All about batteries

[starvingf150 10+ year member]

I just called a guy at some shop thats a dealer for kinetik. Says he has a used 1400 that "hasn't been used for more than a few shows". And he only wants a $100.

Well the big question is, is it worth it to buy used batteries? And how would I know if it truly wasn't used much. Is there a way to test it on a load or with a meter or something?

If not I need to ask him what is prices are new.

Kinetik's site says I need 2 1400s, but I was just thinking of getting 2 600s or 1 2400 up front. I will only be running 2kw, well 2.5kw total.

Sonicelectronix is the cheapest I have found for batts. Autozone wants 189 for a g34 yellow. Lame

Tell me what I should do.

Thanks,

Ben

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[iceteebone 5,000+ posts]

i don't buy used batteries. kinda like buying used food, i don't like it

 

[rtillaree 10+ year member]

yea i agree, unless u know who has used it and how it was used and u can assure that it will work, buy new batteries...

 

[Relax 10+ year member]

Just test the battery at a local auto parts store- autozone, checker, etc. A battery tester will find out if it has a dead cell, holds a charge. outputs the correct voltage etc. A battery's life is effected by how it is used and the conditions its in- so if after this guy used it, it still checks out good- you are fine. Just implement it correctly and you will be happy. Or you could just buy new for the warranty, and piece of mind.

 

[luvinthebass 5,000+ posts]

x2

 

[audiolife 5,000+ posts]

I just called a guy at some shop thats a dealer for kinetik. Says he has a used 1400 that "hasn't been used for more than a few shows". And he only wants a $100.
Well the big question is, is it worth it to buy used batteries? And how would I know if it truly wasn't used much. Is there a way to test it on a load or with a meter or something?

If not I need to ask him what is prices are new.

Kinetik's site says I need 2 1400s, but I was just thinking of getting 2 600s or 1 2400 up front. I will only be running 2kw, well 2.5kw total.

Sonicelectronix is the cheapest I have found for batts. Autozone wants 189 for a g34 yellow. Lame

Tell me what I should do.

Thanks,

Ben

kinetik is rated for the rms wattage of the amps. people go off of regular battery specs thinking cca is everything..its not especially for day in and out listening.

reserve power (keeps working stable for longer), actually right sized battery (go to small they could vent and bubble thats with any battery), being agm it presents less of a load to your alt than a wet cell, and kinetik will back up their product with warranty and tech support.want more specs or to see how to propperly install a second or more batteries look here ....http://www.kinetikaudio.com/manuals/khccells.pdf

 

[starvingf150 10+ year member]

So is reserve power the most important factor then? I just din't know how Kinetik is as far as business. If their battery caculator is for more marketing that "real world".

Well then what is the "formula" for amp draw compared to a battery.

For instance if I have a total draw of 200A a second right? Does that mean a 600A will last 3 seconds before tapped? Please excuse my iggnorance, I am just very much a novice when it comes to batts.

Thanks,

Ben

 

[starvingf150 10+ year member]

Ok, more aware now that I read the file from kinetik.

But still about reserve..It is at 25A rated by minutes right? So can I just multiply current and divide reserve time by same number and have it be correct?

Cause I know my alt wont put out needed current at full tilt. So just wondering how much "time" I have before my batts are tapped. I hope I may get some serious competitors on here to help me.

I also know for sure that I will be running a total of 2 batts, no more, one upfront, one in back.

Thanks again,

Ben

 

[audiolife 5,000+ posts]

if your alt works even a 1400 will power a system by itself for a long time. my set up (which isn't big though -600 watts) i can charge a battery (for RC cars) and listen to music key off for a good 30 min un hook the charger and start my truck up easy and still not have any flickering(not full blast but you can still hear it for a good distance windows down). i usually did that 2 times then go drive to a restaurant then back to the track and do it 2 more times. music is dynamic , the charger is a constant 7-8 amps.its sort of hard to throw a real time on it with a dynamic load. i have seen 5 hc 600s power a 3500 watt system at shows for over 40 minutes before you notice dimming (again not cranked but well above a moderate volume) there are alot of variables though such as impedance rise and the actual music it self. just know im talking in terms of minutes without an outside power source even helping.

