Alternator question?

[86stangalang 10+ year member]

I know I need a new alternator, my question is how many amps does it need to be? I can either get a 150 amp or 200 amp. I would rather get the 150 because it's cheaper but if I have to I will get the 200 amp. I have 1 1000 watt amp and 1 360 watt amp. I eventually want to get a second 1000 watt amp, but that might not ever happen and if it does it won't be for awhile. Thanks for the help.

Click to read more...

 

[ss3079 5,000+ posts]

Do you know how much current each amp draws at full power? You can go by that and then leave room for the amp you plan on buying in the future.

- Steve

 

[Savant 10+ year member]

I use this calculator for guestimations..

http://www.eatel.net/~amptech/elecdisc/systemdesignassistant.swf

If you listed 'RMS' values for your amps, 2360 Watts (at ~50% efficiency on the AB class amps) means you draw ~340 amps at full power.. If you listed max wattage, figure 1/2 that for RMS.. so ~170amps..

Hope that helps //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[donlovescaraudi 10+ year member]

savant can you help me?i have a total rms of 1200rms class d ,300 watts rms class ab and 100rms class ab

 

[Savant 10+ year member]

Ok.. here's what I got for figures..

1200 Class D (~80 efficiency) -> 109 amps

300 Class AB (~50 efficiency) -> 43 amps

100...".......".............".......... -> 14 amps

----------------------------------------------

Total ---------------------------- ~166 amps..

Hope that helps //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif