alternator and battery power
08-17-2002, 01:20 PM
#1
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Join Date: Aug 2002
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alternator and battery power
i own a 95 z28 with an Interstate battery, and stock alternator. Can somebody tell me how much power my stock alternator is pushing. I also want to if I rebuild my alternator(make it push more power), and install a red or yellow top battery, will my db's increase.
08-17-2002, 02:41 PM
#3
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Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Winnipeg, MB, Canada
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I believe your car comes with a stock 140A alternator (mine does) . I think after 93 all Z28s came with 140A alternators.
A yellow top or red top (deep cycle battery) will only allow you to run your stereo longer with the engine off.
What amps are you running? The stock alternator should be fine for a lot of power, but you may want to upgrade the battery and alternator wiring.
------------------
'96 Firebird Formula M6
Performance
Custom cut-out, Homemade 4" CAI with 9" cone filter, !CAGS, TB Bypass, Manual fan switch, Energy Suspension Trans. Mount, Taylor 8mm Wires, Pro 5.0 shifter, LCAs, Stock 3.42 gears
Stereo
Sony Xplod MP450X MP3 Headunit, Sony XE-90MKII Half DIN EQ, MTX RTX01A Crossover, 2 12" Clarions, powered by 2 Bridged Kenwood KAC-728S amps, Infinity Reference Series component set up front, powered by Kenwood KAC-628, EFX 1 farad cap, 4 gauge wire to cap, 10 gauge to amps
Pic
A yellow top or red top (deep cycle battery) will only allow you to run your stereo longer with the engine off.
What amps are you running? The stock alternator should be fine for a lot of power, but you may want to upgrade the battery and alternator wiring.
------------------
'96 Firebird Formula M6
Performance
Custom cut-out, Homemade 4" CAI with 9" cone filter, !CAGS, TB Bypass, Manual fan switch, Energy Suspension Trans. Mount, Taylor 8mm Wires, Pro 5.0 shifter, LCAs, Stock 3.42 gears
Stereo
Sony Xplod MP450X MP3 Headunit, Sony XE-90MKII Half DIN EQ, MTX RTX01A Crossover, 2 12" Clarions, powered by 2 Bridged Kenwood KAC-728S amps, Infinity Reference Series component set up front, powered by Kenwood KAC-628, EFX 1 farad cap, 4 gauge wire to cap, 10 gauge to amps
Pic
08-17-2002, 03:06 PM
#4
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Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 18
I have rockford fnq2614 up front being run by a rockford G800.2, rockfrod fnq 2406 for the mids being run by a G500.2, and 2 12'' rockford punch hx2's being run by a bd1000.1. I also have a rockford 1 farad cap. I want to know if i should replace the alternator and battery because even though i have a capacitator, my lights still dim. Is it worth to get the battery and alternator? i currently hit 144.1 consistently, but i want to get at least 145-146.
08-17-2002, 03:53 PM
#5
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Location: OHIO Go Buckeyes!
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If you can afford a high output alt go with that. A capacitor is a band-aid for the problem while a new alt is the cure.
Interesting about the difference in stock alternator outputs. I've always been told that the one in my '99 T/A was 105 amps.
[This message has been edited by LS1 RULZ (edited August 17, 2002).]
Interesting about the difference in stock alternator outputs. I've always been told that the one in my '99 T/A was 105 amps.
[This message has been edited by LS1 RULZ (edited August 17, 2002).]
08-17-2002, 08:03 PM
#6
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Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: sebewaing, mi
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lol, you guys crack me up, no offense.
for one, if you want db's you should be going to www.termpro.com under the forum there. that is the db drag website.
alt, and batteries will increase your db's if you are running amps with unregulated power supplies and have bad voltage drops.
they suggest 1 extra batt per 1,000 watts, your alt can't supply the current needed for the big draws, you need battery power, caps are useless for spl, they will hurt your system by creating a higher load on it.
one place that is good to deal with and sells quality alt's in www.ampman.com, or goto termpro under the alternator/battery section of the forum and place a post for dominick, he has great deals and good product.
for your setup you should be good adding a batt. replace the stock one with a red top and put a yellow in the rear. otherwise you will have to buy an isolater to stop your front batt. from draining your yellow top and killing it.
hope this helps.
ps: play with your port size, and tuning for best db gain!
for one, if you want db's you should be going to www.termpro.com under the forum there. that is the db drag website.
