1 or 2 batteries?

[plyer3 10+ year member]

Thinking of replacing my stock battery, but don't know if I should just use the new battery as a second battery or just replace the stock battery. My lights dim if playing music at high volume. The new battery should be a Kinetik HC1400 or something similar that can fit under the hood.

Currently have 1200watts rms from Orion 1200D amp with 200watts rms from MTX Thunder 4-channel amp. May upgrade the 4-channel amp to something bigger around 400watts rms soon. Have stock alternator and Duralast battery under the hood. I don't really like the idea of putting another battery in the trunk for several reasons, but don't have any use for my stock battery if I replace it.

Should I replace it or just use the new battery as a second battery?

Alternator will be replaced as well when I get the money soon.

Click to read more...

 

[jrwalte 10+ year member]

The HC1400 won't handle that wattage as your main battery without slight dimming at high volume on transients, even with an HO alt. The HC1400 under the hood and a batcap 800 in the trunk should suffice.

I'm running HC1400 with 1900RMS with a 180A HO alt and I start dimming at moderately high volume. I need to get a Batcap 800 or a Powerpack myself. Haven't decided which one.

 

[plyer3 10+ year member]

hmm, interesting...

may do that then, 4 guage wire for the hc1400 will do from trunk to alt?

 

[C3 Customs 10+ year member]

The HC1400 won't handle that wattage as your main battery without slight dimming at high volume on transients, even with an HO alt. The HC1400 under the hood and a batcap 800 in the trunk should suffice.
I'm running HC1400 with 1900RMS with a 180A HO alt and I start dimming at moderately high volume. I need to get a Batcap 800 or a Powerpack myself. Haven't decided which one.

The Powerpack would work better for your application.

 

[NoPh33rRaCiNg 10+ year member]

run 0 gauge if you can from the front battery to the rear battery. if not 4 gauge is still better than your stock wiring. im running pretty much the same power that you are hifonics bxi1206d ~1k + zxi4406 ~200 and i have stock 105 amp alt in my blazer, red top up front and stinger sp800 in rear, i get little dimming

 

[plyer3 10+ year member]

haha, already have 0 gauge from stock to distro block. but yea will do that most likely.

 

[audiolife 5,000+ posts]

I would get 2 kinetik hc 1200's one for under the hood and one for in the back. I own a 1400 and had ~1500 watts too it with a stock alt and I didnt get any dimming until I had interior lights and the heater fan turned up to high at idle. That was with 1 sub in a sealed box howerver. Mojo M3 D2 sub SS 320.4 and a fusion AM 3000 mono amp.

 

[plyer3 10+ year member]

I wish i can just stick a kinetik hc2400 under the hood.....

 

[bubbagumper6 5,000+ posts]

I had a similar situation...bought a yellowtop and replaced my stock battery but that didn't fix the dimming. Threw the stock battery back in and put the yellowtop in the trunk with the amps wired directly to it...no more dimming //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[Evans1109]

Had a similar setup and like above I replaced my factory battery with a yellow top and added a 10 farad tsunami capacitor and did not have any dimming issue after that.

 

[NoPh33rRaCiNg 10+ year member]

Had a similar setup and like above I replaced my factory battery with a yellow top and added a 10 farad tsunami capacitor and did not have any dimming issue after that.

fail

 

[Evans1109]

fail

That would be a fail why? If by adding a stiffening capacitor is the incorrect thing to do then please tell me what to do? I have been installing car stereos for a long time so I guess I have been building systems incorrectly //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/confused.gif.e820e0216602db4765798ac39d28caa9.gif I guess my MECP training and certification has steered me wrong after all of these years.

LMAO read a {fake wood grain} book!

 

[NoPh33rRaCiNg 10+ year member]

That would be a fail why? If by adding a stiffening capacitor is the incorrect thing to do then please tell me what to do? I have been installing car stereos for a long time so I guess I have been building systems incorrectly //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/confused.gif.e820e0216602db4765798ac39d28caa9.gif I guess my MECP training and certification has steered me wrong after all of these years.
LMAO read a {fake wood grain} book!

capacitors put more of a strain on your electrical, needing to constantly recharge that, use search button theres plenty of threads

 

[Saint211 10+ year member]

I've also had MECP training and the literature more of explains the theory behind capacitors and how to wire them. Meh, I dont use them anymore personally, and my electrical is fairly strong //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

I miss all of the pretty lights and voltage readouts //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[Simek4life 10+ year member]

Had a similar setup and like above I replaced my factory battery with a yellow top and added a 10 farad tsunami capacitor and did not have any dimming issue after that.

Please do not give advice anymore. you FAIL at life.