alternator problem

Keith 944 · 04-15-2017, 08:21 PM

I had a 100 amp alt w/8 gauge wire and it was ok when I changed to a 160 amp msd alt. it melted the fuse holder and wire was hot! I changed to a 4 gauge wire and a circuit breaker problem solved. So even if it is not an issue now I would go to a much larger wire...

SST3193 · 04-15-2017, 08:45 PM

Look up online the ampacity of 10 awg and you will find it can only handle 30 amps. 4 awg is on the border, if the battery gets very low but , should be OK.

pmrphil · 04-16-2017, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sst3193

look up online the ampacity of 10 awg and you will find it can only handle 30 amps. 4 awg is on the border, if the battery gets very low but , should be ok.

bingo !!!

cmracing · 04-17-2017, 10:51 AM

How is your car wired? Do you have a Ford starter relay up front? I use #2 wire between my alternators and Ford relay. From the Ford relay is 00 welding cable. I have no voltage drop from the back of the alternator to the battery (which is in the back).

Use at least a #4 wire, but bigger is better. If it is simply going from the alternator to a front-mounted battery, #4 will be good, #6 would even work for that short (pun intended) of a distance.

Throw that #10 in the garbage.

04-15-2017, 08:21 PM	#1
Keith 944 VIP Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Dela-where? Posts: 2,193 Likes: 1,160 Liked 1,877 Times in 577 Posts	Re: alternator problem I had a 100 amp alt w/8 gauge wire and it was ok when I changed to a 160 amp msd alt. it melted the fuse holder and wire was hot! I changed to a 4 gauge wire and a circuit breaker problem solved. So even if it is not an issue now I would go to a much larger wire... __________________ KEITH MAYERS 2-1/2 X somebody Still many X nobody

04-15-2017, 08:45 PM	#2
SST3193 Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 37 Likes: 2 Liked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Re: alternator problem Look up online the ampacity of 10 awg and you will find it can only handle 30 amps. 4 awg is on the border, if the battery gets very low but , should be OK.

04-17-2017, 10:51 AM	#4
cmracing Member Join Date: Aug 2016 Posts: 173 Likes: 113 Liked 62 Times in 29 Posts	Re: alternator problem How is your car wired? Do you have a Ford starter relay up front? I use #2 wire between my alternators and Ford relay. From the Ford relay is 00 welding cable. I have no voltage drop from the back of the alternator to the battery (which is in the back). Use at least a #4 wire, but bigger is better. If it is simply going from the alternator to a front-mounted battery, #4 will be good, #6 would even work for that short (pun intended) of a distance. Throw that #10 in the garbage.