Electrical enhancements/maintenance you can do to keep your Merc happy.
Electrical enhancements/maintenance you can do to keep your Merc happy.
Not owning a Merc at the moment, I would start with checking all ground straps (frame, body & engine), clean with stainless or brass wire brush, possibly replace all external star washers, clean attatchment points & use silicone dielectric grease on all connections.
For your aplication, I would run #2 or #4 from the alternator to the starter mounting bolt, to the main part of the body & then back to the battery. Again, clean all attatchment points & use new star washers with dielectric grease.
Now, you can use regular bearing grease & it should work fine, as all it needs to do is keep oxygen from comming in contact to the metal surfaces ( that way no oxidation can happen to deter current flow).
Also, the bond from the alternator case to the starter mounting bolt can be omitted, but I always just do it.
I don't know the sizing & fusing of your alternator positive wire, but personally, I would upgrade it along with a fuse or fusable link that is compatible with the amperage of the alternator ( or possible alternator upgrade).
The engineers use specific charts to size the wiring as to ampacity & legnth to save on materials & weight. I would just use the commonly found wire ampacity charts for 100 foot legnths to reduce possible resistance.
Also, Google "headlight relay mod" to find a way to get brighter headlight performance & check/clean/grease/star washer those connections.
Another thing you might want to consider is to unplug every connection & grease them & cycle them a few times to clean any corrosion & get good connections. All this done will help give trouble free electrical systems.
If you intend to put a powerful audio system in, connect the amp power wires directly to the battery & if it will have longer leads than 6', fuse them at the battery (Overkill, I know but it's required on boats, so why not) Your amplifier WILL last longer, give more audio & have better fidelity.
17 years licensed electrician, 12 years ABYC electrical & electronics certified, 24 of ham radio operation, modification/repair & 6 years automotive electrical work is under my belt.
If anyone needs specific wire sizes & fusing requirements, I am more than happy to assist. Just give me all of the details & I will get the best answers for you.
Ed
yankneck696
04-21-2011, 07:04 AM #1This is a reply to grounding requirements for a remote mounted battery.
Not owning a Merc at the moment, I would start with checking all ground straps (frame, body & engine), clean with stainless or brass wire brush, possibly replace all external star washers, clean attatchment points & use silicone dielectric grease on all connections.
For your aplication, I would run #2 or #4 from the alternator to the starter mounting bolt, to the main part of the body & then back to the battery. Again, clean all attatchment points & use new star washers with dielectric grease.
Now, you can use regular bearing grease & it should work fine, as all it needs to do is keep oxygen from comming in contact to the metal surfaces ( that way no oxidation can happen to deter current flow).
Also, the bond from the alternator case to the starter mounting bolt can be omitted, but I always just do it.
I don't know the sizing & fusing of your alternator positive wire, but personally, I would upgrade it along with a fuse or fusable link that is compatible with the amperage of the alternator ( or possible alternator upgrade).
The engineers use specific charts to size the wiring as to ampacity & legnth to save on materials & weight. I would just use the commonly found wire ampacity charts for 100 foot legnths to reduce possible resistance.
Also, Google "headlight relay mod" to find a way to get brighter headlight performance & check/clean/grease/star washer those connections.
Another thing you might want to consider is to unplug every connection & grease them & cycle them a few times to clean any corrosion & get good connections. All this done will help give trouble free electrical systems.
If you intend to put a powerful audio system in, connect the amp power wires directly to the battery & if it will have longer leads than 6', fuse them at the battery (Overkill, I know but it's required on boats, so why not) Your amplifier WILL last longer, give more audio & have better fidelity.
17 years licensed electrician, 12 years ABYC electrical & electronics certified, 24 of ham radio operation, modification/repair & 6 years automotive electrical work is under my belt.
If anyone needs specific wire sizes & fusing requirements, I am more than happy to assist. Just give me all of the details & I will get the best answers for you.
Ed
Battery cables can be a bitch, even when you heat shrink and solder the connections... I work with an electrical/software engineer. I used 4 gauge power and grounds on my El Camino ... +Batt to starter, and starter to Alt. -Batt to body, chassis, and engine. He at that point told me it was the best grounding he had ever seen.... 6 months later the starter was clicking because of contaminated connections on the ground side.
Over to my '82 W123: 15' 1/0 gauge from starter to an ODYSSEY 65-PC1750 Battery, Then an 18" 1/0 ground strap to the trunk. Lastly a 1/0 to replace the factory open strap from the motor to chassis.
