alternator concerns

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dertitan2

Member - Posts: 12

Joined: September 30, 2009

Location: North Carolina, United States

Posted: October 08, 2009 at 11:15 AM / IP Logged

2009 Pontiac Vibe 1.8L Base, Kenwood KDC-X693 HU, Alpine PDX 4.100 for Front & Rears, Alpine PDX 1.600 for Sub, JL Audio 12" W6v2 Sub in Sealed Pro Wedge Box, Alpine SPX-13Pro 5 1/4" component speakers Front, Alpine SPR-13C 2-Way Coax Speakers Rear.

The alternator on my car is rated at 80 Amps. Should I just go ahead and plan on replacing with a HO Alternator, or as long as I play my system normally will I be just fine??

If I need to replace, what size Alternator should I have installed?

P.S. I have not installed this system yet, I am just trying to identify any potential issues.

oerllikon

Member - Posts: 7

Joined: October 07, 2009

Location: Wisconsin, United States

Posted: October 08, 2009 at 4:56 PM / IP Logged

Hey, i had an 80 in my escort. I was running a txi 6006, and my headlights were still dimming like crazy. I would wait until this one dies, and then go for a HO. It wouldnt hurt trying the big 3 if you havent already

ckeeler

Gold - Posts: 1,461

Joined: June 20, 2008

Location: New Mexico, United States

Posted: October 08, 2009 at 5:02 PM / IP Logged

do the big three now because your gonna have to did it anyway once you replace the alternator. might as well.

xtremej

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Joined: February 24, 2006

Location: United States

Posted: October 12, 2009 at 3:52 PM / IP Logged

Have the big 3 done. Are yiou having current issues now?

haemphyst

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Joined: January 19, 2003

Location: Michigan, Bouvet Island

Posted: October 13, 2009 at 12:53 AM / IP Logged

oerllikon wrote:

I would wait until this one dies, and then go for a HO.

This is EXCEPTIONALLY bad advice! Have you ever noticed that when your voltage gets low, your amps run hotter? Ohm's Law, baby! The amps are trying to do the same amount of work on lower voltage. This means they have to pull more current, causing additional heat build-up. This SAME phenomenon happens to all of the other electronics in the car, i.e. that $1200 (plus installation and programming if necessary) ECU under your passenger's seat... THESE devices have just enough heat sinking on them to dissipate NORMAL amounts of power... Try to remove more heat, and it can't happen, and the device FRIES!

If your lights are dimming, you need to address your alternator NOW!

It all reminds me of something that Molière once said to Guy de Maupassant at a café in Vienna: "That's nice. You should write it down."

hot rodder

Member - Posts: 9

Joined: July 08, 2009

Location: Illinois, United States

Posted: October 13, 2009 at 4:12 PM / IP Logged

Nice system. I have nearly the identical set up in my 1968 Chevy running a 63 amp alternator on a 396 big block. The amp draw calculator says you will draw @ 75 amps with that wattage. I run 2 600 amp batteries (front and rear) with 1/0 awg Memphis cables between and have no problems. I have run the system cranked for nearly 5 hours with the car off and the car starts right up. You have fuel injection and electric fuel pump though which draw a little more operating amps than an old car. You need more 'stored' amperage supply. Go with another battery if you can before stressing over another alternator.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My Project:

https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp~TID~115234~PN~1

boxhead78

Copper - Posts: 84

Joined: October 07, 2009

Location: California, United States

Posted: October 18, 2009 at 11:29 PM / IP Logged

if you are pushing that much power. i know you should have a capacitor on that system

boxead78

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alternator concerns

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