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charging system capacity

Printed From: the12volt.com
Forum Name: Car Audio
Forum Discription: Car Stereos, Amplifiers, Crossovers, Processors, Speakers, Subwoofers, etc.
URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=138503
Printed Date: April 29, 2024 at 10:06 AM


Topic: charging system capacity

Posted By: pullingees
Subject: charging system capacity
Date Posted: February 17, 2015 at 1:38 PM

I have a 2014 mustang Gt, planning on running a MMATS 2175 and 1400.1, only running 1-12" pro audio Mmats sub in a 1.5 cut enclosure ported so needless to say so have a lot of headroom for power the 1400.1 puts out.
Will my stock batt and charging system due?

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2014 Mustang GT
Electronics factory, for now..



Replies:

Posted By: oldspark
Date Posted: February 17, 2015 at 3:01 PM
Assuming you run at full power output fulltime you'll need an extra 160A from the alternator at whatever RPM is applicable. That's assuming you want full voltage available full time.
If your alternator output drops below that you'll need a larger output again to make up for lost battery charge.   
If you don't run full power fulltime your alternator can be smaller.
Having enough spare alternator capacity at other times (eg, amp off or lower amp outputs) means being able to fully recharge the battery so that extra (external) charging is unnecessary.

From a reserve time POV, if the alternator is adequately sized, the battery size does not matter. Otherwise it becomes a case of your desired reserve time when power demand exceeds alternator output.

From a battery life POV, life is extended by minimising the discharge current and discharge depth.   


Hence you have to decide your parameters - eg, typical or worst case demand and driving profile, and if you do not want external charging between runs.

I'd suggest leaving the standard battery (probably a wet cell) and adding a 2nd battery for the amps (probably AGM tho a wet cell may be more desirable depending on your needs) with battery isolator rated for 200A or more - eg, a smaller charge-light controlled relay/isolator else voltage controlled aka "smart" (ha ha) battery isolator controlling a 200A or 400A relay/contactor etc.


There are heaps of threads on amp and dual battery installations. IMO stay away from car audio forum advice except where they don't contradict my and similar advice on the12volt and mp3car.com.




Posted By: pullingees
Date Posted: February 17, 2015 at 3:30 PM
By no means will I run at full power all the time, probably around 5% of time. I also will only be using @50% of amps max rated load due to only one dual 4ohm sub

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2014 Mustang GT
Electronics factory, for now..




Posted By: oldspark
Date Posted: February 18, 2015 at 1:41 AM
Ok, so 80 Amps extra to maintain full voltage (ie, typically 14.2-14.4V).
Battery recharge ability depends on the amount it's discharged and the available output from the alternator to replace it over the drive period.




Posted By: mrarff
Date Posted: March 19, 2015 at 12:05 PM
By all means, read the "upgrade the BIG 3" sticky. This will give you an idea of what you need in place for a system that won't dim your lights.

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"That'll get ya 10 in Leavenworth,11 in Twelveworth, or 5 & 10 in Woolworth". Groucho Marx                                                      




Posted By: oldspark
Date Posted: March 19, 2015 at 1:07 PM
Not necessarily - the big 3 can be the cause of dimming lights. Such solutions depend on distribution ie where each load's power take-off is & what the power source is etc.
But the OP was asking about system capacity and the BIG 3 has nothing to do with that. The BIG 3 is a means of reducing losses.

And of course improving the BIG 3 increases alternator and battery strain since higher current is being delivered... posted_image posted_image
pullingees - ignore the last - it's a sendup of comments relating to caps & batts etc increasing alternator or system strain.





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