Car Audio 101 - The Big 3 Upgrade Tutorial

DIY with Mike Stiers
http://www.maxxsonics.com

So you've decided to upgrade your car stereo system? A great deal of research and planning should go into this purchase since there is a lot to consider. Do you desire a nice upgrade of your factory speakers, are you looking for a Sound Quality overall of speakers, subwoofers and amplifiers, or are you designing a vision-blurring SPL machine? It is important to make a list of exactly what you are looking to replace or add to your audio system so that you can prepare your electrical system for the investment to come.

Many people do not realize that their vehicles factory electrical system was not designed for aftermarket audio equipment. In fact, most factory electrical systems can only handle an audio system of 600 to 1200 watts. The lower end of the scale being the smaller vehicles and most foreign rides, and the upper end being large trucks and sport utility vehicles. As you increase demand, you need to look at upgrading your battery, alternator and most importantly your Big 3.

THE BIG 3

The Big 3 consists of upgrading three wires under the hood of your vehicle. You can completely replace the three wires detailed below, or simply add additional wires to existing factory wires, the choice is yours. The existing factory wires are generally 8 gauge or smaller and are not designed for the high current demands of an aftermarket audio system. It is recommended that you use a nice insulated 0 gauge wire so that you only have to do this series of upgraded once.

The first of the Big 3 is the positive charging wire from your alternator to your battery positive. This wire must be fused within 12 of the positive battery terminal connection. The fuse value should be equivalent to the maximum amperage your wire can handle, which is based on the size and distance of the wire. If you have an upgraded, high output, alternator you will remove your factory alternator charge wire altogether and use the replacement described above.

The second upgrade for the Big 3 is the engine ground to chassis or in some cases, engine ground to battery negative. This is extremely important because this ground is also what ties the alternator ground, through the engine block, to the vehicle chassis. For this step, you want to add your 0 gauge ground to the existing ground. Just clean the area thoroughly and secure the two grounds using the same bolts and locations if possible.

The final upgrade for the Big 3 is the ground wire from battery negative to chassis. If you do not have access to the frame of the vehicle, dont settle for a piece of sheet metal under the hood, but rather locate the strut tower, remove a nut from the thread, sand all paint and debris, connect the 0 gauge ground using a ring terminal on the thread and tighten the nut down. This strut thread has direct access to the vehicle frame and will provide far less resistance than using sheet metal and relying on spot welds. Leave the factory ground in place and clean any dirt, rust or debris from this connection using sandpaper or a stiff wire brush. Through these three steps, you have successfully made huge progress in improving the electrical systems performance, decreased resistance, and enhanced the ability to supply power to your aftermarket audio system.

Hooker Audio wiring and connections where used in this video.
http://www.hookeraudio.com

The Kinetik Power HC1800 Car Audio battery was used in this video.
http://www.kinetikpower.com

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[BigLongJon21]

dose the wire going to your amp have to be zero age wire also

[MaxxsonicsUSAInc]

@BigLongJon21 The size of your wire from the front battery to the amp(s) is dependent upon your total watts. I like running 0 awg to a distribution block in the back so that you can add your amplifier(s) to that block and expand from there. What is the total watts rms of your system?

[craiovitaaa]

The blue cable is a 50mm2 cable ? Or more ?

[MaxxsonicsUSAInc]

@craiovitaaa Yes, to qualify as 0 awg, the cable must be 53.5mm2 or larger. ( AWG= American Wire Guage )

[KillerKlown707]

okay so i get it, but the engine block to car chassis isnt the alternator ground, you dont have to upgrade the actual alternator ground wire ?

[MaxxsonicsUSAInc]

@KillerKlown707 In this example, the alternator chassis is bolted DIRECTLY to the engine and there is no need for a wire from alternator chassis to ground. In some vehicles the alternator is mounted separately and a separate ground wire from alternator chassis to battery ground would be ideal for continuity of the circuit.

[MaxxsonicsUSAInc]

@millbrook792 It is suggested, but not required. The question to ask yourself is whether you are going to be running anything over 1000wrms or not? If so, upgrade the battery. If not, why are you upgrading the wiring?

[MaxxsonicsUSAInc]

@Dinam1ta With 1200wrms, you have likely exceeded the capability of your battery/alternator combo. The BIG 3 helps with delivery on the charging side, but you may need to look at upgrading your battery to a nice deep cycle capable of the power you are working with. Pass on the capacitor as it is a bandaid which can cause more harm to the amplifier and not a solution.

[MaxxsonicsUSAInc]

@big827 How much power do you plan to run? It certainly doesn't hurt to use 0 awg, but something like 4awg would be ideal around 1000 watts rms. Just an example.

[MaxxsonicsUSAInc]

@MrAndrimnir Add a ground from battery negative to chassis.

[MaxxsonicsUSAInc]

@scorpiocityboy Those are 0 awg ring terminals from Hooker Audio.

[MaxxsonicsUSAInc]

@jeffm4688 If you look at 4:09 you will see that there is a bolt on the factory harness...we simply removed the factory wire that went from that bolt to the battery terminal and replaced it with a longer wire that went to the new battery terminal. Those are Hook Audio battery terminals.

[MaxxsonicsUSAInc]

@ninjafisheez Did you lave the stock wires connected? If not, reconnect the stock wires as well. Most vehicles run the primary charge line from the alternator through a fuse box, then into the battery.

[MaxxsonicsUSAInc]

@okjustleave What's the rms power handling of each subwoofer?