how much power am i using?

i have anb problem. here i might have to change my alt. Right now it is 140 amps and heres what i have hooked up. 2 jbl 1200.bp 1 amps. Each has three 40 amp fuses running off four guage power and ground. The fuse from the battery is 150 amps. now the other amp is an sony for my mids and tweets and 

t has an 30 amp fuse and it main fuse to the battery is 30 amps. i also have 3 7.2 inch tvs and they are running with one 20 amp fuse for all of them. i also have an ps2 hooked up and it runs off an power inverter and that uses an 40 amp fuse also. at night my lights dim real bad and i took everybodys advice and skipped the caps. my battery is an yellow top optima and the engine is an 77 olds rocket and the alt is an proform..........thanks need advice

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goingcrazyonsound

who said dont use a cap? Jeeze, I think hooking a cap between your JBL's and the battery would help alot, those are obviously the most demanding power drain. You might also add a second battery dedicated to powering those. Thats just my take, I'll let some others offer their advice now

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"Shiny chrome when used in conjunction with bikini models is particularly effective in inducing brain deficit disorder"

02 Jeep Grand Cherokee

Monster System on its way.

You have a serious power delivery and supply problem. That is a huge draw on one alternator, especially if you have the system turned up. I would be upgrading to 1/0 power  / ground wire front to back. I would reground the battery to alternator / frame / engine block. I would upgrade the power wire from alternator to battery. An amp cannot make current unless it gets it. You are trying to breath through a straw with the 4 gauge wire that you are using. Where have you grounded the amps to? A MBI and a second battery may be in the works for you, but remember that it still needs to be charged and you have just plain run out of power.

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Top Secret, I can tell you but then my wife will kill me.

actually a cap will just add more strain to the electrical system. your system is already overloaded and it will fight to keep the cap up to par as well. what you really need is a new alt, like you said. with the way the fuses are you can draw up to 200 amps, and your alt only puts out 140. i would recommend at least 250 amp alt. by the way, the only time a dedicated battery is useful is if you are playing your stereo a lot with the car off.

im grounding the wires to the trunk frame using 4 guage wires same with the power to an block with 4 guage inputs and 4 guage outputs............so looks like im gonnna get an new alt at least 200 amps or more. any suggestions on alt like stinger or good quality brands

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goingcrazyonsound

Bosch, Quick Start, Zena, Ample, Purevolt... depends on your vehicle.  You can get much higher output than the 200 amp Stinger from Zena for about the same price.

i would probaly be better off getting and enclosure for 3 kicker comp 12's and using just one jbl 1200.bp1 amp right because it puts out the same power at 1 or 2 ohms and 3 subs wired down to 1 .3 ohms

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goingcrazyonsound

get a 200 amp alt and maybe a couple caps one for each amp

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---- 1996 Chevy S10 ----
1 Lightning Audio S2.600.2 Amp
2 Lightning Audio 12" Subs
1 Lightning Audio 1 Farad Cap

ya i did some surfing and found an 250 amp alt for 439 not bad but why do i need to change the power cable when it is 4 guage. last year i had 1 gauge and i wasnt hitting no harder

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goingcrazyonsound

check out www.mechman.com for alts, , they have the best for the price

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2003 Chevy Avalanche,Eclipse CD7000,Morel Elate 5,Adire Extremis,Alpine PDX-4.150, 15" TC-3000, 2 Alpine PDX-1.1000, 470Amp HO Alt.