Quote:

Run a power lead from the battery, starter relay lug, or alternator output lug to a distribution block.



There's a huge difference between pulling the power for a distribution block from the battery/starter relay lug and from the alternator output lug. You want to make sure to pull the power from the alternator output lug, for this reason:

If you pull from the alternator output lug, you are getting the power directly from the source (the alternator), without anything else in between, and the power to the distribution block all stays under the hood.

If you pull the power from the battery or from the starter relay lug, the power comes from its source (the alternator), then has to go through the bulkhead connector to the interior, through the ammeter, back through the bulkhead connector and into the underhood area (where it started from anyway), and then finally to the point you are drawing the power from (the battery or starter relay lug).



Drawing power for a distribution block that powers a large amplifier (or any other high powered devices) from your battery or starter relay lug puts a huge amount of current through the bulkhead connector and ammeter, which could fry either one, unless you have made other electrical system modifications, like bypassing the bulkhead connector and ammeter by running a large gauge wire from the alternator output lug to the battery or starter relay lug. Mopars in the latter half of the 70s, like the '78 Aspen I owned, had a wire running directly from the alternator to the battery from the factory, and you could connect high power accessories or distribution blocks directly to the battery without issues. Earlier cars (like my 74 Cuda) do not have that direct connection between the alternator and battery, and should have high powered accessories or distribution blocks connected to the alternator side of the electrical system, before the power goes through the bulkhead connector.

1974 'Cuda 360/TKO 1990 Ram Van 1998 Neon