#1679096 - 07/15/09 07:21 AM
1999 Honda Accord EX Big 3 (pics)
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BoominTempo
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I'm trying to upgrade my "big 3" before all my goodies come in, and am having some trouble figuring out where the positive terminal of the alternator is. I also can't tell if the battery is already grounded to the chassis and frame?
Here's some pics...
As you can see, the negative battery terminal already has two grounds coming out of it. I'm assuming this one is to the frame of the car?
This is where the second stock negative terminal ground is going...this is the chassis?
Mmmmm...rusty
This is where I'm confused. There are two wires coming out of the positive terminal of the battery. One goes to the fuse box, while this other one goes down and back up to this terminal...near my finger, next to the last little red line.
Tried to get a better pic. This isn't the alternator is it???
Because this looks like the alternator to me...or at least what I thought was the alternator (this is kinda a new project for me to work on). However, none of those wires goes to the battery. They join together in that tube bundle, then go behind the fuse box, and who knows where after that.
Any input would be great as to what exactly I need to upgrade...I have three 4awg wires ready to be placed in!
Thanks for looking!
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#1679119 - 07/15/09 08:01 AM
Re: 1999 Honda Accord EX Big 3 (pics)
[Re: BoominTempo]
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Thumper26
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Registered: 09/12/04
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Loc: Chattanooga, TN
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first, let me say this is the best post asking for help that i've prolly ever seen.
stock chassis to ground. the connection you pointed at is where the battery is grounded to the car. anchor your 4 gauge wire there, sand the paint off under the terminal as well so you have a better connection. I'm not sure about that second ground, and that blue tape doesn't look OEM. Maybe that was done by someone who had the car before you. My 05 Accord has only one ground, and it's in that first location. It looks like they may have combined the engine ground to chassis ground through the battery. You could run 4 gauge from that second spot and connect it on the side where you're connecting your battery ground.
on the power wires, i think on the accords, the power wire comes off the alternator to a primary fuse box, then from there to the battery. that's one of the battery's positive wires. the other one should go directly to the starter. I think the wire that you asked if it's going down to the alt is actually the starter. The alt is the silver thing in the last picture that you think is the alt. I think what you need to do on this one is to run a FUSED wire from the alt positive directly to the battery positive, but I don't know if that'll somehow mess up how the alt provides power.
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#1679139 - 07/15/09 08:21 AM
Re: 1999 Honda Accord EX Big 3 (pics)
[Re: Thumper26]
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BoominTempo
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Registered: 05/13/00
Posts: 33
Loc: Otterberg, Germany
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Thanks for the reply!!! I'm pretty bad at explaining stuff, so the pictures were mandatory! 
Anyway, the blue tape throws me off too...but that second cable is too stock looking. It has all the same markings as the one that's connected to the engine...very strange, as it's held by a clip that's on a piece of plastic that has another clip on the other end. this is all connected to the battery housing. The other clip has the ignition wire on it (the one you stated was the ignition wire, why didn't I think of that?!) It has to be stock...buy why have the dual grounds like that?
So you're saying disconnect that second ground that's going to the engine (frame?), and instead connect it to the chassis? Will that ground my alt as well? Because, honestly, if it doesn't need to be there then I'll remove it!
Annnnnnd, the final part of my question. So that is the alternator! Good! Now, how do I figure out which one is the positive? One has a really small gauge wire connected to it, and that other terminal has about an 8-10 gauge wire connected to it. Could they both be a positive?
Once again, thank you so much for your help!
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#1679151 - 07/15/09 08:28 AM
Re: 1999 Honda Accord EX Big 3 (pics)
[Re: BoominTempo]
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Thumper26
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Registered: 09/12/04
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Loc: Chattanooga, TN
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the 8-10 is prolly the one you want. if my logic on this is right, you should be able to hook a multimeter up to it and see 12v coming off of it with the car off, and see 14.4v with the car on and revving.
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#1679155 - 07/15/09 08:30 AM
Re: 1999 Honda Accord EX Big 3 (pics)
[Re: Thumper26]
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Thumper26
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Registered: 09/12/04
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Loc: Chattanooga, TN
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on the grounds, Honda wouldn't have put it there if it wasn't needed. They esp wouldn't waste that kind of copper over however many of these cars they've made. And yes, i'm suggesting to upgrade the 2nd ground and route it to where the battery ground on the side of the fender is. Or just get a terminal with two inputs, stick it on your battery post, and run both into it, like an upgrade to the factory, although I think bypassing the battery for the 2nd ground would prolly be better.
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#1679294 - 07/15/09 11:16 AM
Re: 1999 Honda Accord EX Big 3 (pics)
[Re: Thumper26]
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BoominTempo
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Registered: 05/13/00
Posts: 33
Loc: Otterberg, Germany
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Hey Thumper,
Thanks again for the replies!
Yeah, those two wires through me off...sempt overkill for a stock system. I'll do as you say, and route it to the other ground. I have a yellow top to put in, so that'll be one thing easier to do.
Also, thanks for the heads up on the alt. I'll break out the multimeter and check it out. That's a huge relief to know the alt is so easy to get to....so actually I'll need another 4 gauge wire for the alt case to the second ground...
Thank you again for all your help!
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#1679563 - 07/15/09 08:52 PM
Re: 1999 Honda Accord EX Big 3 (pics)
[Re: imtfox]
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keep_hope_alive
in another life, i'm a serial killer
SD I Power Bombed the Undertaker
Registered: 04/24/07
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everything by Thumper and Fox is correct. definitely re-use the factory ground points but i recommend adding a third. the engine to battery ground should be 4 awg wire (assuming your system uses 4awg wire). definitely upgrade the wire and ring terminals and sand that ground point down.
that first ground can remain as-is, but new wire and ring terminals can't hurt.
add a third ground to the actual frame. when you ground your amp try to get a frame or floor.
the ring terminal needed for the alt will have a smaller hole than any other ring terminal you need. that stud is small. you want to maintain as much of the factory boot as possible. i made two short cuts into the bottom of my alt positive boot. just enough so i could get another ring terminal in there and the flap covers part of the new ring terminal. also, if i remove the ring terminal the boot is in tact.
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#1679632 - 07/16/09 12:23 AM
Re: 1999 Honda Accord EX Big 3 (pics)
[Re: keep_hope_alive]
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BoominTempo
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Registered: 05/13/00
Posts: 33
Loc: Otterberg, Germany
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Thanks to everyone who has helped out. I'll need to get a multimeter (lent a friend, don't think I ever got it back!), and make sure it's the fat wire off the alt that I need to add to.
Both wires are hooked up by a bolt, ring/spade terminal, then boot over that (obviously from the pics). It makes sense that the fatter of the two would be carrying the current/voltage for charge.
Question is, should I connect that to the side post or top post of my yellow top that I just bought? Those side posts seem useless if they're a higher resistance that the top posts.
I wish I was stationed in the states, it'd be so easy to just go out and get some stinger (or something) battery terminals so I can hook up some big gauge wiring!
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#1679644 - 07/16/09 05:18 AM
Re: 1999 Honda Accord EX Big 3 (pics)
[Re: BoominTempo]
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Thumper26
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Registered: 09/12/04
Posts: 45470
Loc: Chattanooga, TN
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i think either way is fine. Where did you read the sides have a higher resistance?
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