Do I need an electrical upgrade??

[Juulian]

I have an 02 Chevy Tahoe and have had the same system since I was 15. A 50 dollar power Acoustik PL-51b 300w 4CH head unit, old hand me down 600w 2 channel amp on the subs and old hand me down 600w 4 channel amp on the doors, Walmart coaxial door speakers, and 200 dollar pawn shop 150w rms kicker comp 12’s. I have some new deaf bonce apocalypse M61SE pro 6.5 midranges on the way for the doors and just bought a taramps smart5bass amp and 2 2500w rms sundown xv3 12’s in a tru spec box.

With the new subs, new sub amp, new door speakers, same 600w 4CH amp, and same power acoustik head unit, do I need to upgrade my alternator or get a power cell (I know nothing about extra batteries/power cells) or do a big 3 kit?? What upgrades are necessary if there are any???

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[dragon.breath 10+ year member]

You will definitely need upgrades. The big 3 and a high output alternator and/or a lithium battery.

 

[RobGMN 5,000+ posts]

A definite maybe. The Taramps pulls 230A at full tilt.
Any idea what your other amp draws?

What are your listening needs?
Before you spend the money on an alternator, hook it all up and listen like you normally would, and check your current draw.

If you need an alternator, doing one after a full install is no different than during.

 

[Juulian]

A definite maybe. The Taramps pulls 230A at full tilt.
Any idea what your other amp draws?

What are your listening needs?
Before you spend the money on an alternator, hook it all up and listen like you normally would, and check your current draw.

If you need an alternator, doing one after a full install is no different than during.

I looked up the manual and it says the current consumption is 35.0A at continuous power, 4ohm.

My listening needs are to be as loud as possible without causing damage to any part of my setup. I’m not going to ride around with the volume up all the time, but I’m about to move back to college for my sophomore year and with the new sundowns and door speakers I want to be the loudest one on campus lol.

I’m gonna take your advice and install the new speakers, subs, and amp then see if my lights are dimming, voltage dropping, etc.

 

[RobGMN 5,000+ posts]

I looked up the manual and it says the current consumption is 35.0A at continuous power, 4ohm.

My listening needs are to be as loud as possible without causing damage to any part of my setup. I’m not going to ride around with the volume up all the time, but I’m about to move back to college for my sophomore year and with the new sundowns and door speakers I want to be the loudest one on campus lol.

I’m gonna take your advice and install the new speakers, subs, and amp then see if my lights are dimming, voltage dropping, etc.

Good idea.
Plan for the big picture. Exceeding you alternator's capability once in a while is fine.
Once you got the point where your battery is no longer being charged, you know the next step.

 

[Doxquzme Premium Member]

Skip the Alt upgrade, get yourself a GloweVoltage series 1 or 2, whichever is available on your stock alt, and be done.

Glowe Voltage - Series 2

Double the power. Half the cost. The future is now.

glowevoltage.com

This is my go-to on draw, for most people - daily drivers.

 

[Popwarhomie 5,000+ posts]

Absolutely need electrical upgrades. I ran a 320 amp alternator and 40ah of LTO lithium on that same amp.

Here is a 370 amp alternator and 54ah sodium lithium prebuilt battery.

Alternators | HP-8247-370 | Autotech

autotechengineeringusa.com

Sodium 6kW Battery Pack (with 18Ah Sodium Cells)

Sodium 6kW Battery Pack (with 18Ah Sodium Cells) with characters of, fast charge in 6mins, wide temp range (-50°~60°)no fire, no explosion.

srikobatteries.com

 

[Doxquzme Premium Member]

I would add, OFC big-3 too, adequate cabling for all, then the GV, should be fine. Most are never going to come close to using max potential, but if you do, this will still cover it.

 

[deez283 10+ year member]

What size and brand power wire you're running?

 

[Juulian]

Update: I took my truck to 3 different audio shops to get their opinion and a quote for the install. All 3 shops said I need to run an auxiliary AGM battery to a thicker wiring kit, big 3, and an isolator.

One shop said for the install and the extra things I need (AGM battery, wiring kit, and isolator) it’d be around $1012 said and done,

When I asked him for a break down of that price here’s what he said

Krank it up AGM cell - $250
Sky high car audio 1/0 ofc wiring kit - $229
Nemesis audio isolator - $99
Labor and taxes - remaining $450

 

[dragon.breath 10+ year member]

Lithium and sodium batteries cheap enough now that running agm in a system that size doesn’t make sense.
Also, be security conscious. Having the loudest vehicle at a college is a good way to get your stuff jacked.

