Is my car stereo pulling too much power?

[WarDemon666]

My alternator just died on me 2 days ago, I was wondering if it could be because of my amp?

I have a kenwood 800 watt amplifier with 2 12" subs. I have it plugged directly on the battery.

Is it possible that the amp is taking too much power for the alternator, and made it blow?

Thanks for all input!

 

[MikeMike]

yes its possible.

however your "800 watt" amp prolly only puts out about 400 max, and we dont know what other electrical devices you have, what car, what size alt, etc.


MIKE

 

[WarDemon666]

Honda civic 1999 lx se.

JVC car stereo (200 watts), the rest is all stock.

Yes the amp takes about 425 rms if I remember correctly..

My alternator is a 3 pin 70 amp

 

[95SS]

Do you run your stereo with your car off? Do your lights dim when there is a loud bass note? Was that the original alternator? What condition is the battery in?

95SS

 

[WarDemon666]

Originally posted by: 95SS
Do you run your stereo with your car off? Do your lights dim when there is a loud bass note? Was that the original alternator? What condition is the battery in?

95SS

I rarely run it with the car off. My lights barely dim, but yes they do. Yes it was the original alternator after 119,000 KM. The battery is still pretty good. Was missing a little bit of liquid, but still giving juice

 

[ElFenix]

heavy duty alternator is a must for high wattage stereos

 

[Drakkon]

if the lights dim then need something to make up for that power loss an probobly causing the alternator to work overtime.
Might try getting a better amp, a yellow top battery, or putting a cap into play just to see if it makes a diff. You dont wanna start blowing out alternators weekly though, so i'd say take out a sub for the time being and just running a voltage check on the battery for a week and makign sure your not killing it.

 

[WarDemon666]

where can I purchase a high wattage alternator?

 

[D3m0nHunt3r]

Get an Optima battery, new alternator with more amps if possible, and just hooke it back up and you should be fine. You could get a cap if the lights dim but from what Ive heard they are just a waste of money.

 

[WarDemon666]

Originally posted by: D3m0nHunt3r
Get an Optima battery, new alternator with more amps if possible, and just hooke it back up and you should be fine. You could get a cap if the lights dim but from what Ive heard they are just a waste of money.

What kind of cap are you talking about?

Like, a cap so that the amp doesnt take so much power?

Ill look into an Optima battery.

I dont know if any of you have seen where the battery goes in a civic ls se, but the hole isnt very big. I can only put a small battery like I have now.

 

[WarDemon666]

I already bought an alternator, put it in today, took 4 hours :fvckingangryface;

is it worth the trouble to buy another one with more power?

 

[95SS]

After you replace the alternator, test voltage at the battery with the car running, and the stereo at a good volume, above your normal listening level. You should be getting 13.8-14.8 volts. If you're not, consider a high ouput alternator. You say the battery is still pretty good, has it ever been replaced? If it's the OEM battery, replace it, as it's 5+ years old. Remember, a battery turns into a load once the car is running.

95SS

 

[WarDemon666]

Originally posted by: 95SS
After you replace the alternator, test voltage at the battery with the car running, and the stereo at a good volume, above your normal listening level. You should be getting 13.8-14.8 volts. If you're not, consider a high ouput alternator. You say the battery is still pretty good, has it ever been replaced? If it's the OEM battery, replace it, as it's 5+ years old. Remember, a battery turns into a load once the car is running.

95SS

thanks for the advice!

 

[scorp00]

I noticed a huge difference in loudness and sound quality when I put a 1 farad capacitor on my old car which had a weak alternator like your car does. It also stopped the killing of alternators and batteries.

 

[WarDemon666]

Originally posted by: scorp00
I noticed a huge difference in loudness and sound quality when I put a 1 farad capacitor on my old car which had a weak alternator like your car does. It also stopped the killing of alternators and batteries.

What do those things do? Where can I get it?

How did it affect the sound qual?

 

[D3m0nHunt3r]

Yeah its called a capacitor. Rockford and other companies make them. I strongly suggest you buy one online as you will pay $150 for one at Best Buy that you can get online for $65 or so.