alt, and batteries will increase your db's if you are running amps with unregulated power supplies and have bad voltage drops.
they suggest 1 extra batt per 1,000 watts, your alt can't supply the current needed for the big draws, you need battery power, caps are useless for spl, they will hurt your system by creating a higher load on it.
one place that is good to deal with and sells quality alt's in www.ampman.com, or goto termpro under the alternator/battery section of the forum and place a post for dominick, he has great deals and good product.
for your setup you should be good adding a batt. replace the stock one with a red top and put a yellow in the rear. otherwise you will have to buy an isolater to stop your front batt. from draining your yellow top and killing it.
hope this helps.
ps: play with your port size, and tuning for best db gain!
08-18-2002, 05:26 AM
#7
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Winnipeg, MB, Canada
Posts: 450
<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by limige:
lol, you guys crack me up, no offense.
for one, if you want db's you should be going to www.termpro.com under the forum there. that is the db drag website.
alt, and batteries will increase your db's if you are running amps with unregulated power supplies and have bad voltage drops.
they suggest 1 extra batt per 1,000 watts, your alt can't supply the current needed for the big draws, you need battery power, caps are useless for spl, they will hurt your system by creating a higher load on it.
one place that is good to deal with and sells quality alt's in www.ampman.com, or goto termpro under the alternator/battery section of the forum and place a post for dominick, he has great deals and good product.
for your setup you should be good adding a batt. replace the stock one with a red top and put a yellow in the rear. otherwise you will have to buy an isolater to stop your front batt. from draining your yellow top and killing it.
hope this helps.
ps: play with your port size, and tuning for best db gain!</font>
lol, you guys crack me up, no offense.
for one, if you want db's you should be going to www.termpro.com under the forum there. that is the db drag website.
alt, and batteries will increase your db's if you are running amps with unregulated power supplies and have bad voltage drops.
they suggest 1 extra batt per 1,000 watts, your alt can't supply the current needed for the big draws, you need battery power, caps are useless for spl, they will hurt your system by creating a higher load on it.
one place that is good to deal with and sells quality alt's in www.ampman.com, or goto termpro under the alternator/battery section of the forum and place a post for dominick, he has great deals and good product.
for your setup you should be good adding a batt. replace the stock one with a red top and put a yellow in the rear. otherwise you will have to buy an isolater to stop your front batt. from draining your yellow top and killing it.
hope this helps.
ps: play with your port size, and tuning for best db gain!</font>
you crack me up. Smartass. You just assume that we don't know what an unregulated power supply is.He never said anything about his amps having unregulated power supplies. Most amps have regulated power supplies.
I would upgrade the under hood battery and alternator wiring first (since you'll have to do it with a new alternator anyway) and see if that helps your voltage drop. It should help quite a bit. Also, what gauge wire do you have running to the trunk?
The best way to squeeze a couple more dBs out of your system is to play with enclosure size, type, etc. What are the detials on the box you're using?
------------------
'96 Firebird Formula M6
Performance
Custom cut-out, Homemade 4" CAI with 9" cone filter, !CAGS, TB Bypass, Manual fan switch, Energy Suspension Trans. Mount, Taylor 8mm Wires, Pro 5.0 shifter, LCAs, Stock 3.42 gears
Stereo
Sony Xplod MP450X MP3 Headunit, Sony XE-90MKII Half DIN EQ, MTX RTX01A Crossover, 2 12" Clarions, powered by 2 Bridged Kenwood KAC-728S amps, Infinity Reference Series component set up front, powered by Kenwood KAC-628, EFX 1 farad cap, 4 gauge wire to cap, 10 gauge to amps
Pic
[This message has been edited by x7x7 (edited August 18, 2002).]
08-18-2002, 06:42 AM
#8
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Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 1,119
<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by x7x7:
I believe your car comes with a stock 140A alternator (mine does) . I think after 93 all Z28s came with 140A alternators.
</font>
I believe your car comes with a stock 140A alternator (mine does) . I think after 93 all Z28s came with 140A alternators.
</font>
08-18-2002, 09:08 AM
#10
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Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 18
Im not sure what wire i have running to my box, or from my alternator. I'm not gonna buy a new alternator, but instead i want take my existing one to an alternator shop, and get it rebuilt. My box i 4 square feet and is tuned to 45 hz.
