1500W through stock electrical system?

[c_hayhurst 10+ year member]

I have a 2004 Nissan Sentra that currently runs a sound system of one 750W sub amp and one 250W speaker amp, for 1000W RMS total. If I upgrade my sub amp to 1300W (total system 1550W RMS), will it be safe to keep using my stock electrical system?

I am running 4 guage wire from the battery to the distribution block, an 8 guage wire from the distribution block to the ampliefiers. For the ground wires, it's the same story: 4 guage wire from frame to distribution block, 8 guage wire from distribution block to the amplifiers.

Yeah, I know...I should always do the Big 3. Unfortunately, I'm not mechanically inclined enough to do it and I don't have the money to pay someone to do it for me. Maybe this spring I'll give it a try (and hope I don't fry my electrical system).

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[KickerSoItBump 10+ year member]

What size stock alternator does ur car have? I'm guessing its relatively low, an how is the voltage holding up right now?

 

[WillyG4444 10+ year member]

I had 1X1000 on a sub, and 2X200 on components in my 02 sentra SE-R and I did experience a lot of dimming and such, but nothing major happened to my electrical.

Side note, I don't know if you've read up on the sentra forums, but:

Forums.thevboard.com and B15sentra.net are good sources for sentras!

 

[c_hayhurst 10+ year member]

What size stock alternator does ur car have? I'm guessing its relatively low, an how is the voltage holding up right now?

It's a stock alternator. Here are the specs:

Application QG18DE QR25DE

Type

LR180-769 LR1100-734

HITACHI

Nominal rating 12V-80A 12V-110A

Ground polarity Negative

Minimum revolution under no-load (When 13.5 volts is applied) 1,000 rpm 950 rpm

Hot output current (When 13.5 volts is applied)

23A/1,300 rpm

66A/2,500 rpm

79A/5,000 rpm

35A/1,300 rpm

83A/2,500 rpm

95A/5,000 rpm

Regulated output voltage 14.1 - 14.7V

Minimum length of brush 6 mm (0.236 in)

Brush spring pressure 1.000 - 3.432 N (0.102 - 0.350 kg, 0.225 - 0.772 lbs)

Slip ring minimum outer diameter 26.0 mm (1.024 in)

Rotor (Field coil) resistance 2.67 ohms 2.31 ohms

Using my current setup, the lights don't dim even the slightest bit.

 

[Etac 10+ year member]

alts * volts = watts

so at max

95 * 14.4 = 1368 watts

but dont forget you need some power for your car...

 

[Coolwazabi 10+ year member]

yes but i'd upgrade to some 0 gauge... and don't run your system at full tilt 24/7 and get a volt meter... just to be safe...

 

[bumpin buick 5,000+ posts]

my buddy had a se-r spec v sentra and he put in another batt cause his amp was making his lights go crazy, i beleive he was running just around 1500watts, 1000 for sub and 500 for comps.

 

[Atimm693 10+ year member]

alts * volts = watts
so at max

95 * 14.4 = 1368 watts

but dont forget you need some power for your car...

And effiency for the amplifiers, and whatever the batt(s) adds to that.

After 60% effiency you get 769.5 plus some power for the car at 13.5 volts, 820.8 at 14.4 volts.

The battery adds alot more though, that is if my math is right. I say with a good batt up front and another in the back its a possibility.

 

[fbi90909 5,000+ posts]

x2 on getting a second battery.

do upgrade your wiring to 1/0ga and run the big 3. seriously man is so simple an 11yr old can do it. take pictures of your engine bay and ask wether or not if the location is the ground points or so. or ask for some pictures of someone elses pointing out big 3 locations on their sentras. just take 1/0ga, cut to required lenght of the grounds and the lenght of alt to battery, hammer/vise/clamp on some ring terminals.

unscrew the factory grounding point of a ground, sand it a bit, and put the new ground cable on top or under the exsisting ground cable. repeat process for each point and your done!

 

[lostdaytomorrow 10+ year member]

You need to go 0/1 awg to the back, and 4 awg to the amps if they'll accept it.

I'd suggest getting a Deep cycle under the hood and see how the voltage drops after that and the Big III.

 

[IDSkoT 5,000+ posts]

The thing with getting a second battery, it adds more of a load on your alt, requiring it to charge both batteries. So, eventually both of your batteries will die simply because your alt can't keep up with charging both. [At least if my logic is right].

I've seen people argue for / against 2 batts. And I think from the arguements I've seen, a second battery is good for little boosts, for like competitions and such, but for a DD, you'd want to spend that money on a H.O. Alt.

But, I've been known to be wrong. So, I'm just one hand in the crowd.