 

[starvingf150 10+ year member]

thats good to know. I am going to measure know to see how big I can go, especially in the stock batt box.

Is it really bad to do a bigger batt upfront and smaller in back?

Thanks for the help..

Ben

 

[SUB_URBAN 10+ year member]

I worked as an assitant collecting used auto parts, all I do is go wait for some totaled newer suvs to come into the junkyard and buy the batts for around 5-10$. buy 3-4 and you are sure to have at least 1 in really good condition and 2 others will be ok with 1 being dead. Go test them and autozone and find out which are good.

 

[Thnking 10+ year member]

In terms of discharge:

Reserve capacity is the number of minutes that a battery can support a 25 ampere load at 80°F until its terminal voltage drops to 1.75 volts per cell, it’s not very useful for a car audio application. It’s probably the least important.

The Ah rating is more important, because with a properly sized alternator, there will only be leakage and pulse loads. The Ah tell you the capacity of the battery for a specific time with a specific discharge rate. These are long discharge times, typically something like 10hours or 8 hours with X amps. It also important for determining capacity when many batteries are hooked up to support a load.

The CCA is kind of important to competitors (as a vague guideline due to temps), because it tells us the number of amperes a battery can support for 30 seconds at a temperature of 0°F until the battery voltage drops to 1.20 volts per cell.

More important than CCA would be HCA (you guessed it Hot Cranking Amps), because it tell us the same info as CCA only at 80°F. MCA (Marine Cranking Amps) is at 32°F.

Probably the most important battery spec. to audio and the least defined and used is Pulse Cranking Amps (PCA). Hawker coined this as a shorter than 30sec time period discharge at 77°F until the battery drops to 1.2 volts per cell.

When a battery discharge time is decreased, capacity decreases. So a battery with a CCA or HCA rating, when discharged into a small time period like 3 seconds or 1 second, loses much of its capacity.

 

[ultimate157 5,000+ posts]

i don't buy used batteries. kinda like buying used food, i don't like it

you've bought used food before? //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/blackeye.gif.66a1670f5aaf7f406e783a63e3387dc5.gif

 

[audiolife 5,000+ posts]

In terms of discharge:Reserve capacity is the number of minutes that a battery can support a 25 ampere load at 80°F until its terminal voltage drops to 1.75 volts per cell, it’s not very useful for a car audio application. It’s probably the least important.

The Ah rating is more important, because with a properly sized alternator, there will only be leakage and pulse loads. The Ah tell you the capacity of the battery for a specific time with a specific discharge rate. These are long discharge times, typically something like 10hours or 8 hours with X amps. It also important for determining capacity when many batteries are hooked up to support a load.

The CCA is kind of important to competitors (as a vague guideline due to temps), because it tells us the number of amperes a battery can support for 30 seconds at a temperature of 0°F until the battery voltage drops to 1.20 volts per cell.

More important than CCA would be HCA (you guessed it Hot Cranking Amps), because it tell us the same info as CCA only at 80°F. MCA (Marine Cranking Amps) is at 32°F.

Probably the most important battery spec. to audio and the least defined and used is Pulse Cranking Amps (PCA). Hawker coined this as a shorter than 30sec time period discharge at 77°F until the battery drops to 1.2 volts per cell.

When a battery discharge time is decreased, capacity decreases. So a battery with a CCA or HCA rating, when discharged into a small time period like 3 seconds or 1 second, loses much of its capacity.

i often call AH reserve. i totally ignore reserve minutes because thats only good for trolling motors and car audio isnt bass fishing!//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/laugh.gif.48439b2acf2cfca21620f01e7f77d1e4.gif