 

[RelaxTheMind]

Capacitors are waste of money. Useless but pretty to look at. A car battery is equal to about 2,000 f capacitors.

your better off upgrading to a high cca rating battery. and geting your alternator rewound or simply getting a higher output one.

vicflo

 

[Heisenberg]

Originally posted by: WarDemon666

Originally posted by: scorp00
I noticed a huge difference in loudness and sound quality when I put a 1 farad capacitor on my old car which had a weak alternator like your car does. It also stopped the killing of alternators and batteries.

What do those things do? Where can I get it?

How did it affect the sound qual?

The capacitor basically acts as a "storage tank" for electricity. When the bass really hits and the amps pull a lot of current at once, they'll pull it from the capacitor instead of the directly from the alternator. If you buy one at a car stereo place, they'll way overcharge you. Check out an electronics supply place and you can find them much cheaper.

 

[WarDemon666]

I found some for 40$ on ebay.. worth it?

My bass never cuts or anything of that manner. I just dont wanna lose another alternator.... 208$ damn it!

 

[95SS]

Originally posted by: RelaxTheMind
Capacitors are waste of money. Useless but pretty to look at. A car battery is equal to about 2,000 f capacitors.

your better off upgrading to a high cca rating battery. and geting your alternator rewound or simply getting a higher output one.

vicflo

I agree about the cap. Before you go and buy something you may not need, test your current electrical system. Then determine the actions needed if you are drawing too much from your current alternator. A couple rules of thumb - multiple or very large cca batteries are fine for extended listening while your car is off, but they become a load on you alternator once your car is running. A well designed battery (Optima yellow top) can supply the amperage peaks that your amplifier calls for, but if you're drawing from the battery too often, you will kill any alternator. I highly recommend finding a reputable mobile audio shop near you, and enlisting their help in determining the needs for your system. However, if they want to sell you caps and/or multiple batteries, find another shop.

95SS

 

[RelaxTheMind]

Optima yellow tops arent really designed for an everyday starter battery they are more meant as a deep cycle battery good as a standalone battery in systems. Red tops are though.

Best common setup for your average local competitor is a higher output alt, red top under the hood and a yellow top (or similar marine battery) in the trunk in parallel with the red top with a battery relay. The alternator can charge both batteries (trickle charges the accessory battery) while the car is on but accessories (radio) use the yellow top when the car is off.

Big emphasis on "reputable" mobile audio shops as 95ss stated. Not a shop full of poser high school students or a Retail super store with 2 week trained know-it-alls

But since your only pushing ~400w average. I suggest you upgrade the ground cable from your battery to the chassis and battery to alternator (4-2awg). That maximizes the efficiency of your electrical system meaning less strain on your alt. If you dont have the loot to get a higher output alt as they are quite pricey (getting your alternator rewound is a bit cheaper) you can get by just getting a higher CCA battery.

vicflo

 

[WarDemon666]

I just talked to one of my friends, he has the same car. He replaced all of his under the hood wiring, from the batt to the alternator, the ground, etc etc, and now his car does not flicker any more. Could this solve my issue also?

Does it really improve the charging system to put higher guage wire?

Thanks

 

[voodoochylde]

I'd recommend you try upgrading your battery to chassis (ground), battery to alternator, and engine to chassis (ground) wires to at least 4 AWG wire. This can likely help you avoid needing a cap. OTOH, if you can find a high-output alternator for your civvy, go for it The extra headroom is a plus.

If you decide to try that upgrade (two grounds and batt. to alt.) and it still doesn't help, my next step would be a yellowtop battery, then a high-output alternator.

IMO, a cap does little good for an already over-stressed electrical system - it's just one more thing your poor alternator has to keep charging.

Good luck

 

[GT578]

Upgrade the wires that others metioned....Don't get a cap...please...its a useless piece of equipment that is just for show......nothing can replace a strong electrical system. With your power it shouldn't even be straining the alternator OR the battery......go to a dedicated car audio forum and ask around....too many people think capacitors will solve all those problems.

 

[WarDemon666]

Originally posted by: GT578
Upgrade the wires that others metioned....Don't get a cap...please...its a useless piece of equipment that is just for show......nothing can replace a strong electrical system. With your power it shouldn't even be straining the alternator OR the battery......go to a dedicated car audio forum and ask around....too many people think capacitors will solve all those problems.

You know of any?