adding a second battery

Home / the12volt's Install Bay / Car Audio / adding a second battery (

Topic Closed)

Welcome Guest :)

Members

Next Page > < Prev Topic Next Topic >

imupabove

Copper - Posts: 369

Joined: March 14, 2009

Location: California, United States

Posted: September 27, 2009 at 7:22 PM / IP Logged

im planning to get a HC600 for my amps. and i have a 1 farad rockford capacitor (RFC1D). should i install the cap along with the second battery? will it be any use if i used it? btw, my main battery is a Duralast battery. Thanks people.

tommy...

Gold - Posts: 1,901

Joined: December 10, 2004

Location: United States

Posted: September 28, 2009 at 12:53 AM / IP Logged

There is really no way to answer without knowing if your current alternator is "beefy" enough to support adding a 2nd battery and a cap...! You already upgraded the big 3...? Just remember...The alternator will then have to charge a 2nd battery and cap...! http://bcae1.com/charging.htm

Dimming lights:

When you play your system at very high volumes and the lights on your vehicle dim slightly, it generally means that your alternator can not supply enough current for all of your electrical accessories (including your amplifiers). If you play a long bass note/tone and the lights get dim and stay dim until the note is over, your alternator clearly can not keep up with the current demand. If, on a long bass note, the lights dim just for a fraction of a second but return to their original brightness while the note/tone is still playing, the alternator's regulator may just be a little slow in reacting to the voltage drop. Since the lights return to their original brightness during the bass note, the alternator is able to supply the current needed by your power your amplifiers and other electrical accessories.

M.E.C.P & First-Class

Go slow and drink lots of water...Procrastinators' Unite...Tomorrow!

imupabove

Copper - Posts: 369

Joined: March 14, 2009

Location: California, United States

Posted: September 28, 2009 at 12:57 AM / IP Logged

no i havnt done the big 3. its a stock alternator. i have a 93 camry. i think its 70 or 80 amps. to be honest, this cap reduced the dimming on my head lights. but the voltage drops to 10-11 when the bass hits. what would be a good move from here?

tommy...

Gold - Posts: 1,901

Joined: December 10, 2004

Location: United States

Posted: September 28, 2009 at 1:07 AM / IP Logged

Upgrading Your Charging System
Alternators:
As we said on the charging system basics page, the alternator supplies all of the power to all of the electrical accessories (amplifiers, lights, power windows, power seats...) as long as the engine is running. Upgrading the alternator is generally the most cost effective way to add more performance to your system. In the next few paragraphs I'll attempt to explain why other remedies may not solve your problem and may even make it worse.
Many people want to know when they should replace their alternator. The short answer is... when it fails. If you just want the battery to remain charged and your present alternator is keeping it charged, it's doing its job. If you want a system to be as close to perfect as possible and money is no object, replace your alternator when you install the amplifiers.
Extra batteries:
Extra batteries are great if you want to listen to your system with the engine off. While the alternator is charging, the extra batteries will only draw current which could otherwise be going to your amplifiers. For proof, all you have to do is measure the voltage while the engine is running. It should be approximately 13.5-14.4 volts DC. Then turn the engine off and measure the battery voltage again. Now it'll be around 12-12.5 volts. Whenever the voltage at the battery is up around 14 volts, there is current flowing into the battery.
One Farad capacitors:
Large, one Farad, capacitors only help to maintain the charging voltage for a tiny fraction of a second under high current demand situations. They do a fine job of filling small dips in voltage and may help reduce your lights from dimming but they won't really solve your current supply problems if your alternator can't keep up.
NOTE: Capacitors DO NOT increase the charging system's voltage.
Battery Isolators:

Battery isolators only prevent draining your starting battery when playing your system with the engine off. Most of the time they will actually rob power from your system. Diode type isolators will usually have a small voltage drop across the diodes (approximately .4 - .7 volts). This loss of voltage will dissipate power in the form of heat and unless you're freezing to death, it doesn't help matters. Solenoid type isolators don't have as much voltage loss as the diode based isolators but the solenoid coil does pull current. Some coils may pull as much as 3 amps of current. Now 3 amps of current isn't much but if you're using 2 solenoids and you're already having trouble with a weak alternator, it'll just add to your problem.

M.E.C.P & First-Class

Go slow and drink lots of water...Procrastinators' Unite...Tomorrow!

tommy...

Gold - Posts: 1,901

Joined: December 10, 2004

Location: United States

Posted: September 28, 2009 at 1:08 AM / IP Logged

The big 3 should have been done many,many posts ago...! You need to do this and then check voltage...Then make you decision...!

M.E.C.P & First-Class

Go slow and drink lots of water...Procrastinators' Unite...Tomorrow!

imupabove

Copper - Posts: 369

Joined: March 14, 2009

Location: California, United States

Posted: September 28, 2009 at 1:10 AM / IP Logged

im not planning to blast my music with the engine off. i always have my engine running when i play my music.

imupabove

Copper - Posts: 369

Joined: March 14, 2009

Location: California, United States

Posted: September 28, 2009 at 1:12 AM / IP Logged

tommy... wrote:

The big 3 should have been done many,many posts ago...! You need to do this and then check voltage...Then make you decision...!

okay. so your saying to do the big 3 first before anything right? how would i know if i need to upgrade my alt.?

tommy...

Gold - Posts: 1,901

Joined: December 10, 2004

Location: United States

Posted: September 28, 2009 at 1:19 AM / IP Logged

By doing the big 3...Checking voltage...Then...if needed...upgrade the alternator...! Im guessing this is going to be inevitable...!(upgrading alternator...)...But you have to upgrade these wires anyway...Do that first...! What size power wire do you have... What size is the wire from your alternator to the battery...? How about the wire from the negative battery terminal to the chassis...? (kirchoffs law) did i spell that right...? Something about the sum entering must equal the sum leaving...

M.E.C.P & First-Class

Go slow and drink lots of water...Procrastinators' Unite...Tomorrow!

imupabove

Copper - Posts: 369

Joined: March 14, 2009

Location: California, United States

Posted: September 28, 2009 at 3:02 AM / IP Logged

tommy... wrote:

when i check the voltage after doing the big 3 .. how would i know to upgrade to new alt.?

all the wiring under the hood is all stock. im guess like 8-12 gauge? im running a 4 gauge from my main battery to my amp.

tommy...

Gold - Posts: 1,901

Joined: December 10, 2004

Location: United States

Posted: September 28, 2009 at 8:23 AM / IP Logged

If the voltage is still low...10-11 is not very good...!

M.E.C.P & First-Class

Go slow and drink lots of water...Procrastinators' Unite...Tomorrow!

Next Page >

Printable version

You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot create polls in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum

Search the12volt.com

Follow the12volt.com

Disclaimer: *All information on this site ( the12volt.com ) is provided "as is" without any warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, including but not limited to fitness for a particular use. Any user assumes the entire risk as to the accuracy and use of this information. Please verify all wire colors and diagrams before applying any information.