the12volt.com spacer
the12volt.com spacer
the12volt.com spacer
the12volt.com spacer
icon

3 batteries and ho alt, necessary?


Post ReplyPost New Topic
< Prev Topic Next Topic >
aznboi3644 
Gold - Posts: 2,600
Gold spaceThis member consistently provides reliable informationspace
Joined: May 01, 2006
Location: United States
Posted: May 24, 2007 at 3:09 PM / IP Logged  
Here is a guy with an '03 H3 hummer who just fried his alternator because it was strained too much. HO Alt is a must with big amps
twobig86 
Copper - Posts: 84
Copper spacespace
Joined: November 30, 2005
Posted: May 24, 2007 at 3:43 PM / IP Logged  

I am already planning on buying a HO alternator --- Im going to get it custom made through a dealer here - Also I will be doing the Big 3 upgrade as well.  Now since I already have the two caps why would I ditch them?  Do they not help the system?  Im still getting another battery and the HO alternator...since I have them should I use them?  Or if not could you explain why not?  Its not like im going to go out and buy them...I already own them lol.

Now back to the question about that paritcular Isolator...since I really really dont want to buy two new batteries since I have one, my batteries wont be identical.  Reading that artical that he linked clearly stated that the two batteries must be identical and within about 6 months of each other - correct me if im wrong please.  So since my batteries will be 1 year apart I will need that isolater will I not?  If so is that isolator sufficient?

P.S. Im not trying to bash what you all are saying but Im trying to get all sides to it, so when I make my final decision I know 100% that I made the right one.

Thanks again for all the responses.

haemphyst 
Platinum - Posts: 5,054
Platinum spaceThis member has been recognized as an authority in Electrical Theory. Click here for more info.spaceThis member has been recognized as an authority in Mobile Audio and Video. Click here for more info.spacespace
Joined: January 19, 2003
Location: Michigan, Bouvet Island
Posted: May 24, 2007 at 4:09 PM / IP Logged  
OK...
1. If you HAVE the caps, generally they don't hurt. Use them, but know they aren't doing what you think they are. There are opposing schools of thought here, but they CAN'T hurt, as I have seen suggested. Just know that they (99+% of the time) DON'T HELP!
2. You are already going to purchase a new battery for the back. This is out of the equation. You are CONSIDERING buying an isolator/solenoid, right? How much is the solenoid going to cost, and I'd like you to figure in all the terminals for the 1/0 cable (3 of them) and your time to install them, let's just say 1 hour if you solder (as I KNOW you were planning on doing... 3 batteries and ho alt, necessary? - Page 2 -- posted image. )
Solenoid 40.00 (probably more, though)
Terminals 12.00 (around that - retail price)
Labor 20.00 per hour (see below)
(That twenty bucks? That's on the VERY low side, my labor is as much as 75 per hour, when working. If I am working on my stereo, I CAN'T be working on something else, and making as much as that, so THAT is how I figure my labor cost...)
$72.00 (up to $127.00) by my math (give or take). How much will buying a second identical battery cost? $80.00? Even an Optima Red Top (which I recommend, ABSOLUTELY NOT the Yellow Top!!!) will only be $100.00, if you shop around. So, you're looking at an additional outlay of 8 to 28 dollars, OR... I just saved you between 27 and 47 dollars. You're welcome.
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."
bigjul45 
Member - Posts: 46
Member spacespace
Joined: January 15, 2007
Location: United States
Posted: May 24, 2007 at 4:18 PM / IP Logged  
Getting the isolator is not going to hurt anything but I would go with two yellow cap optimas. The battery I have for my sounds is about 3yrs old and my car battery is about 1yr old. I have no problems and my system thumps. Doing any of the things people has stated are all good. you can sell the caps on ebay but for me my cap helps my lights stop dimming when I have heavy bass drops.
twobig86 
Copper - Posts: 84
Copper spacespace
Joined: November 30, 2005
Posted: May 24, 2007 at 6:48 PM / IP Logged  

haemphyst thanks for that info - I am now considering your other alternative lol.  But I now have to ask why NOT the Yellow Top?   Whats wrong with the Yellow Top ones from reading their site it looks like they recommend their Yellow ones for car audio instead of the red ones?  So are you recommending I get rid of my Yellow Top Battery and instead purchase two Red top batteries?  One for under my hood and one for the trunk?  Or would you recommend the batteries made by Kinetic - I have heard very good things about them.  Either battery I decide upon I would then connect them both to my custom made HO Alternator like that post that I was refered to previously.  Am I correct so far?  That way I dont need to purchase an isolator / solenoid.

