Big 3 questions

[snowtaipan]

I've had some power issues (stock 17 yellow series) including the dome light flicker and the original clear-bottom battery died. (Fixed under warranty.)

So I'm going to hit the Big 3. Let me start with the plan.
-4ga no CB from Alt power direct to Batt+(Probably piggy back on 140A fuse already on block.)
-0ga from Batt Neg to R strut tower (stock ground.)
-0ga from Eng to frame (using stock locations on both sides of engine.)

Questions:
1) Stock routing for the Alt:Bat+ cable looks like it runs through the fuse box. I've checked the schematics and I don't see any relays or anything between Alt and Batt+. Does anyone know of any issues with running straight to Batt+?

2) Is there any reason to add a fuse or breaker on the power wire if I'm not relocating?

3) Is there any known problem with running different gauges? I figure that having heavy duty grounds will prevent any future loss of ground issues, and a 4ga wire on top of what's already installed for power supply seems more than sufficient.

Real time, I'm probably making a call on this tomorrow so I hope anyone who notices gives me a heads up before I f*** myself up. TM

V/R
SnowTaipan

[redhalo]

Big three won't fix your battery dying, nor much of anything else. It's snake oil on modern cars.

Have you done electrical work on your car prior?

[snowtaipan]

Originally Posted by redhalo

Big three won't fix your battery dying, nor much of anything else. It's snake oil on modern cars.

Have you done electrical work on your car prior?

Negative, as I said it's stock. The grounds I've seen I'm not impressed with.

[redhalo]

I don't mean to come off as rude at all, but if you're asking about a big three upgrade then I'd argue your not qualified to judge the grounds. I'd say you just had a bad battery and that's it. If something in your electrical system did kill your battery and you haven't added anything that could cause parasitic drain, then you have a bigger problem than the ground which is already engineered to be over sized.

[NCtoBRZ]

What are your driving habits? Do you drive your car every day? Mostly long trips or just short trips around town? The stock battery in the BRZs (apparently the FRS/86 get a higher amp hour battery and aren’t as bad) are known to be pretty weak and not tolerate the car sitting for days or weeks at a time without being driven. This problem was only exacerbated with the change in battery charging logic in 17+ BRZs that means that the battery only gets a full ~14 charging volts when the electrical system thinks that it needs it.

So what I’m getting at is that I wouldn’t recommend modifying/changing anything on the car while it’s under warranty. If your car sits for days at a time or you normally only take short trips, keep the battery connected to a battery tender at home if possible.

[soundman98]

i agree with the above. there is absolutely no reason to upgrade the grounding system if you do not have any larger electrical demands.

if you're still having electrical problems, it is better to diagnose and correct what already exists. adding components to what could be an already-faulty system will only add more complexity and problems to the existing potential problem.