Voltage Drop, Electrical Upgrade Time

[robbythedude]

Yo,

I am experiencing a noticeable voltage drop while playing test tones @ idle. I can watch the voltage meter slowly go down the higher I turn the volume up. Playing music isn't nearly as noticeable, but there is spikes @ idle. I have completed the Big Three and power my amps with 0AWG.

Alternator and Battery are still stock.

I'd like to play music AND tones while idle without fear of dropping mad voltage. I can't do a second battery, but I can switch out my stock one. Should I go for a new battery first? Or a new HO alternator? I will do both, but there isn't a specific alternator for my car yet (That I know of)...

ALSO, should I have my car on while playing idle? Or turn my car off? Not sure if I should just run the music off the battery, or let the alternator do work?

Thanks in advance,

Rob

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[wew lad 5,000+ posts]

Test your battery, see if it's going dead. If so pick up a nice AGM from sams club, or buy a deka 55ah from @michaellane if it'll fit your car.

Otherwise if your battery is fine look into getting your alternator rewound by a reputable alternator shop ($1-$2 per amp is what you should expect to pay) or buy a new HO alt

 

[robbythedude]

I'm thinking my battery is still good. Doesn't hesitate at all to turn my car on, plus the battery is just over a year old. I shouldn't consider a battery upgrade if my factory battery is still kicking?

Is there advantages/disadvantages to rewound alt vs HO alt? Assuming the HO alt is new.

 

[supra1987]

I'm thinking my battery is still good. Doesn't hesitate at all to turn my car on, plus the battery is just over a year old. I shouldn't consider a battery upgrade if my factory battery is still kicking?
Is there advantages/disadvantages to rewound alt vs HO alt? Assuming the HO alt is new.

A good agm battery would be better in my opinion.a rewound alternator if you can find someone to do it can beef up your current one by 50-100 amps and is cost effective compared to 400.00 plus for a real HO alt.

 

[robbythedude]

My factory alternator idles at 90Amps, I'm pretty sure at least. If someone can rewound it to produce 100+ amps, then I could idle at 190Amps?

Does that mean 190Amps x 14Volts = 2660 Watts? My amp calls for 2200Watts. No more voltage drop?

 

[Tripn88]

My battery started my truck fine. Actually took it out fully charged it and it failed three times. Dead cell.... Sometimes you have to test things seperatly to find the problem as a battery and alt will band aid each other so to speak... My alt is still bad but it works until my HO comes in.

 

[robbythedude]

My battery started my truck fine. Actually took it out fully charged it and it failed three times. Dead cell.... Sometimes you have to test things seperatly to find the problem as a battery and alt will band aid each other so to speak... My alt is still bad but it works until my HO comes in.

Just to clarify, you make it sound like I shouldn't be experiencing voltage drop?

I should be experiencing voltage drop, right? I mean 2200 + 400 watts on stock electrical can't be good lol

 

[adulbrich 5,000+ posts]

Just to clarify, you make it sound like I shouldn't be experiencing voltage drop?I should be experiencing voltage drop, right? I mean 2200 + 400 watts on stock electrical can't be good lol

Yes, you should be getting voltage drop with that much demand on a stock electrical.

Why do you want to play tones???

 

[Tripn88]

He's right... I get some voltage drop some times up to a full volt playing decaf. Stock electrical with 1/0 welding wire. I just from 13.9-14.3 mainly.

 

[robbythedude]

Yes, you should be getting voltage drop with that much demand on a stock electrical.
Why do you want to play tones???

To demo how loud it really can get. lol

Questions Left Open (Just copy/pasting questions so people don't gotta dig)

ALSO, should I have my car on while playing idle? Or turn my car off? Not sure if I should just run the music off the battery, or let the alternator do work?

My factory alternator idles at 90Amps, I'm pretty sure at least. If someone can rewound it to produce 100+ amps, then I could idle at 190Amps?

Does that mean 190Amps x 14Volts = 2660 Watts? My amp calls for 2200Watts. No more voltage drop?

 

[adulbrich 5,000+ posts]

To demo how loud it really can get. lol
Questions Left Open (Just copy/pasting questions so people don't gotta dig)

ALSO, should I have my car on while playing idle? Or turn my car off? Not sure if I should just run the music off the battery, or let the alternator do work?

My factory alternator idles at 90Amps, I'm pretty sure at least. If someone can rewound it to produce 100+ amps, then I could idle at 190Amps?

Does that mean 190Amps x 14Volts = 2660 Watts? My amp calls for 2200Watts. No more voltage drop?

Turning your car off would make it wayyyyy worse.

Get a HO alternator and make sure you have sufficient wiring.

Also, get real music that has those frequencies. Why would you want to demo a tone? I just don't think that would be interesting/exciting

 

[michaellane 5,000+ posts]

I'm thinking my battery is still good. Doesn't hesitate at all to turn my car on, plus the battery is just over a year old. I shouldn't consider a battery upgrade if my factory battery is still kicking?
Is there advantages/disadvantages to rewound alt vs HO alt? Assuming the HO alt is new.

Well that piece of junk factory battery doesnt help in the audio world. So actually yes even with it being a year old id look for a replacement AGM battery. Also you can google to learn about a high output alternator. Its simple ylure adding all this electrical junk to a car. The car wasnt designed to support all this stuff. The HO alt goves it the juice needed to support and run the new junk properly. Your factory battery doesnt have enough juice to do this either. You can search up here or google and you could learn a lot

 

[michaellane 5,000+ posts]

I'm thinking my battery is still good. Doesn't hesitate at all to turn my car on, plus the battery is just over a year old. I shouldn't consider a battery upgrade if my factory battery is still kicking?
Is there advantages/disadvantages to rewound alt vs HO alt? Assuming the HO alt is new.

I run a rewound alt. Got it all dome local and its been great to me and I paid 140

 

[michaellane 5,000+ posts]

He's right... I get some voltage drop some times up to a full volt playing decaf. Stock electrical with 1/0 welding wire. I just from 13.9-14.3 mainly.

O

Ur getting more than one volt drops lol. Your meters are moving to slow to show it or its just wrong. Blso pretty much you arent seeing full rms put of those amps with stock electrical. Your sm4apl car with factory batt and alt isnt enough to hold it where you need it to be. Why cant you add some small batts in the back?

 

[michaellane 5,000+ posts]

Ok so obviously having the car on vs off means your electrical has a better chance. I mean ome way you bave the alt helpijg it and the other its just the car battery being drained wh8ch would t take much.

second question. NO. Plain and simple even with the alt being rewound which you will not see 190 amps out of it. You still need a battery of some sorts witb a little reserve power. Google some and READ some. THERE IS TONS OF INFO ON THIS FORUM. HKW DO YOU THINK WE ALL KNOW THIS STUFF

To demo how loud it really can get. lol
Questions Left Open (Just copy/pasting questions so people don't gotta dig)

ALSO, should I have my car on while playing idle? Or turn my car off? Not sure if I should just run the music off the battery, or let the alternator do work?

My factory alternator idles at 90Amps, I'm pretty sure at least. If someone can rewound it to produce 100+ amps, then I could idle at 190Amps?

Does that mean 190Amps x 14Volts = 2660 Watts? My amp calls for 2200Watts. No more voltage drop?