My alternator died before I really started installing stereo equipment so, unknowingly, I replaced it with the factory replacemet. I am informed this is 110amps and It is barely 2months old. I have recently finished installing my system and have a RF800a2, RF250a2, and a RF 1F CAP. I ran 4G to the 800 and 8G to the 250. I got my car home and now it won't start. I can turn the lights on and if on accesory, the steroe will play. I was told previously that the alternator would be sufficient on the equation I=P/V
I have constant running 800+125+88(head unit)=1013Wrms. so I used a 1F CAP to push the big amp. 1013/13.8=73.41 and was informed to divinde by .8 for efficency reasons giving me te total of 91.76amp contenous. Since the alt has now gone bad, should I make them reaplce it, is it a fault product? 91 is less than 110 last I checked. Help please!!!!!

 

Although no one replied, I got it done myself. I went to one stop and they said it was my battery that died. I informed them that the stereo and lights still work on acc, but they said for me to bring it in. I hooked up the meter and it was sending proper voltage, but i brouhgt it in n e ways. Turns out, I blew a fuse inside the battery. This is a huge relief!!!! They gave me credit on some 3 yr shat and it turn out, the dead battery was worth $50 wohoo. I upgraded, of course, to the Nascar Select with 1000 cold cranking amps for $30. Not exactly my ideal friday afternoon, but hey, it all turns out for the better...later.

 

I hate inform you of this, but your problem is only temporarily resolved. I have seen this situation in my experience a hundred times as a former car stereo installer. With the kind of Amplification you are introducing to your system it will put an incredible strain on your battery and alternator and in less than a year you will undoubtably be replacing your battery and alternator again unless you do the following:

The total peak amprage draw on your system exceeds 100 amps.

Go to an Auto Electric shop and see if they can build you a 150 Amp or higher alternator.

You also should invest in a battery that can recover voltage much more quickly such as an Optima spiral cell battery.

Having a Cap will always help your condition. They basically save your battery from having to support the amplifier's bass peaks, but only to a point.

Your audio system can wreck havoc on your car's electronics. If your alternator cant keep up with the demands of your amplifier and car's electronics they will all see low voltage which will over time destroy your amplifier and possibly your car's computer.

Most of my customers overlook this and enevitably share this scenario. If you are putting the big bucks for high wattage amps, you also should figure in the costs to feed them. It really sucks to have electrical problems and it was the reason I had to pull my system out of my RX-7. I could not find anyone who could build me a custom alternator. But since you have a GM car, there are alot of alternator options out there that shouldnt cost you too much to get a big alternator.

 

Would dual batterys help wone for the engine and one for the amp???? so the amp wont suck all my power out. at idle my volts are at 12 and go back up when i drive this is becasue i have underdrive pullys but i did spend 300 bux for a 140 amp alternator. would this help my problem im sick of wacthin my blinker go soo damn slow

 

(2) Batteries will help, but if they are wired in parallel, your amp will still suck power from both batteries unless you wired in a battery isolator. Since your alternator now has to charge two batteries instead of one it has to work even harder. Since you have bought a a 140 Amp alternator, you should have plenty of reserve to support your system. Rather than purchasing a second battery and isolator, I would buy a 1 farad or higher Capacitor. They are essentially a battery but with the capability to discharge and charge instantaneously unlike a battery.

 

90 amps just for the stereo? what about the rest of the car?

a quick check would be to look in your fuse box and add to the 90 amps every fuse that you can find that could be possibly be running at once,
Count in igntion,ac, ecm, injectors, etc... your overloaded man.. you probably need 150amp or better

 

Remember that 90 Amps from the amplifier is not a continuous draw. It is more or less a peak current draw. Actually a 130 amp alternator would be sufficient.

 

I have been running the rf800a2 and the rf500a4 for the whole year and going to db drags and have never had a problem.
some thing you might want to check is with the car of check your battery voltage for any drop in voltage. (to see if there is a draw)does your battery voltage flucuate while the car is running. these are areas i would start looking at.
and as long as your cap was installed properly you should not have any problems.

------------------
91 Z28 BLACK WITH RED INT. 350 WITH AUTO
BEST TIME 14.76
K+N WITH MODIFIED AIR BOX
PORTED PLENUM
91 Z28 RED WITH BLACK INT. 305 WITH 5 SPEED
BEST TIME 15.00
ALWAYS AROUND FOR CAR AUDIO QUESTIONS
MOBILE ILLUSIONS/
CERTIFIED MECP PRO

CUSTOM 10" SUB BOXES
http://sites.netscape.net/ratherick/homepage