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Location:
Sydney
Registered:
May 2004
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Location:
brisbane
Registered:
October 2004
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Re: starter to alternator wire size
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Fri, 11 February 2005 03:11
 
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um....
that just doesnt seem quite right, an alternator
wire to your starter motor?
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Location:
Sydney
Registered:
May 2004
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Re: starter to alternator wire size
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Fri, 11 February 2005 03:20
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Currently it has a wire from battery to starter then from starter to alternator. I have no doubt it's right.
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Location:
Canberra
Registered:
December 2002
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Re: starter to alternator wire size
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Fri, 11 February 2005 04:20
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Why would it go from the starter to the alternator????
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Location:
Sydney
Registered:
May 2004
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Re: starter to alternator wire size
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Fri, 11 February 2005 04:25
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so it can use the wire from the battery to starter to charge the battery.
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Location:
Terrigal
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: starter to alternator wire size
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Fri, 11 February 2005 04:33
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Yeah thats how mine is done. Saves running another wire back to the battery / or distribution block.
I put some pretty thick around 4g wire I think?
Factory the alternator charging wire is pretty thin though.
Cheers
Joel
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I supported Toymods
Location:
Australia
Registered:
November 2003
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Re: starter to alternator wire size
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Fri, 11 February 2005 04:40
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Is that 13volts at idle? or 13volts at 2000+rpm?
Also, make sure you have an uber earth from the block to the chassis.
I have 2 x 4guage from the battery to the chassis at the rear, and 2 x 4guage from the block to the chassis, and 2 x 8 guage from the heads to the chassis.
I only have a single 4 guage from the battery to the starter, and its fine.
Turns over a 8cyl @ 10:1 compression no probs, but it is 550cca...
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Location:
Kita-Ku, Sapporo, Japan
Registered:
January 2003
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Re: starter to alternator wire size
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Fri, 11 February 2005 05:13
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| Jason wrote on Fri, 11 February 2005 15:20 |
Why would it go from the starter to the alternator????
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because the starter motor has a fat wire permanently connected to the battery.. it is the way many factory cars are designed.
just use cable rated to above your alternators max output..
i use 8 gauge for my 60amp alt, going straight to battery... 4 gauge is overkill, but overkill is good 
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I supported Toymods
Location:
Australia
Registered:
November 2003
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Re: starter to alternator wire size
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Fri, 11 February 2005 05:30
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Dont forget to put a fuse in line with the alternator wire.
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Location:
Kita-Ku, Sapporo, Japan
Registered:
January 2003
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Re: starter to alternator wire size
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Fri, 11 February 2005 05:52
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| CrUZsida wrote on Fri, 11 February 2005 16:30 |
Dont forget to put a fuse in line with the alternator wire.
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oops.... 
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Location:
sydney
Registered:
March 2003
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Location:
Bottom of the hill, Sydney
Registered:
April 2004
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Re: starter to alternator wire size
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Fri, 11 February 2005 08:48
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Is it reading 13v at the battery or the alternator. If it's at the battery then check the voltage at the alternator as well. If there is a difference of more than say 0.5v then it will be voltage drop. If it is reading 13v at the alternator then check the current output from the alternator. If the battery is a bit flat it may charge at low voltage and high current and as the battery gets more charge the voltage will increase.
As for cable size, overkill is your friend 
Brad
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Location:
Montrose, VIC
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: starter to alternator wire size
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Fri, 11 February 2005 13:15
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Does your alternator have a 'sense' wire? If so, where is this connected to? And there's nothing wrong with using nice fat wire for all major electrical items.
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Location:
melb
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: starter to alternator wire size
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Fri, 11 February 2005 13:28
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r u getting flat batteries? if not then go by the old addage "if its not broke dont fix it"..13V charging is a little on the low side but if the car is fine dont worry about it.....unless your the perfectionist type...
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Location:
Sydney
Registered:
May 2004
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Re: starter to alternator wire size
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Sun, 13 February 2005 21:32
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Hey thanks for your help. Yes I was getting flat batterys if i didn't drive it for a while. I changed the wire to something a lot fatter (probably 4 gauge) and it worked!! now I'm getting 14.1v at the battery when the cars running! I think half my problem was that the old wire was 3 wire joined together by crimps. I think the person that did the wiring used a kit or something and had to extend that wire.
Anyways I'm happy now! 
Now I just need to figure out how to connect my battery light. At the moment it's just a relay and light that's mounted in the engine bay. If the alternator (which also drives the water pump) belt snaps when my girlfriend's driving she'd see a red light before she looks at the temperature gauge.
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Location:
Brisbane
Registered:
May 2004
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Re: starter to alternator wire size
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Mon, 14 February 2005 15:40
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What IF its not the size of the wire that is causing the problem?
Check your alternator probably need new brush
or worst rebuild or replacement.
just my opinion.
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