I made this very bad sketch of how I envision this two battery set up --- All wiring shown would be 0 gauge wiring.

(Please forgive the sizes of the batteries to the car and alternator.  I am not an artist!)

Also all the wiring for the Big 3 upgrade would be 0 Gauge as well am I correct?

Lastly any idea of how many amps my custom alternator should be putting out?  Thanks.

twobig86 
Copper - Posts: 84
Copper spacespace
Joined: November 30, 2005
Posted: May 24, 2007 at 6:51 PM / IP Logged  

Well thats alot of white space that I wasnt expecting...opps.  Well then hopefully this link will work...I dont want to run into that problem again...waste of space.

Here is a link: https://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i320/twobig86/DiagramforBatts.jpg

haemphyst 
Platinum - Posts: 5,054
Platinum spaceThis member has been recognized as an authority in Electrical Theory. Click here for more info.spaceThis member has been recognized as an authority in Mobile Audio and Video. Click here for more info.spacespace
Joined: January 19, 2003
Location: Michigan, Bouvet Island
Posted: May 24, 2007 at 7:03 PM / IP Logged  
Red top vs. Yellow top...
Here's why...
And here's why...
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."
twobig86 
Copper - Posts: 84
Copper spacespace
Joined: November 30, 2005
Posted: May 28, 2007 at 9:59 AM / IP Logged  

Thanks again for all the advice Haemphyst -  I have been away on a white water rafting trip so thats why I havnt checked in over the weekend...btw if you like outdoor stuff and adreneline rushs whitewater rafting is for you lol.

Anyways I have given in and will be purchasing two red top batteries when I set my system up.  I thank you for all your advice as it was extremely helpful. 

Still the only thing that I still dont know is how big should my custom alternator be? 

Those 3 amps have 250 amp fuses combined

100 amp fuse + 100 amp fuse + 50 amp fuse = 250 amps

250 amps * 14.4 volts = 3600 watts

Am I right so far?  Anyways from here I dont know how to go.  I dont know what type of car I will be purchasing either so I dont know how high the HO alternator for that car is.  However im thinking I will need to do the custom one anyways.  Any help on an approximate amperage for the alternator would be great.

bigjul45 
Member - Posts: 46
Member spacespace
Joined: January 15, 2007
Location: United States
Posted: May 29, 2007 at 1:33 PM / IP Logged  
Your welcome I think I'm going to upgrade my ALT as well. My pics are on cardomain.com my user name is bigjul45 I have a 1997 Chevy Tahoe. Those pics are old but the hook up under the hood is the same. I have a neww setup inside shoot me your email and I will send you those.
wopaim 
Member - Posts: 5
Member spacespace
Joined: June 04, 2007
Location: United States
Posted: June 18, 2007 at 2:28 AM / IP Logged  

i came across this on a website and thought it was interesting since there seems to be some conflicting agreement about the yellow top vs red top. 

"The Yellow Top is still a decent starting battery but due to a different chemistry for the paste material on the plates and a stronger acid it has a little less starting power than the Red Top" 

i guess i was just in the market for a battery and one said redtop and the other said yellow.  it was 50/50 so it made it a little hard to jump the fence on which one to buy.  anyway what do you guys think about the statement above?

Page of 3

  Printable version Printable version Post ReplyPost New Topic
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 Follow the12volt.com on Facebook
Saturday, May 4, 2024 • Copyright © 1999-2024 the12volt.com, All Rights Reserved Privacy Policy & Use of Cookies
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.

Secured by Sectigo
the12volt.com spacer
the12volt.com spacer
the12volt.com spacer
Support the12volt.com
Top
the12volt.com spacer
the12volt.com spacer