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1/0awg or 4awg? capacitor or big 3?


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macq32 
Member - Posts: 4
Member spacespace
Joined: September 08, 2008
Location: South Carolina, United States
Posted: September 08, 2008 at 6:04 PM / IP Logged  
Hey guys, I ran into this site last night. Cant believe I didn't run into it sooner. Anyway this seemed at first look to be the most informative and knowledgeable car audio forum I've bumped into, perfect timing for my (very near) future plans.
I am adding a Fosgate Power 1000 (25 to life) 5 channel 1400w amplifier and a 13tw5 to my speakers.
I have the following speakers currently set up:
Kappa 60.5cs (90rms)
Kappa 693.7 (110rms)
I was powering these with a Reference 475a amp and used a 4 gauge.
I blew my amp last month and am upgrading to a Rockford Fosgate Power 1000 25 to life 5 Channel amp (about 1400w) which is going to allow plenty of headroom and future upgrade possibilities.
I am looking at putting about 900 watts through the amp. The amp suggests a 1/0 gauge. I am planning on adding a 2farad capacitor to the set up. I contacted a professional who suggested that as long is my gauge is a true 4 gauge, the 4 gauge should be plenty especially with the help of the capacitor. Agree or disagree?
I had some other opinions come through that went along the lines of:
"Forget the capacitor, get a deep cell battery" or
"Just go with the Big3" and also
"Just buy a 1/0awg and run that through"
Hey guys, I have the following speakers set up:
Kappa 60.5cs (100rms)
Kappa 693.7 (110rms)
I was powering these with a Reference 475a amp and used a 4 gauge.
I blew my amp last month and am upgrading to a Fosgate Power 1000 25 to life 5 Channel amp (about 1400w)
I am also adding a 13tw5 to the D, so I am looking at putting about 900 watts through the amp. The amp suggests a 1/0 gauge. I am planning on adding a 2farad capacitor to the set up. I contacted a professional who suggested that as long is my gauge is a true 4 gauge, the 4 gauge should be plenty especially with the help of the capacitor. Agree or disagree?
Just trying to get a few more opinions on this from a few educated sources, thanks for the help guys!
audiocableguy 
Copper - Posts: 630
Copper spacespace
Joined: January 27, 2003
Location: Idaho, United States
Posted: September 08, 2008 at 6:55 PM / IP Logged  
Rockford says 1/0 AWG with a 250A Fuse. Buy Welding cable.
"a professional who suggested that as long is my gauge is a true 4 gauge, the 4 gauge should be plenty especially with the help of the capacitor."
Suggestion: Get a new "professional". Forget the cap.
reax222 
Copper - Posts: 220
Copper spacespace
Joined: March 11, 2006
Location: United States
Posted: September 08, 2008 at 9:06 PM / IP Logged  
Also, pick up enough wire to do the big three and if you haven't yet, consider a new alt. Your 1400w amp is pulling in excess of 100amps from your charging system and battery.
4ga might work, but I would go ahead and do it right with the 1/0. The cap wouldn't hurt anything either. A bigger/deepcycle battery would also be a decent idea.
audiocableguy 
Copper - Posts: 630
Copper spacespace
Joined: January 27, 2003
Location: Idaho, United States
Posted: September 09, 2008 at 10:23 AM / IP Logged  
A deep cycle battery isn't the answer either. Many factors play into type and how many batteries you will need. A HO Alternator is never a bad idea. If you want more info look up Red Top vs/ Yellow Top.
Make power first, then figure out how and how much to store.
As far as the Cap, Haemphyst said it best: Yep... A cap doesn't make power, and it has to get the energy stored within itself from OUTSIDE... The alternator and battery. What's that make it? That's right - a "load", just like the amplifer.
macq32 
Member - Posts: 4
Member spacespace
Joined: September 08, 2008
Location: South Carolina, United States
Posted: September 09, 2008 at 8:51 PM / IP Logged  
Thanks for the help guys! I went in another local shop today and talked with a few of the guys who were a bit more helpful with providing a few more options (assuming the information is correct).
Initially they agreed a 4awg should be enough, but after looking at the draw of the amp (250a) they insisted 4awg would not cut it and that I should go with the 1/0. The only problem there is that 1/0 and 250a is likely too much for my stock electrical to handle, so we left it with this being my best option:
    I am planning on upgrading the Big3
    I would replace the 4awg with a 1/0
    And finally I would add a Batcap 400
I'm under the impression this might be the best way to go without replacing my alternator (for now anyway).
Does this sound like a good option to anyone?
Thanks for the help guys, much appreciated.
audiocableguy 
Copper - Posts: 630
Copper spacespace
Joined: January 27, 2003
Location: Idaho, United States
Posted: September 09, 2008 at 9:09 PM / IP Logged  
"And finally I would add a Batcap 400"
Take the money you were going to buy this
P.O.S and put it toward an alternator! Batcap is
no different than the Cap. Another Load.
macq32 
Member - Posts: 4
Member spacespace
Joined: September 08, 2008
Location: South Carolina, United States
Posted: September 10, 2008 at 10:23 PM / IP Logged  
I would gladly look into that, but its pretty difficult finding an alternator for a saab, especially a 1999. If you or anyone else has any suggestions please do let me know. It's a 1999 Saab 93, I've yet to find anything for this specific model greater than the stock 90a. Ive seen plenty of 2000-2004 130a alts.
disker 
Member - Posts: 33
Member spacespace
Joined: August 04, 2006
Location: United States
Posted: January 26, 2009 at 9:45 PM / IP Logged  

macq32 wrote:
I would gladly look into that, but its pretty difficult finding an alternator for a Saab, especially a 1999. If you or anyone else has any suggestions please do let me know. It's a 1999 Saab 93, I've yet to find anything for this specific model greater than the stock 90a. Ive seen plenty of 2000-2004 130a alts.

I was kind of in the same position not too long ago - I have a 25 to life power 1000 that I am wanting to install but my factory alternator is only a 60 amp and I had a real small battery. Luck would have it that just before I was ready to do my install, my alt gave out. I started looking around for a HO alt, but couldn't find one. After 3 months of searching, I found one, but I also ran across, about the same time, some really good information from an Isuzu forum (I have an Isuzu Rodeo) where people have taken alternators from certain vehicles and were able to add them on in place of the air pump and use them to charge a second battery. I also found that I could (and have) replace the battery with a different larger capacity battery that was very close to the same size as my factory battery.

Now, I am NOT recommending removing your air pump or anything like that, my point is to check on some forums specific for your vehicle and see if someone has come up with a creative way to address this issue. While the information here is great - it is all general as we all drive different vehicles, so what works for one may not work for others when it comes to a vehicle specific solution. You may even find that some of the members have managed to get the larger alt from a newer Saab to work - I don't know, but in the very least, that is reason enough alone to check into it.

While I was not able to answer your question, I do hope that I have helped steer you in the right direction on where to get the answers you are looking for. 

Good luck!

Disker
paidnfull 
Copper - Posts: 125
Copper spacespace
Joined: October 24, 2007
Location: Texas, United States
Posted: January 27, 2009 at 2:21 PM / IP Logged  
If you are having a hard time locating a HO alternator, try getting in touch with excessive amperage.  He's a one man operation and takes about three weeks to have your alternator built, but he does good work.  Most of them run around 300 bucks, but I imagine it depends on how much the case itself costs. 

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