Re-Wiring My Entire System - Need Immediate Advice

[Diesel_Nuts]

Hi there guys,

Long story short, I'm planning to completely re-wire my car (including Big-3) -- it's a 1984 Mercedes 300D (diesel). I wont waste time going into what my current setup is b/c I've already un-hooked everything. I just need advice on a few things after I give you the skinny about how I plan to do my current setup (disregarding Big-3 which I can do later)

FOR THE POSITIVE

1.) Run 1 gauge from my Kinetik 1800 Battery up front to a Boss 3-farad capacitor in the trunk.

2.) After connecting the wire to the cap -- Splice the 1 gauge power wire and connect both sides with ring terminals (duhh)

3.) Run the 2nd end of the 1 gauge wire from the cap to a 1 gauge in 4 gauge out Kicker distribution block (my JL Audio only accepts 4 gauge, as per manufacturer's explicit requirement)

4.) Obviously run this 4 gauge wire to the JL amp's positive

FOR THE GROUND

This is where I get confused...I have different options here....

1.) Run 4 gauge negative wiring from my Kinetik 1800 Battery up front through the car directly to the amplifier ground; And for the 4 channel amp I have just use a ground somewhere in the trunk

OR

1.) Run 4 gauge negative wiring from my Kinetik 1800 Battery up front through the car directly to the negative side of the Boss capacitor

2.) Splice the wire using same ring terminal logic and run the second part of the 4 gauge negative wire to the another distribution block I currently have in there which will feed 2 grounds -- 1 for the JL and 1 for the 4 channel Alpine Amp I have

I hope this isnt too complicated. I tried making it as simple as possible. Attached are some pics just to give you an idea of what I'm working with

For the record, I am running a Bosch alternator ----it is only 120 amp, cant go bigger due to space and other constraints.

p.s. Ring terminal posts needed? Should I junk the cap or keep it -- be honest.

[will77530]

just ground to the frame and be done with it

[Diesel_Nuts]

just ground to the frame and be done with it

but for the sake of voltage -- isn't it better to run battery neg. to cap neg. in the interests of keeping the best possible voltage?

I know I'm not running anything too fancy but I do know for a fact that unlike my old Hifonics 1500 Class-D, these JL 1000/1 "slash series" are very power hungry guys.....In all honesty, its the most complicated amp I've ever purchased.

Oh and also -- is it okay that I'm running 1 gauge positive and 4 gauge negative from the battery up front or does the use of different wire sizes make no difference at all as far as current is concerned?

for the record, running amp to a 15" Solobaric Kicker in a 5.2 cu ft ported box

I'm well versed on installations but it's the actual electronics where I may sound nOOB-ish. Thanks for your help

[dereileak]

Sell the cap

[kl0wn]

Well, you're better off running 1/0 from the front battery to the cap in the rear, then 1/0 to the distro block, then downsize the power wire from there to fit into the amps; or use 1/0 for everything and just use reducers to get them into the amp. For the ground, don't use a huge wire for the power, and then such a small wire for the ground. Your electrical is only as good as its weakest link. Use 1/0 on the ground also, running it from the front battery to the cap, or from the frame to the cap... Why not both if you're worried? If not worried, as stated before, go from the frame to the cap and be done with it.

[Diesel_Nuts]

Well, you're better off running 1/0 from the front battery to the cap in the rear, then 1/0 to the distro block, then downsize the power wire from there to fit into the amps; or use 1/0 for everything and just use reducers to get them into the amp. For the ground, don't use a huge wire for the power, and then such a small wire for the ground. Your electrical is only as good as its weakest link. Use 1/0 on the ground also, running it from the front battery to the cap, or from the frame to the cap... Why not both if you're worried? If not worried, as stated before, go from the frame to the cap and be done with it.

