right or overrated. Heard Iraggi has pretty good alts besides the bad customer service and the occasional alt that comes with a broken case. And if the alt says it's 200 amp then it's probably less at idle. Mine's 220 amp and like 180 at idle. Oh and if your getting a HO alt then you should use 0 gauge wire on the big 3, might as well be sure that you're getting all the power from the alt. |
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Gold Member Username: Th3pwn3rPost Number:... Post Number: 6188 Registered: Jul-06 | "Heard Iraggi has pretty good alts besides the bad customer service and the occasional alt that comes with a broken case. And if the alt says it's 200 amp then it's probably less at idle. Mine's 220 amp and like 180 at idle. " He's had bad customer service with me. Not to mention he sent me two alts that didn't fit even though he said they were direct bolt ons. I ended up making a bracket since he never made it like he told me he was going to. |
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Gold Member Username: Naledge503Http://com4.runboard.c... Post Number: 2371 Registered: Jun-06 | Iraggi is sh!tty, plain and simple. I ordered an alternator in january of this year. First alt didnt fit right, sent back. 2nd alt worked....for 3 months, sent back. 3rd is one thats not a direct swap. The wiring connections didnt match up. 4th one is another customers. 5th one's voltage wont go over 12.2v. I sent the first 3 back, out of my own pocket. 4th and 5th one he sent me a label and I go to ship it, and UPS says that I can only ship one. So I shipped mine back and as if he will send me a label for the other one. He responds telling me that the first label was for 36 lbs....he didnt tell me this in the first place or both would have been shipped back. So here I am waiting to get my label to ship back this other customers alternator back, but he sent it to my old address!! I've given him my new addy 4-5 times through email and once in one of the packages I sent back to him. He sent the last 2 alternators to my old addy after I had told him my new one also. His communication is horrible. And his Customer service just plain sucks. He has been rude to me and a smart @ss to me, like what has happened is somehow my fault. I've saved EVERY email between him and I since before I bought the alternator, when I was just asking questions. Bad thing is there is soooo much negative feedback about him that I somehow missed when I was checking him out. There are people on CA that have had problems. recently Scott on here had a problem, now I hear that Rob has had a problem. And he is not in good standing with the BBB. So I'm just waiting for my alternator that I payed almost $600 for and have had only 3 months of use out of for almost a year after paying... |
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Bronze Member Username: BaalpeteorPost Number: 41 Registered: Oct-07 | ouch naledge503.. i believe customer service, and fast shipping (and the right product) is the most important thing of a company, not how much of something you sell or what stock you have... b/c then people will know whatever you sell gets to their house fast, is the right thing, and they can get help with it fast. As you know im not spending 500 on a HO alt, i heard there's this place in town that can upgrade the alt you already have for like 150 or something.. ima do that. I just put in an optima yellow top today and of course its still diming. my lights aren't bad but I can tell especially on the inside.. that is after its up at 50 volume on the headunit, and +6 db on bass from the HU also. I can't wait to see how good the upgrade works when i get it =D 20 more amps idle will prob be way enough |
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Bronze Member Username: MarcoooPost Number: 99 Registered: Mar-07 | I'd heard the bad stories, but just had a feeling I'd be ok lol. And so far I've been right. $380 for 220 amps, 180 at idle made specifically for my car and took less than 2 weeks from the time I ordered it to get to my doorstep. And the few e-mails exchanges I had with him were blunt and to the point, but not rude. I've heard plenty of horror stories about Iraggi and I'm not taking his side or anything, but I've also heard plenty of stories about his alts being fine and even though I just got it installed my story starring Iraggi and my alt has been a great one so far lol... Oh and the main reason I bought from him (besides the good price) was I heard his alts weren't underrated like some other companies. Just my expercience with Iraggi so far. |
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Gold Member Username: Nd4spd18Northwest PA Post Number: 4498 Registered: Jul-06 | " i heard there's this place in town that can upgrade the alt you already have for like 150 or something " FYI most of those places claims are BS Why are people always so resistant to getting HO alternators when that is the essential foundation of a good system. " I just put in an optima yellow top today and of course its still diming " No sh!t, batteries do not supply power, alternator does. |