OH! yes and star washers are a must! They Bite soooo nice
1982 300D Turbo ... 3,6xxlbs, No fan, No AC, Hood Stack, No ALDA, No rear bumper and stuffed front, A/W Intercooled, Injectors by Greezer and HUGE Pre-Chambers with help from OM616 & Simpler=Better, Fuel Cranked up, 60 Trim Compressor wheel, EGT, EMP, Boost 50" Rigid Radius bar on roof Aux tank for a total of 48 Gal Of Diesel! Odyssey PC-1750 Battery in trunk, 27"x8.5"/R14 Maxxis BigHorn Mud Terrains, In June '14 issue of Off Road Mag
AX15 Jeep Trans swap in progress....
Captain America
04-22-2011, 01:12 AM #2http://www.superturbodiesel.com/std/thre...ht=battery
Battery cables can be a bitch, even when you heat shrink and solder the connections... I work with an electrical/software engineer. I used 4 gauge power and grounds on my El Camino ... +Batt to starter, and starter to Alt. -Batt to body, chassis, and engine. He at that point told me it was the best grounding he had ever seen.... 6 months later the starter was clicking because of contaminated connections on the ground side.
Over to my '82 W123: 15' 1/0 gauge from starter to an ODYSSEY 65-PC1750 Battery, Then an 18" 1/0 ground strap to the trunk. Lastly a 1/0 to replace the factory open strap from the motor to chassis.
OH! yes and star washers are a must! They Bite soooo nice
1982 300D Turbo ... 3,6xxlbs, No fan, No AC, Hood Stack, No ALDA, No rear bumper and stuffed front, A/W Intercooled, Injectors by Greezer and HUGE Pre-Chambers with help from OM616 & Simpler=Better, Fuel Cranked up, 60 Trim Compressor wheel, EGT, EMP, Boost 50" Rigid Radius bar on roof Aux tank for a total of 48 Gal Of Diesel! Odyssey PC-1750 Battery in trunk, 27"x8.5"/R14 Maxxis BigHorn Mud Terrains, In June '14 issue of Off Road Mag
AX15 Jeep Trans swap in progress....
In marine aplications, we use tinned, fine stranded wire. Then, put a little silicone di-electric grease in the tinned, closed ended connector, grimp & heat shrink (with the hot mely glue inside).
By what I was taught in the ABYC electrical courses, the salt & acidic environment of marine & automotive aplications, the solder turns crystalline & actually inhibits conductivity & loses physical stregnth due to becomming brittle.
Coast Guard approved commercial (like as in charter over 6 people) connections shall not be soldered.
Are my these overkill? Most likely. But, in a marine aplication, people's lives are at stake on the ocean.
Ed
yankneck696
04-22-2011, 07:01 AM #3I do not suggest soldering automotive connections. I will guess that you used acid core solder that ate away at the copper. IF soldering, use Rosin core. It is much less corrosive.
In marine aplications, we use tinned, fine stranded wire. Then, put a little silicone di-electric grease in the tinned, closed ended connector, grimp & heat shrink (with the hot mely glue inside).
By what I was taught in the ABYC electrical courses, the salt & acidic environment of marine & automotive aplications, the solder turns crystalline & actually inhibits conductivity & loses physical stregnth due to becomming brittle.
Coast Guard approved commercial (like as in charter over 6 people) connections shall not be soldered.
Are my these overkill? Most likely. But, in a marine aplication, people's lives are at stake on the ocean.
Ed
Star washers!
Think this is a pretty bitchin crimp job personally....
1982 300D Turbo ... 3,6xxlbs, No fan, No AC, Hood Stack, No ALDA, No rear bumper and stuffed front, A/W Intercooled, Injectors by Greezer and HUGE Pre-Chambers with help from OM616 & Simpler=Better, Fuel Cranked up, 60 Trim Compressor wheel, EGT, EMP, Boost 50" Rigid Radius bar on roof Aux tank for a total of 48 Gal Of Diesel! Odyssey PC-1750 Battery in trunk, 27"x8.5"/R14 Maxxis BigHorn Mud Terrains, In June '14 issue of Off Road Mag
AX15 Jeep Trans swap in progress....
Captain America
04-22-2011, 01:26 PM #4I did name the SD after a boat haha
Star washers!
Think this is a pretty bitchin crimp job personally....
1982 300D Turbo ... 3,6xxlbs, No fan, No AC, Hood Stack, No ALDA, No rear bumper and stuffed front, A/W Intercooled, Injectors by Greezer and HUGE Pre-Chambers with help from OM616 & Simpler=Better, Fuel Cranked up, 60 Trim Compressor wheel, EGT, EMP, Boost 50" Rigid Radius bar on roof Aux tank for a total of 48 Gal Of Diesel! Odyssey PC-1750 Battery in trunk, 27"x8.5"/R14 Maxxis BigHorn Mud Terrains, In June '14 issue of Off Road Mag
AX15 Jeep Trans swap in progress....
yankneck696
04-22-2011, 08:10 PM #5I'm lovin' the overkill.... Now for the 1/0 ground to the engine... ;-}
Ed
In all the electrical starting issues I was having (thought there was a bad ground through the body) I also ran another 13' 1/0 cable from the Batt ground in the trunk straight up to the engine ground strap .... No change.
Ended up being a tired starter ..
.. The first I've run into.
1982 300D Turbo ... 3,6xxlbs, No fan, No AC, Hood Stack, No ALDA, No rear bumper and stuffed front, A/W Intercooled, Injectors by Greezer and HUGE Pre-Chambers with help from OM616 & Simpler=Better, Fuel Cranked up, 60 Trim Compressor wheel, EGT, EMP, Boost 50" Rigid Radius bar on roof Aux tank for a total of 48 Gal Of Diesel! Odyssey PC-1750 Battery in trunk, 27"x8.5"/R14 Maxxis BigHorn Mud Terrains, In June '14 issue of Off Road Mag
AX15 Jeep Trans swap in progress....
Captain America
04-22-2011, 11:12 PM #6I replaced the factory engine ground with a 1' piece, just no picture
In all the electrical starting issues I was having (thought there was a bad ground through the body) I also ran another 13' 1/0 cable from the Batt ground in the trunk straight up to the engine ground strap .... No change.
Ended up being a tired starter .... The first I've run into.
1982 300D Turbo ... 3,6xxlbs, No fan, No AC, Hood Stack, No ALDA, No rear bumper and stuffed front, A/W Intercooled, Injectors by Greezer and HUGE Pre-Chambers with help from OM616 & Simpler=Better, Fuel Cranked up, 60 Trim Compressor wheel, EGT, EMP, Boost 50" Rigid Radius bar on roof Aux tank for a total of 48 Gal Of Diesel! Odyssey PC-1750 Battery in trunk, 27"x8.5"/R14 Maxxis BigHorn Mud Terrains, In June '14 issue of Off Road Mag
AX15 Jeep Trans swap in progress....
83' 300SD tuning begins soon.
2001 Dodge Ram 2500 4x4 5.9l Cummins
Superchips programmer, S&B intake, 5" straight pipe, 8" Sky jacket lift and 37" Toyota muds.
makin' smoke
04-23-2011, 12:32 AM #7I work on electric forklifts. At cable ends I always use cold fusion. Crimp that bitch!
83' 300SD tuning begins soon.
2001 Dodge Ram 2500 4x4 5.9l Cummins
Superchips programmer, S&B intake, 5" straight pipe, 8" Sky jacket lift and 37" Toyota muds.
1982 300D Turbo ... 3,6xxlbs, No fan, No AC, Hood Stack, No ALDA, No rear bumper and stuffed front, A/W Intercooled, Injectors by Greezer and HUGE Pre-Chambers with help from OM616 & Simpler=Better, Fuel Cranked up, 60 Trim Compressor wheel, EGT, EMP, Boost 50" Rigid Radius bar on roof Aux tank for a total of 48 Gal Of Diesel! Odyssey PC-1750 Battery in trunk, 27"x8.5"/R14 Maxxis BigHorn Mud Terrains, In June '14 issue of Off Road Mag
AX15 Jeep Trans swap in progress....
Captain America
04-24-2011, 11:25 PM #8More Pics.
1982 300D Turbo ... 3,6xxlbs, No fan, No AC, Hood Stack, No ALDA, No rear bumper and stuffed front, A/W Intercooled, Injectors by Greezer and HUGE Pre-Chambers with help from OM616 & Simpler=Better, Fuel Cranked up, 60 Trim Compressor wheel, EGT, EMP, Boost 50" Rigid Radius bar on roof Aux tank for a total of 48 Gal Of Diesel! Odyssey PC-1750 Battery in trunk, 27"x8.5"/R14 Maxxis BigHorn Mud Terrains, In June '14 issue of Off Road Mag
AX15 Jeep Trans swap in progress....
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