honda alt and two batteries

[goodrich]

will my stock alt be able to charge the stock battery and an optima red top all the while powering about <1000rms (4 channel amp and mono amp). some people are telling me that i need a cap but i keep reading that they are a scam. someone else said just hook both batteries and see what happens.

[dlovescaraudio]

dule batteries are not recomened unless you want to play your system with your car off for a longer peroid of time its not a power boost,and it also envolves relays to seperate the two batteries and they both have to be the same type of batteries bought and installed at the same time,and i really think your stock alt is haveing a hard enough time keeping one batterie let alone two if you want more power just get a bigger alt may i suggest www.4alterstart.com they have real cheap high output alt

[Bumpin' Yota]

More CAE published CRAP.

Ok, for starters LOOSE the red top. They are for cold or hot starting temperature extremes ONLY. NOT for an overlaoded electrical system.

Secondary batteries on a stock alt and overloaded electrical system DO help with normal driving - somethign CAE wont tell you because they have no experience with it.

Remember you alternator is the highest voltage point in you electical system. It supplies everything with power. Then your system comes online at full power. The alt is now producing it's max output, but it still isnt enough. As a result the voltage will drop until it hits the floating voltage of the battery(s) in your system. (A 12v battery will float at 12.9-13.5volts) Then the battery(s) and alternator work in concert to supply power to your amp. The more batteries you have, the higher the voltage floor (what the alt and battery's combined voltage drops to) will be. The ONLY problem you will see comes when you deplete the battery's charge. At this point you MUST get off of the system and turn it off to let the alt charge the battery(s) back up. Once this is done, you can do it all over again.

This is PRECISELY how I am running 4 zapco 9.0s (~8.8kw) using only 2 batteries and a mere 190 amp alternator. (According to CAE i'd really need a 900 amp alt....LOL)

As long as you allow some recharge time after banging, extra batteries wil do you LOTS of good. Also keep in mind that doing that IS stressing the alternator, so it may die eventually.....

In the ideal world, yes you should get a high output alternator (I highly recommend www.hoalternators.com) but sometimes $$$ issues prevent it.