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Electrical upgrade

Raph X.

Active Member
Joined
October 5, 2020
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City, State
SACRAMENTO
Year, Model & Trim Level
2001, explorer sport.
New to the forum. Was wondering if anyone could help me out with a diagram or a simple guide to the connections. Im attempting a big 3 upgrade. Noob problems i know. Thanks in advance.
 



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Your request is pretty vague. There is no simple vs hard guide to connection, just what is available vs what you want to do. I've no idea what a big 3 upgrade is.

You can find many wiring diagrams linked in my sig below.

What is there to upgrade? The stock wiring was sufficient for the stock parts. If you want to add on something like a light bar, take it from the battery on a dedicated circuit, same as you should for an aftermarket amp. The rest seldom needs upgraded, just to keep the aging wiring working as far as no connector corrosion, no frayed breaks in wiring or compromised insulation causing shorts to ground.
 






No idea what a big 3 upgrade is.
 






No idea what a big 3 upgrade is.

Im upgrading my sound system along with extra electrical set ups inside the cabin like light bulbs and extra connectors usb and such. So i wanted to upgrade the electrical that feeds all that. Thats where i learned about yhe big 3. Taking the connection from battery to ground. Positive to alti and engine to body. To a thicker approved wire. My questions to make it clearer. (I know i missed that part) was the location of said wires or if theres other areas to make the connection. In all i want the electrical to circulate smoothly with all the upgrades im doing and planning.
 






Your request is pretty vague. There is no simple vs hard guide to connection, just what is available vs what you want to do. I've no idea what a big 3 upgrade is.

You can find many wiring diagrams linked in my sig below.

What is there to upgrade? The stock wiring was sufficient for the stock parts. If you want to add on something like a light bar, take it from the battery on a dedicated circuit, same as you should for an aftermarket amp. The rest seldom needs upgraded, just to keep the aging wiring working as far as no connector corrosion, no frayed breaks in wiring or compromised insulation causing shorts to ground.
Thank you for the link. I basically want the electrical circulating smoothly with the upgrades and add ons im doing and planning.
 






The big 3 is known by anyone into audio upgrades. Uses bigger/better wiring to lower the resistance and get a little more juice from the alternator to the battery and to the chassis grounding.

Usually you can improve the batteries chassis ground, alternator (or motor) to chassis, and a larger gauge from the alternator to the battery.

Not much need for a step by step tutorial. Get some measurements of wire, and follow the existing paths. Get a fairly decent lug crimper, or take them to an audio or welding shop and drop a few bucks getting your ends put on. Big wires are useless (or worse) if the connections to them aren’t stellar.
 






Im upgrading my sound system along with extra electrical set ups inside the cabin like light bulbs and extra connectors usb and such. So i wanted to upgrade the electrical that feeds all that. Thats where i learned about yhe big 3. Taking the connection from battery to ground. Positive to alti and engine to body. To a thicker approved wire. My questions to make it clearer. (I know i missed that part) was the location of said wires or if theres other areas to make the connection. In all i want the electrical to circulate smoothly with all the upgrades im doing and planning.
If you're switching to interior LED bulbs, or just adding some in addition to what's there, the current draw could end up lower or negligibly higher, no need to upgrade wiring for that. A USB supply, say 2A at 5V, including the efficiency loss of the 5V regulator circuit in it, is going to be about 1A per. Most circuits will have an amp to spare, but if you want to add several to the same circuit then look at what that circuit powers and calculate it. Remember that the limiting factor will be the fuse first (always sized so it blows before the wiring is overtaxed) and the wiring between the battery and fuse must be considered too since it is probably the same gauge as after the fuse.

You can measure voltage droop at the amp to determine if you need a better ground or if momentary just a capacitor near it, but either way you should do the normal thing, string a dedicated low gauge wire to it with a fuse at the battery.
 






The big 3 is known by anyone into audio upgrades. Uses bigger/better wiring to lower the resistance and get a little more juice from the alternator to the battery and to the chassis grounding.

Usually you can improve the batteries chassis ground, alternator (or motor) to chassis, and a larger gauge from the alternator to the battery.

Not much need for a step by step tutorial. Get some measurements of wire, and follow the existing paths. Get a fairly decent lug crimper, or take them to an audio or welding shop and drop a few bucks getting your ends put on. Big wires are useless (or worse) if the connections to them aren’t stellar.

Thank you for the comment. Now new question for you. Add on the upgraded wire to existing wire or delete the factory existing wire with each one of the upgrades? Thanks in advance
 






If you're switching to interior LED bulbs, or just adding some in addition to what's there, the current draw could end up lower or negligibly higher, no need to upgrade wiring for that. A USB supply, say 2A at 5V, including the efficiency loss of the 5V regulator circuit in it, is going to be about 1A per. Most circuits will have an amp to spare, but if you want to add several to the same circuit then look at what that circuit powers and calculate it. Remember that the limiting factor will be the fuse first (always sized so it blows before the wiring is overtaxed) and the wiring between the battery and fuse must be considered too since it is probably the same gauge as after the fuse.

You can measure voltage droop at the amp to determine if you need a better ground or if momentary just a capacitor near it, but either way you should do the normal thing, string a dedicated low gauge wire to it with a fuse at the battery.

Thank you for the tips really big help. Going back to the leds. Is there a reason why the leds i replaced in the cluster didnt light up so im stuck with stock bulbs and cheap leds that flicker. The ones that didnt light were better quality and light color. Thanks in advance
 






Thank you for the tips really big help. Going back to the leds. Is there a reason why the leds i replaced in the cluster didnt light up so im stuck with stock bulbs and cheap leds that flicker. The ones that didnt light were better quality and light color. Thanks in advance
Did you install the with the correct polarity? LEDs have a Positive and negative unlike incandescents. There is only one way to install them. Try flipping them 180 degrees.
 






Agreed, the bulb polarity may be backwards. Cheaper ones can flicker (or fail soon after originally working) for a few reasons like the base plastic isn't molded well, resistor-leads as contacts don't stay in place, LEDs overheat and break bond wires or solder joints. IMO, cheaper lower end LEDs are a downgrade over stock incan bulbs.
 






Agreed, the bulb polarity may be backwards. Cheaper ones can flicker (or fail soon after originally working) for a few reasons like the base plastic isn't molded well, resistor-leads as contacts don't stay in place, LEDs overheat and break bond wires or solder joints. IMO, cheaper lower end LEDs are a downgrade over stock incan bulbs.
I've had good luck with a drop or two of hot glue to keep the bulb from vibrating loose. Especially the wedge base type LEDs.
 






As said above, polarity is key. If the LEDs flicker when power is removed, polarity is likely swapped.
 






Thank you for the comment. Now new question for you. Add on the upgraded wire to existing wire or delete the factory existing wire with each one of the upgrades? Thanks in advance
The wiring gets replaced.
 






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