- Local time
- 2:29 PM
- Joined
- Jun 12, 2012
- Messages
- 35,185
- Reaction score
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- Location
- NZ - just short of the South Pole
First of all, I want to give a heap of credit to Propwash for providing very detailed drawings here on the site, and for giving a huge amount of background information and inspiration. Secondly, I want to also thank Paladin06 for giving me some more inspiration to do something I had being thinking about for a while now. Cheers guys. :icon_jook:
First of all, I decided to upgrade the supply from my alternator to the battery, and also eliminate a large load from the in-dash ammeter which is a constant trouble spot for most. I went to our local Auto-parts store, and found a nice 75Amp plug-in fuse (following advice from Paladin06 here). That was the start of a small problem. The female terminals on said fuse are larger than regular terminals, so I had to fabricate a new connector. They are the same size as headlamp terminals in case anyone was wondering.
Step 1 – take a section of household switchboard busbar and cut into sections. Then solder on a new heavy duty cable – 6mm sq. CSA (3 times the size of the standard Alternator cable) – run from alternator to starter relay terminal.
I had to use my Propane powered gas iron to solder this wire just to get enough heat for the solder to flow nice. Shaved the copper bar down to be a snug fit into the fuse terminals.
Also used some thin-walled self-sealing heat-shrink tubing to tidy up the cable ends on the lugs etc.
Alternator main terminal – I kept the original cable in place to keep the feed live to the bulkhead connector, and eliminate any loss of power in the dash areas.
Made good use of my rather expensive but necessary cable wrap – no adhesive like original (Year One part) – it makes an awesome job of the looming, and prevents all that gluey residue you normally find with adhesive tapes after the engine heat has played it’s part.
Next step is to fabricate a mount that will hold the new combined relay unit for the headlights. Stealth position selected under the battery tray. I found two factory holes that worked perfectly once the block was ready to install. New relay is “Made in Japan”, and is the best you can buy for the job. I was going down the separate relays and diodes path, but this is virtually idiot-proof to install, and makes a tidier job.
Relay and wiring in position under the battery tray location.
I managed to cut into the original loom behind the headlight buckets, and run the control wiring in with the original loom to make a tidy finish. Barely noticeable now that the correct tape is installed. I have kept the original feeds across to the passenger side, as there is only a 0.25Volt drop between the sides.
End look at the battery –
Test results during the modifications;
Before touching anything –
Battery voltage;
• 660 RPM = 13.30V
• 1000 RPM = 14.03V
• 2000 RPM = 14.20V
Headlight voltage at passenger side HIGH Beam;
• 660 RPM = 9.95V
• 1000 RPM = 11.15V
• 2000 RPM = 11.20V
New Alternator feed wire to starter relay, and bypassed the Ammeter;
Battery voltage
• 660 RPM = 14.40V
• 1000 RPM = 14.45V
• 2000 RPM = 14.45V
Now with new headlight relay fitted, and bypassed ammeter;
HIGH Beam voltage on passenger side
• 660 RPM = 12.50V
• 1000 RPM = 13.80V
• 2000 RPM = 13.88V
• Battery at rest – engine OFF = 12.83V
The headlights are much brighter now, and although the voltages tested show a mere 2.5V increase overall, the results are clear to see with the lights on. It also means I have diverted the bulk of the current away from the ammeter, which as we all know is a source of many problems. The only current going through the light switch and dip-switch now is for control only of the relay.
The only downside is that the ammeter now shows a discharge with the engine running, as the battery gets a recharge through the path of least resistance – which is directly from the alternator.
Hopefully this will helps other to make the decision to upgrade in future. :icon_thumright:
First of all, I decided to upgrade the supply from my alternator to the battery, and also eliminate a large load from the in-dash ammeter which is a constant trouble spot for most. I went to our local Auto-parts store, and found a nice 75Amp plug-in fuse (following advice from Paladin06 here). That was the start of a small problem. The female terminals on said fuse are larger than regular terminals, so I had to fabricate a new connector. They are the same size as headlamp terminals in case anyone was wondering.
Step 1 – take a section of household switchboard busbar and cut into sections. Then solder on a new heavy duty cable – 6mm sq. CSA (3 times the size of the standard Alternator cable) – run from alternator to starter relay terminal.
I had to use my Propane powered gas iron to solder this wire just to get enough heat for the solder to flow nice. Shaved the copper bar down to be a snug fit into the fuse terminals.
Also used some thin-walled self-sealing heat-shrink tubing to tidy up the cable ends on the lugs etc.
Alternator main terminal – I kept the original cable in place to keep the feed live to the bulkhead connector, and eliminate any loss of power in the dash areas.
Made good use of my rather expensive but necessary cable wrap – no adhesive like original (Year One part) – it makes an awesome job of the looming, and prevents all that gluey residue you normally find with adhesive tapes after the engine heat has played it’s part.
Next step is to fabricate a mount that will hold the new combined relay unit for the headlights. Stealth position selected under the battery tray. I found two factory holes that worked perfectly once the block was ready to install. New relay is “Made in Japan”, and is the best you can buy for the job. I was going down the separate relays and diodes path, but this is virtually idiot-proof to install, and makes a tidier job.
Relay and wiring in position under the battery tray location.
I managed to cut into the original loom behind the headlight buckets, and run the control wiring in with the original loom to make a tidy finish. Barely noticeable now that the correct tape is installed. I have kept the original feeds across to the passenger side, as there is only a 0.25Volt drop between the sides.
End look at the battery –
Test results during the modifications;
Before touching anything –
Battery voltage;
• 660 RPM = 13.30V
• 1000 RPM = 14.03V
• 2000 RPM = 14.20V
Headlight voltage at passenger side HIGH Beam;
• 660 RPM = 9.95V
• 1000 RPM = 11.15V
• 2000 RPM = 11.20V
New Alternator feed wire to starter relay, and bypassed the Ammeter;
Battery voltage
• 660 RPM = 14.40V
• 1000 RPM = 14.45V
• 2000 RPM = 14.45V
Now with new headlight relay fitted, and bypassed ammeter;
HIGH Beam voltage on passenger side
• 660 RPM = 12.50V
• 1000 RPM = 13.80V
• 2000 RPM = 13.88V
• Battery at rest – engine OFF = 12.83V
The headlights are much brighter now, and although the voltages tested show a mere 2.5V increase overall, the results are clear to see with the lights on. It also means I have diverted the bulk of the current away from the ammeter, which as we all know is a source of many problems. The only current going through the light switch and dip-switch now is for control only of the relay.
The only downside is that the ammeter now shows a discharge with the engine running, as the battery gets a recharge through the path of least resistance – which is directly from the alternator.
Hopefully this will helps other to make the decision to upgrade in future. :icon_thumright:
Last edited:
