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    ENG - Upgraded charging system...

    I picked up a charging system upgrade kit from CE Auto Electric Supply and thought I'd share the install process.
    The kit I picked up was the 2CSUKTPB-5, 5 foot 2 AWG Upgrade Kit for Top Post Batteries and opted for the FHANL1 to fuse the charge lead for protection.
    This is what is included in this particular kit.

    - 5 feet of red 2AWG cable terminated with a 5/16” eyelet on one end.
    - 5 feet of clear 2AWG cable (for the ground) terminated with a 3/8” eyelet on both ends.
    - 2.5 feet of clear 2AWG cable (again for ground) with a 3/8” eyelet on one end.
    - 4 feet of clear 8 AWG gable (smaller ground) terminated with a 1/4" eyelet on both ends.
    - 2 new heavy duty battery clamps.
    - Zip ties, bolts, washers, etc. LOTS of nice top quality hardware.


    Tools needed:
    Different sizes of wrenches and sockets. 8mm, 10mm, 12mm, and 14mm.
    Drill and dril bit. Gauge 'S' or 11/32" drill bit for the M10 x 1.25 bolt I used.
    Tap. M10 X 1.25 metric tap. Use the correct size tap for the bolt you decide to use for the ground to frame connection.
    Knife or other cutting tool.
    Strippers (the wire kind... though the other kind wouldn't be bad, just distracting).
    Recommended tools:
    Large gauge cable cutters.



    First off was dealing with the slight issue of the new cable lugs being slightly too large to fit the alternator, so I popped the alternator off:



    As you can see in the picture below, the terminal for the new charge lead wouldn't fit because the factory isolator on the alt wasn't designed for such a large lug and of course with everything Honda related, it's too damn small!



    So I took a few minutes and modified it for a perfect "OEM" fit.



    Once that was complete I gathered up all of my goodies and got to work!



    First up, getting the new ground connected from the alt to chassis. The options are slightly limited, so I connected the ground to the top of the alt mount/bolt location.



    Next up, grounding the alt to the frame and grounding the bat to the same location. Lucky for us we have some holes located directly under the battery tray.



    So I picked the hole I wanted, drilled it out the the appropriate tape size, tapped it, and installed both grounds.
    This kit came with a 10mm bolt to be used on the back of the alternator for the new ground, but since I couldn't use it for that, I used it to bolt down the grounds to the frame (used the supplied star washer, flat washer, and lock washer as well).
    Drilled:


    Tapped and paint removed:


    Lithium grease applied and cables bolted down:



    Next goal, installing the new charge lead to the alt. The original alt lead doesn't go directly to the battery, instead it disappears into a wire loom that snakes it's way over the valve cover, under the intake, and a few miles latter pokes itself up out near the underhood fuse panel.


    So not wanting to rewire everything (YET), I connected the new lead along with the original to the alt.


    Next up was finding a location to install the fuse holder for the charge lead... on top of the battery is literally the only flat spot, so why not? I'll be making a custom battery hold down with a fastening location for the fuse holder this spring when it's not freezing outside. So for now, the holder will be 3Med to the top of the battery.


    So with the positive battery terminal temporarily installed and the fuse holder location picked, I stripped the cable, installed the reducer (supplied with the fuse holder), and got the charge lead into the fuse holder.
    Using my super trusty Gerber knife.


    Cut some more cable for the fuse holder to the bat terminal and gave it the same treatment (stripped both ends, reducers, and clamped in)



    Now lucky for me, I had just enough cable left to make a new lead to the started, so I tossed on a lug, some heat shrink, and BADOOOOM! New starter cable!



    So with the positive leads all terminated the grounds were next.
    This kit came with four feet of 8AWG with eyelets installed on both ends, so I was able to upgrade the smaller ground leads.
    Same deal, measure, cut, strip, clamp.



    And I was done!


    I installed some Techflex sleeving on the charge and ground from the alt that run behind the radiator for some extra protection.


    These instructions can be applied to other similar kits OR you can even build your own. I just opted for the convenance of this kit since it came with everything and I mean EVERYTHING.
    Hope this helps some people out there.
    Last edited by Jon; 02-13-2012, 12:58 PM.
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    #2
    Nice job! And thanks for taking such clear, crisp pics.
    "My FOR SALE thread - Click here"

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      #3
      Originally posted by drew12000 View Post
      Nice job! And thanks for taking such clear, crisp pics.
      Thanks. I took a ton of pictures while I was installing everything. Added about 2 hours to the process but totally worth it.

      I'll be updating it with a little bit more info such as the drill bit and tap size so people can follow it to a tee without any guesswork.
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        #4
        Very nice write up. Excellent detail and instructions.

        Question: What are the major benefits of doing this upgrade?


        Form.Follows.Function

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          #5
          Great write up! And great pictures too! I was thinking about doing something along the lines of this but I wasn't sure if it would be worth the work. Did it make any noticeable difference?

          Comment


            #6
            Originally posted by Function>Form View Post
            Very nice write up. Excellent detail and instructions.

            Question: What are the major benefits of doing this upgrade?
            The benefit of doing an upgrade like this to get the most out of your alternator, especially if you are running any sort of audio equipment and/or you have upgraded to HO (high output) alternator. For our Accords there are very few reliable options for HO alternators.

            I upgraded for a few reasons, but the main ones being...
            My battery terminals that clamp onto the battery were SHOT and needed replacing (they would not clamp down at all).

            I was having charging issues not alternator nor battery related. It drove me NUTS trying to figure out what the issue was. Well after doing this, I cut the battery terminals off the OEM cables and they were corroded like crazy about 1" into/under the plastic of the cable.



            Originally posted by Bongo View Post
            Great write up! And great pictures too! I was thinking about doing something along the lines of this but I wasn't sure if it would be worth the work. Did it make any noticeable difference?
            For me, totally. Now I have no charging issues at all and it starts up like the day I bought it 10-11 years ago!
            EDIT: Oh and no light dimming either.
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              #7
              very nice

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                #8
                Nice write up man!

                Spendy little kits arnt they

                8 Accords so far:
                '81 SE Sedan(1st Gen), '83 SE Sedan(2nd Gen), '89 SE Sedan(3rd Gen)
                '89 DX Sedan(3rd Gen), '92 LX Coupe(4th Gen), '92 EX Wagon(4th Gen)
                (3rd gen parts car) I'm currently Driving a '14 Accord Sport 9th Gen

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