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Gold Member Username: Th3pwn3rPost Number:... Post Number: 6208 Registered: Jul-06 | "No sh!t, batteries do not supply power, alternator does." WTF?! BATTERIES DO SUPPLY POWER. Check your GFs vibrat0r. Batteries supply power, they just don't make it. They supply power from themselves to whatever electronics that need it. |
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Gold Member Username: Th3pwn3rPost Number:... Post Number: 6209 Registered: Jul-06 | ^Until they run out of charge that is. Using the edit feature takes way too much f ucking time so it's much faster to post about the corrections that you need to make |
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Bronze Member Username: BaalpeteorPost Number: 42 Registered: Oct-07 | M.S.... the only reason i didn't get one is simeple... I dont have 500 (yes five-hundred) large to buy a friggin alt, given my POS car cost me 500 (doesn't look even half as bad in looks as it sounds tho lol), so with tax it would cost more... and when I get a new car i can't like take it out more than likely and put it in that car (maybe maybe not) like I can speakers and a system. All I need is like nomore than 30 more amps or so for what i have now. 150 upgrade vs. 500 alt.. i'd take the upgrade b/c i can afford that i dont work.. but when I do and if I had the money i would.. anyone wanna donate to me whose rich.. u can message me here :-p oh and lol rob ya batteries are just an accessory to look cute, like most people say about caps... ;p |
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Gold Member Username: Nd4spd18Northwest PA Post Number: 4512 Registered: Jul-06 | Batteries store and release power, they don't supply it. Alternaor is the power supply. Substitute "create" for "supply" if you want to be an azz like Rob and argue over the definition of one word. |
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Bronze Member Username: BaalpeteorPost Number: 43 Registered: Oct-07 | lol nah im not being an as$ i was just joking with rob. We know what you meant =) you, like u said above this post with substitution, meant: "Batteries store and release power, they don't supply it. Alternaor is the create supply." |
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Gold Member Username: Th3pwn3rPost Number:... Post Number: 6226 Registered: Jul-06 | "M.S.... the only reason i didn't get one is simeple... I dont have 500 (yes five-hundred) large to buy a friggin alt, given my POS car cost me 500 (doesn't look even half as bad in looks as it sounds tho lol), so with tax it would cost more... and when I get a new car i can't like take it out more than likely and put it in that car (maybe maybe not) like I can speakers and a system. Well it's too bad that you can't trust Iraggi because he used to offer a swap out program after you purchased a new vehicle. "sup·ply1 /səˈplaɪ/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[suh-plahy] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation verb, -plied, -ply·ing, noun, plural -plies. --verb (used with object) 1. to furnish or provide (a person, establishment, place, etc.) with what is lacking or requisite: to supply someone clothing; to supply a community with electricity. 2. to furnish or provide (something wanting or requisite): to supply electricity to a community. 3. to make up, compensate for, or satisfy (a deficiency, loss, need, etc.): The TVA supplied the need for cheap electricity. 4. to fill or occupy as a substitute, as a vacancy, a pulpit, etc.: During the summer local clergymen will supply the pulpit. --verb (used without object) 5. to fill the place of another, esp. the pulpit of a church, temporarily or as a substitute: Who will supply until the new minister arrives? " Supply means to provide right? When my car is off my two Kinetik HC2400s supply my amplifiers with power or electricity don't they? When the batteries are dead/drained they won't provide or supply anything to the amplifiers. I just want to get that all straight. |
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Bronze Member Username: BaalpeteorPost Number: 44 Registered: Oct-07 | hmm @ used to. Does he have some webpage or is he a member here or something? I might get a quote.. then tell him im black ;-) |
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Gold Member Username: Th3pwn3rPost Number:... Post Number: 6230 Registered: Jul-06 | ^ He's on Ebay and no, he's not a member here. He's had pretty bad customer service lately so be very careful. |
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Platinum Member Username: BestmankindIM THE REAL SLIM SHADY Post Number: 16679 Registered: Oct-05 | love this thread. |
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