 

[Popwarhomie 5,000+ posts]

Update: I took my truck to 3 different audio shops to get their opinion and a quote for the install. All 3 shops said I need to run an auxiliary AGM battery to a thicker wiring kit, big 3, and an isolator.

One shop said for the install and the extra things I need (AGM battery, wiring kit, and isolator) it’d be around $1012 said and done,

When I asked him for a break down of that price here’s what he said

Krank it up AGM cell - $250
Sky high car audio 1/0 ofc wiring kit - $229
Nemesis audio isolator - $99
Labor and taxes - remaining $450

Telling you right now a single AGM battery with no HO alternator is NOT going to run a Taramps 5k. Takes power to make power.

 

[Juulian]

Telling you right now a single AGM battery with no HO alternator is NOT going to run a Taramps 5k. Takes power to make power.

Ok, so HO alternator AND AGM battery or just the alternator with the big 3 will do?

 

[Popwarhomie 5,000+ posts]

Ok, so HO alternator AND AGM battery or just the alternator with the big 3 will do?

Big 3 is a must have no matter what.
At least a 300+ amp alternator and AGM in the front and back.

Again I ran mine on a 320 amp alternator and a 40ah LTO lithium battery in the back.

 

[RobGMN 5,000+ posts]

Telling you right now a single AGM battery with no HO alternator is NOT going to run a Taramps 5k. Takes power to make power.

I have not run one of those amps.
If it pulls 230 at full boogie, why did you need 370 to stay alive?
Or did you go big since you had to replace it to eclipse the 230A anyway?

 

[Doxquzme Premium Member]

Ok, so HO alternator AND AGM battery or just the alternator with the big 3 will do?

You need to do the big 3, run 1/0 from the largest AGM you can fit under the hood then and get yourself a GlowVoltage series 1 or 2, LifePo4, no isolator needed, no HO alt needed either unless you expect to run max load sustained, which VERY unlikely, and even then, you could see up to 20 minutes at close to or actually at max.

In this diagram, I have the Glow\Voltage as the 2nd battery (first not in the picture) and then use whatever distro you like. I like this one, but I'm also running three amps.

Here is doubling up the bass 5k Lower box in black), and single or double runs to the 4 channel Top in red), either of which power is provided by the GV lithium.

The voltage differences are negligible and no isolator is needed.

I run my system, off my stock 110 Alt.

 

[Popwarhomie 5,000+ posts]

I have not run one of those amps.
If it pulls 230 at full boogie, why did you need 370 to stay alive?
Or did you go big since you had to replace it to eclipse the 230A anyway?

Taramps saying 230 amps "on music" isn't saying much. It's still a 5000 watt amp and ohms law will always be a law.

 

[Popwarhomie 5,000+ posts]

I run my system, off my stock 110 Alt.

Which is what 1000 watts clamped? Stinger 4k at 4 ohms if your signature is still accurate?

 

[Doxquzme Premium Member]

Which is what 1000 watts clamped? Stinger 4k at 4 ohms if your signature is still accurate?

Fact, as is always the case, I qualify my comment with information so that the op can make a call. fact is, very few individuals are ever going to see anything anywhere ear 250 amp draws, in a daily driver thus the need to educate with stuff like this:



To your point, no, it's 2300 watts (now running at 2 ohms) to peaks of close to 4000 watts from the 4k alone, so, still, even when I am blowing the ears off anyone willing to stay in the car, 68 to 75 amps constant clamped is the most I've ever pulled.

AND, at 65 amps, you cannot sit in the car, not even reasonably comfortable at those volumes anyway (and I won't allow it due to potential hearing loss/damage), so unless that's not the case and you're competing, accurate advice.

Granted, in newer cars, replacing the alt can be a bit daunting, not so much in an 02 Tahoe but still, if it isn't necessary, then it's not.

 

[Popwarhomie 5,000+ posts]

it's 2300 watts (now running at 2 ohms) to peaks of close to 4000 watts from the 4k alone

What in the world makes you think you are getting 4k out of that amp wired at 2 ohms and then saying the most you have ever clamped is 65-75 amps. You are seeing 1k watts...

This is why you keep telling people they don't need an HO alternator. You are running the power a stock electrical vehicle can handle.