upgrading power

Which would be a better upgrade for someone pushing about 800W?

  • Install a 2nd Batt

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    10

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K2e2vin

Senior Member
This is for my neighbor; but hes having problems with the power supply keeping up with his system(2 Memphis 12s with about 800W). just wondering what would be a better route.
 
new/better alternator will allow you to refuel your battery better. a second battery will allow you to play your stereo longer while the car isn't running. What you need is a good capacitor, installed correctly. this will store energy from the battery and release it when the speakers need it, like loud low bass hits.
 
A second battery wouldn't do a lot once its drained down if the alternator wasnt keeping up.

I would say that unless you plan to use the subs for short periods of time, an alternator and capacitor would be more benifcial
 
yeah get a cap and new alt. get a 80ohm one. least i think thats what it is. anyways just get one for two batteries and you should be good. If you really want to throw two batteries in you can its just more weight.
 
Originally posted by macadoshes1@Aug 11 2005, 07:19 PM
Second battery and a isolator and once and a while turn the volume down so the battiries can charge.
[post=539026]Quoted post[/post]​



That defeats the purpose if you still have to be concious of the charging system. Get a second alternator like a limo has and you should be fine without a Capacitor or second battery. Its shouldn't be that hard to locate either a kit or someone that can fab something up to make it work.
 
Originally posted by jimboburgess@Aug 7 2005, 12:58 PM
new/better alternator will allow you to refuel your battery better. a second battery will allow you to play your stereo longer while the car isn't running. What you need is a good capacitor, installed correctly. this will store energy from the battery and release it when the speakers need it, like loud low bass hits.
[post=536914]Quoted post[/post]​


A GOOD CAP WILL PREVENT THE AMP FROM DRAWING POWER DIRECTLY FROM THE BATTERY WHICH IS THE PROBLEM YOU'RE HAVING. your headlights will still dim on bass hits with a second battery/alternator, Sorry about yelling.
 
[Stormy]Shut up...[/Stormy]

An alternator supplies power directly when it is on, so you're mode of thinking is wrong. If you beef up the alt, you have enough power being supplied to the amps.

And I won't yell when i say this: Caps are for filtering. It does smooth out the voltage of the cars electrical system. It doesn't supply enough juice to compensate for bass passages requiring large amounts of current. Just because your headlights stop dimming doesn't mean you're supplying your amp with the needed current.

Try going through bcae1.com . You'll hopefully learn a lot.
 
If you want to turn your volume down to charge the batteries, then install a second battery and be a tard. Your not addressing the problem with a second battery, your just delaying it.

Everyone who voted for the capacitor gets fifty points. A capacitor is a battery in a very basic sense, it stores power in a circuit and discharges when the power is low. Unless your doing bass tests your subs are only going to hit intermittently (fuck spelling), it only takes a fraction of a second for a capacitor to charge, so it will address the problem the most cheaply. If you want a long term solution you can install a second alternator, but for only a 800W system its definitely not needed. Go get a 1.0 Farad capacitor from a reputable brand, wire that shit in and dont worry about it anymore.

capacitors = good
extra batteries = dumb
extra alternator = eh, combination of good and dumb


Edit due to alcohol: Think of it this way, a capacitor is going to do the same thing as turning down your volume. When your drawing peak power (which seems to drain your shit) the capacitor is going to cover the difference. When your not using peak power (which is a lot of the time) your battery will charge.
 
after a deep bass note the cap discharges in milliseconds and as soon as that happens it becomes a load on the system if the volume is kept up. how does that help your electrical sytem woes. a capacator is absolutly useless unless your doin short burps at say a competition. buy a second battery and call it a day!
 