I intend to run 1/0 front the front battery to the cap in the rear then from the cap to the distro block. The distro block I have (reserved just for the positive line) is 1 ga in 4 ga out. So from there it goes to the JL 1000/1

You helped answer my question regarding the issue of different + and negatives. I was unaware that they must be the same size. Since I am keen to see the best voltage possible (I dont suffer at all from dimming lights but I just care about the health of my equipment) -- I think what I could do is:

1/0 from battery ground to the cap negative.. From cap negative go to another 1 ga in 4 ga out distro block. I can have a separate 1/0 wire going from the chassis to the cap as well.

What annoys me is that the current distro block I have has the 150 amp fuses but it only accomodates 4 ga wires.

The 1/0 in 4 ga out seperate distro block for the positive line doesnt even have any fuse. It just acts as a line in line out reducer.

Are there any distro blocks (with 150a fuse) you can think of where I can have multiple 1/0 in 4 ga out for BOTH positive AND negative?

A part of me wishes I would just stick to Hifonics and not do all this work for the JL 1000.1 but then again -- I'm never satisfied and always hungry and wanting to changing setups now and then. I guess it's a common problem for bass-headed fools like me.

LAST question --- If my Bosch alternator cant accommodate 1 or even 2 ga wiring can I get away with doing the Big-3 using 4 gauge for the alternator aspect of the upgrade?

The battery neg to chassis and chassis to engine block should be no problem; I just need ring terminals for those.

I have not done any steps of the Big-3 yet to my vehicle as of yet, surprisingly. But with a power hungry amp like the JL, I think it would be prudent..

[Brandonbkd]

The 1/0 ring terminlas should fit easily. Might need a bit of trimming on them but I wouldn't go to 4g because of that

[Diesel_Nuts]

The 1/0 ring terminlas should fit easily. Might need a bit of trimming on them but I wouldn't go to 4g because of that

I'll have to take a look at the alternator.....it's got some weird old school style 3 pin system if i'm not mistaken.

that's the one issue with having an old car.....alternator options are limited. Mechman couldnt help me when I gave them the specs of my car. So I'm stuck with 120 amp; maybe 150 off an early 2000s Saab if i'm lucky.

The car came stock with a 65 amp alt and believe it or not, my lights never flickered when I was running a 15" L5 Kicker and a JL 500/1 a few years back (and that too with an Interstate battery and a cap only).....but i like to keep my equipment happy which is why i'm obsessing over electricals and current

[NancyDrew]

Run each Batt. ground to the frame support on the bottom side of the vehicle. Not the floor of the trunk. With having two batts you should def. upgrade your alt wire to reduce stess onyour electrical system. Agree with scrapping the cap. It will cause more harm when it fails, then it will ever do good. Run a line from the positive of your main batt. to the backup batt. Then branch off from there, to the positives of your amplifiers. Use different grounding points and keep them short as you can for amplifiers. I like to drill all the way through where im grounding and use a alumminum lug and bolt it to where im grounding. After taking a grinder to the paint of course. I also use a nylon lock nut as well on the bolt for the lug. And the ground has to be the same size as the positive you are connecting the amp with. This keeps it from coming loose. Your grounds are just as important as the positives. Electrons flow from the Negative terminal back to the Positive terminal of the battery. Hope some of his helps you. Thats what i cant stand to see is someone run two positives to the amp and only one neg. Why even do it to begin with if you do not do it right.

[Diesel_Nuts]

thanks...yeah it's just im really trying to avoid putting a battery in my trunk; my box already takes a crap load of space (5.2 cu ft) and there isnt much more room for a batt

i already received a package of 2 xscorpion batt terminals to accept 1 ga wiring for pos and neg wires.....i'll debate whether to keep the cap or get rid of it. I know this sounds stupid but I like the look of it --especially the digital volt reader. But if it does affect the power or efficiency then yeah i should junk it

speaking of which - if i've left the cap sitting un-used and un-hooked for the past month then will it totally drain or put major strain on my alternator or kinetik batt when i do hook it up? i heard somewhere something about you have to get them charged before installing?