12 volts to 17.5 volts

hello.im old.lol but have been rocking sence 8 tracks and power boosters.i have a 1998 chevy cavalier.12 volt.i have an american base 400.1 amp and a crunch pro 3000 ground pounder amp.now as i said im old..and i am trying to figure out how you acheive 14 volts or 17.5 volts from my 12 volt system.the american base pushes twice the power at 17.5 volts same with the crunch. so how is this voltage acheived. im tring to learn new things to make my system pound as it should.and one thing is the voltage and how you do it.sorry if i sound stupid here but im just wanting to learn any replys appreciated..thanksjl-audio13w7 2 12.2 orion hccas.. massive p1500.1 amp.. american base amp 400.1 spl.. crunch 3000 pro amp..2 jl-audio 15w4d4s subs

You can't, unless you have a separate, dedicated and discrete power system JUST for the amplifiers. The rest of the electronics in the car are ALL designed to use 12 volts (nominal). You'll fry em almost immediately with 17V. So, this means a separate 17V alternator, a 16V (8 cell) battery, additional weight, added complexity... For a daily driver? It's a waste of time, money, and LOTS of energy! As far as the amplifiers "making twice the power at that voltage", take that claim with a grain of salt... A BIG ONE. 14.4 X 1.414 = 20.3 V In order for ANY power supply to suddenly make twice the power, you have to supply it with 1.414 times the voltage, (in the case of 14.4V, as shown above, that's 20.3 volts, not 17.5) which will pull 1.414 times the current, which is THEN twice the power. For an amp to "make twice the power at 17 volts", then it will have to run more efficiently. Almost TWICE as efficiently, by my calculations! It can't happen. And all of those statements above assume the same efficiency of energy transfer, which DOESN'T happen as you increase current transfer. Higher current through a semiconductor will ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS have a higher voltage drop, translating into more heat, meaning a lower efficiency. (I do just LOVE blowing manufacturer's claims out of the water... ) Ohm's law says this: 14.4 X 1.21 = 17.5 1.21 X 1.21 = 1.46 So, according to Ohm's law, at 17.5 volts, those amplifiers CANNOT make more than 1.46 times their rated 14.4 volt power - less than 50% more... translating to less than 1dB gain... an increase that you will NEVER hear. Is it worth it to you now that it's all laid out? If it is, you, my friend, need to readjust your priorities! :)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."

A separate 16V Alternator and 16 Volt battery would work. You would be running two different charging systems.

There is a guy in town here that has an Expidition with the factory alternator in stock location charging the 12 volt battery.  He has 2 additional alternators charging the 16 volt batteries.  He burns up an amp or 2 every month. 

Well i got that..lol im not wanting to fry my expensive amps..so im just going to let all that voltage be left alone and stick to the 12..i dont want to spend big dollars on seperate charging system. i just ordered a 200 amp alternater. for the car.so ill stick to what i know..Haemphest you did blow the companys claims out of the water very well written and i do understand...thank you all for your post.it has helped set me straight..lol thanksjl-audio13w7 2 12.2 orion hccas.. massive p1500.1 amp.. american base amp 400.1 spl.. crunch 3000 pro amp..2 jl-audio 15w4d4s subs