Originally posted by wanderinman+Aug 24 2005, 09:22 PM-->
If you want a long term solution you can install a second alternator, but for only a 800W system its definitely not needed. Go get a 1.0 Farad capacitor from a reputable brand, wire that shit in and dont worry about it anymore.
[post=544883]Quoted post[/post]​
You don't need a second bat, alt, or cap for a <1000W system. You just need to wire properly (which includes wires to the amp and wires from the alt and block to grounds).
Originally posted by wanderinman@Aug 24 2005, 09:22 PM
Edit due to alcohol: Think of it this way, a capacitor is going to do the same thing as turning down your volume. When your drawing peak power (which seems to drain your shit) the capacitor is going to cover the difference. When your not using peak power (which is a lot of the time) your battery will charge.
[post=544883]Quoted post[/post]​

How is the cap going to "cover the difference" when your alt and battery are not enough? What is going to charge the cap if your alt can't even supply enough power for the amps?
neonmike
@Aug 25 2005, 02:39 PM
a capacator is absolutly useless unless your doin short burps at say a competition. buy a second battery and call it a day!
[post=545251]Quoted post[/post]​

Caps haven't proved themselves to net more SPL. Not many competetors use caps (unless they're sponsored by cap companies, most don't bother).

If you've gotten this far I hope you'll read this too: bcae1.com. It has been recommended here before and explains many aspects of audio. Section 46 is on capacitors (just scroll on the right side). I'll give you a small quote:
"When using very large capacitors (1/2 farad or more) in your car, the capacitor partially discharges into the amplifier's power supply when the voltage from the alternator or battery starts to fall. The capacitor can not act like a battery. It only serves to fill in what would otherwise be very small dips in the supply voltage."
 
Originally posted by hcivic.com@Aug 27 2005, 05:02 PM
look at getting an ho altinator, and get a better battery like the optima deep cycle.
[post=546103]Quoted post[/post]​


deep cycle batteries are the shit, you can drain them to dead and recharge them to full more times than you'll wake up with wood in the morning. I used to use them back in my four wheeling days, and I know for damn sure 4 lights, bright headlights, and a winch are eating more power than your amp. Check them out.

:bash: to me for forgetting about them
 
For my stereo in my bonneville i have upgraded the "big 3", put a H.O. alternator, have a optima deep cycle, and a capacitor. This all powers my ported rockford HX2's from a DEI 1100D, I do not have any dimming problems or power loss other than drawn out sub 40 hz frequencies. Best thing i would do is the upgraded alternator for now, along with a yellow top optima and upgrade the "big 3". That will help a lot! Hope this helps i have done many stereo installation's from little to too big.
 
Originally posted by wanderinman+Aug 27 2005, 04:19 PM-->
hcivic.com
@Aug 27 2005, 05:02 PM
look at getting an ho altinator, and get a better battery like the optima deep cycle.
[post=546103]Quoted post[/post]​


deep cycle batteries are the shit, you can drain them to dead and recharge them to full more times than you'll wake up with wood in the morning. I used to use them back in my four wheeling days, and I know for damn sure 4 lights, bright headlights, and a winch are eating more power than your amp. Check them out.

:bash: to me for forgetting about them
[post=546127]Quoted post[/post]​



hell ya a whinch will kill a batt in under a min. Hell i have 3 batteries in my wheeling truck all deep cycle gel batts, and my whinch will kill them in 1 good pull with a dead truck
 
Originally posted by TommyTheCat@Aug 24 2005, 01:55 PM
[Stormy]Shut up...[/Stormy]

An alternator supplies power directly when it is on, so you're mode of thinking is wrong. If you beef up the alt, you have enough power being supplied to the amps.

And I won't yell when i say this: Caps are for filtering. It does smooth out the voltage of the cars electrical system. It doesn't supply enough juice to compensate for bass passages requiring large amounts of current. Just because your headlights stop dimming doesn't mean you're supplying your amp with the needed current.

Try going through bcae1.com . You'll hopefully learn a lot.
[post=544642]Quoted post[/post]​


I'm with him. Caps won't do shit if you can't get enough power. What do you think charges the cap, and the battery, the ALTERNATOR. When you get a dip in power the cap will supply energy the quickest, then the battery, but ultimitaly the power comes from the alternator. A cap like he said is basically a filter, it tries to keep voltage in the car constant, might stop it from jumping from 11.0 to 13.0 volts to 11.5 to 12.0volts for example. Open up the charger for your cordless phone, has the same thing in there, just on a smaller scale.

Read
 
alright i talked to him and told him to get a new HO alternator. he said he will after he gets his car fixed(the car is messed up right now...its a Ford. their ford f150 is also having problems... lol.) thanks guys.
 
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