determining electrical needed???

[_94fleet]

do you guys run the number of aught gauge that your amp could pull or that the alt can put out? i only ask since i see build logs with 3 or 4 runs of 0 gauge but no where near 1200+ amps worth of alt. i know it loses efficiency over distance but how do you guys decide on the number of runs?

[ChevyBoy95]

honestly, a lot falls on if you are number chasing or not. Plus many here like overkill electrical. Even if 1 run of 1/0 can effectively carry say 250a of current, and the alt is a 220a. 2 runs can actually benefit by reducing resistance even though the 1 run is sufficient for the amount of output current. This can in turn reduce voltage drop and heat in the wire which causes more resistance as well.

my truck has a 220, i use 1 run of 1/0 OFC and call it a day.

[_94fleet]

ok. i understand getting chasing numbers in the sense of getting most out of your system. i just want my system to make me happy and honestly it would take alot to make me happy.

[Lifted2000Ford4x4]

you can NEVER run too much wire! haha. run what satisfies the amp, because in the end the power that the alt can't supply is drawn from the battery. so running 8 gauge to something that draws 100 amps is a big no no, even if your alt only puts out 60 amps and 8 gauge is enough to make it happy... your amp won't be.