08-18-2002, 09:21 AM
#11
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Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Warroad, MN
Posts: 397
#1 Toss the cap in the trash if SPL is your goal
#2 Play with your box position and port size and you could squeeze out a little more.
#3 Since you never mentioned that you were interested in upgrading to more power, and your amp is really not that big, i would recommend testing your alternator to see if it is working properly. With that little power you shouldn't have a problem, but if you do Mr Alternator.com offers an alternator that does 200A @1800 RPM for $240 us.
If you are running a tightly regulated power supply it won't matter, but if you are running a loosely of moderatly regulated amp an Alternator is a great option since an extra battery will not start helping the system till the voltage drops a considerable amount. If a single Yellow top in the front doesn't help, then a second one in the rear is not going to help either.
Basicly a battery in the back will NOT help unless you are trying to pull a lot more current than your alternator is capable of supplying, and that does not seem to be the case.
When running a sine bomb or test tones you should be only needing to supply the sub amp with a lot of current, so the amp to the fronts is a non issue, if the sub amp does 1000 watts like it is rated for at 80% efficiency, and if the charging system doesn't drop below 13 V (mine doesn't with 1000 watts) you should pull a little under 100 A. A properly operating factory 140A alternator should be plenty enough to supply this.
For the guy that said "you guys crack me up"... and "your alt can't supply the current needed for the big draws, you need battery power".... i think you are talking out your ***, he shouldn't need battery power.
Even if the amp is 75% efficient and under rated by 15%, it should still pull under 120 A. Do some research, punch some numbers and don't be such a ***** unless you know you are right, because it doesn't look good when you are a ***** and are wrong.
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Soundillusions.net
The ultimate in caraudio.
Sony, Arc Audio, Infinity, Adire Audio, A/D/S
#2 Play with your box position and port size and you could squeeze out a little more.
#3 Since you never mentioned that you were interested in upgrading to more power, and your amp is really not that big, i would recommend testing your alternator to see if it is working properly. With that little power you shouldn't have a problem, but if you do Mr Alternator.com offers an alternator that does 200A @1800 RPM for $240 us.
If you are running a tightly regulated power supply it won't matter, but if you are running a loosely of moderatly regulated amp an Alternator is a great option since an extra battery will not start helping the system till the voltage drops a considerable amount. If a single Yellow top in the front doesn't help, then a second one in the rear is not going to help either.
Basicly a battery in the back will NOT help unless you are trying to pull a lot more current than your alternator is capable of supplying, and that does not seem to be the case.
When running a sine bomb or test tones you should be only needing to supply the sub amp with a lot of current, so the amp to the fronts is a non issue, if the sub amp does 1000 watts like it is rated for at 80% efficiency, and if the charging system doesn't drop below 13 V (mine doesn't with 1000 watts) you should pull a little under 100 A. A properly operating factory 140A alternator should be plenty enough to supply this.
For the guy that said "you guys crack me up"... and "your alt can't supply the current needed for the big draws, you need battery power".... i think you are talking out your ***, he shouldn't need battery power.
Even if the amp is 75% efficient and under rated by 15%, it should still pull under 120 A. Do some research, punch some numbers and don't be such a ***** unless you know you are right, because it doesn't look good when you are a ***** and are wrong.
------------------
Soundillusions.net
The ultimate in caraudio.
Sony, Arc Audio, Infinity, Adire Audio, A/D/S
08-18-2002, 09:51 AM
#12
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Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Warroad, MN
Posts: 397
<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by ur2slo50:
Im not sure what wire i have running to my box, or from my alternator. I'm not gonna buy a new alternator, but instead i want take my existing one to an alternator shop, and get it rebuilt. My box i 4 square feet and is tuned to 45 hz.</font>
Im not sure what wire i have running to my box, or from my alternator. I'm not gonna buy a new alternator, but instead i want take my existing one to an alternator shop, and get it rebuilt. My box i 4 square feet and is tuned to 45 hz.</font>
Around here it is $80 to get the alt rewound from 140 to 170 A. You might want to switch to a smaller diameter pulley on the alt for more RPM's at the alt. These will both help a lot, but it may not last as long as an aftermarket alt will.
As far as the speaker wire from the amp to the subs... 14 Ga will be fine, this size is not as important as the power wire diameter since the output stage of the amp is quite high voltage, thus requiring smaller wire to pass the same power.
------------------
Soundillusions.net
The ultimate in caraudio.
Sony, Arc Audio, Infinity, Adire Audio, A/D/S
