2000 rms too much for 80 amp alternator?

[DeuceLee 10+ year member]

hi yualls,

i was wondering if running about 1800rms (A2400DB) and 200rms (speakers) should be ok or not on a little prizm with a 80 alternator if i did the big 3 and i also got a beefy interstate battery...

Click to read more...

 

[phyphoestilic 5,000+ posts]

I think u should get a bigger alt. I dont think it'll have any problems, lotta dimming tho. I was running barely 800 watts rms with 80 amp alt and good battery and it was dimming pretty bad when things really hit. Try to get at least a good 120

 

[Chevyaudio 5,000+ posts]

Yes...thats to much. Upgrade your electrical system

 

[killahbean 10+ year member]

do all 1/0 gauge wiring, 2 yellowtops, and big 3.....try that first....

 

[JoshHd6 10+ year member]

id say get another battery..

 

[Fast1one 10+ year member]

Not going to do any good with 180 amperes of current draw from the sub amp, 20 amperes of current draw from the speaker amplifier, and not to mention the rest of his car ...
Sorry, but more batteries is not going to make up for the alternator only being able to supply 1/3 the required current ...

If he limits the power output to about 900 watts on the sub amp, then he'd be fine ...

But then what's the point of buying an 1800 watt amplifier ?

Lots of head room? //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

 

[killahbean 10+ year member]

Not going to do any good with 180 amperes of current draw from the sub amp, 20 amperes of current draw from the speaker amplifier, and not to mention the rest of his car ...
Sorry, but more batteries is not going to make up for the alternator only being able to supply 1/3 the required current ...

If he limits the power output to about 900 watts on the sub amp, then he'd be fine ... But then what's the point of buying an 1800 watt amplifier ?

i suggested that because I know a guy on Sounddomain his name is Vitveet and he has a stock 80 amp alt on his civic and has 2 ed Nine.1 amps strapped and also an amp for his comps.....all he has is a yellowtop under hood and yellowtop in the trunk with ALL 1/0 gauge wiring, and big 3.....just minimal dimmage hes been using that like that for 2 years.....

 

[05_ZX636 10+ year member]

i have 2 kx1200's at 1 ohm each, tma 4 channel all running off a stock civic 65 amp alt. for now with just an extra yellow top in trunk. its only been about 3 weeks now. i have my HO alt but not on yet

 

[mikey060 10+ year member]

you should be fine...i know someoe running 6kw off a stock mustang alt which is like 60-90 amps not too sure.

 

[thatsgonnahurt 10+ year member]

no need for a second battery unless you do "parking lot" listening period! if you listen to power hungry music than a high output alternator would be the way to go. but before you do that install your system and then decide if you need it. to determine if you need it find someone who has a high output alternator and using jumper cables hook their electrical system up to yours. their engine should be running but leave yours off. turn on your headlights and audio system. if their ho alternator makes a difference go ahead and buy one.

 

[killahbean 10+ year member]

no need for a second battery unless you do "parking lot" listening period! if you listen to power hungry music than a high output alternator would be the way to go. but before you do that install your system and then decide if you need it. to determine if you need it find someone who has a high output alternator and using jumper cables hook their electrical system up to yours. their engine should be running but leave yours off. turn on your headlights and audio system. if their ho alternator makes a difference go ahead and buy one.

lol.....

 

[Live4SkimLC 10+ year member]

I personally run a USAMPS MD2D and a doors amp off my 80 amp alt. Barely any dimmage. I did the Big 3 and run all 1/0 gauge. And optima under the hood. :-D

 

[CBRworm 10+ year member]

You can listen to the system at normal volumes forever on your stock alt with some dimming at loud points. If you are doing 2kw continuous, it will **** down the battery(s) even with the alternator putting out full current. It will take some time for the electrical system to get back up to full voltage.

If you plan on using the full potential of all your equipment - that alternator will not be able to do it, additional batteries won't help much either - as soon as you use all the power the alternator can make, the voltage will drop to the battery voltage (under load usually around 12.5-13 volts). When that happens either your amp will draw more amps (causing even more load on the electrical system) or your output will drop.

Additionally your alt will only put out its rated output at some RPM and above (probably about 3K), and when it gets hot its ouput will drop as well.

In short - No.

 

[DeuceLee 10+ year member]

yeah i just wanna say thanks for all the replies...

i know its alittle late buts its been a while since i've been here...

i haven't actually bought the A2400DB yet but i will reconsider buying something less now...

i was also researching and also found this and was pretty helpful:

http://www.termpro.com/articles/electsys.html

but thanks for all your inputs...

 

[n2audio 5,000+ posts]

that's a good write up, but something a lot of people tend to leave out is the fact that the full volume power requirement of music is not close to the full volume test tone power of any given amp. Music is roughtly 1/3 (at the most) that of test tones.

It is that principle that allows people to run 1000w+ amps off relatively small stock electrical systems with no problems at all.

In your case, I'd say you're right on the line. I don't think that PA is actually capable of 1800w - I'd guess more in the 1200w range (but I may be wrong). So that, coupled with the real-world power requirements of music -- I think it might work alright. Then again - if you're one of those people that blasts it every second you're in your car, then an alt upgrade is definitely in your future.