battery isolator

[noble brown]

I'm going to install another battery. The two batteries are not the same or in the same state of charge. Both are good however. They are both just regular car batteries. Is a battery isolator a good idea? I'm running a kicker DX 1000.1 at .5 ohms. The stock alt is 120 I think. Atleast 4 gauge wiring all around. the amp cuts off at loud levels. It turns back on if I back off the volume. I think my voltage is dropping below minimum. Not positive, I tried metering it but the voltage was all over the place. If a battery isolator is the way to go what should the rating be?

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[Slo_Ride 5,000+ posts]

If you need two batts then you need 0 guage wire.

 

[noble brown]

I have 0 to a distro and then it drops to 4 to the amp. The alt and ground is 0 too.

 

[Slo_Ride 5,000+ posts]

I have 0 to a distro and then it drops to 4 to the amp. The alt and ground is 0 too.

cool. are the batteries the same type? they dont have to be the same brand but as long as the are the same type you will be fine without an isolater. I've never used one.

 

[noble brown]

I believe so. You mean like deep cycle Or shallow cycle? How can I be sure. They both are the type with the vents since they are designed to go under the backseat of my Lucerne

 

[SounDrive Pro Seller]

The amp is probably going into protect because it's running at .5 and not designed to do so

 

[Slo_Ride 5,000+ posts]

The amp is probably going into protect because it's running at .5 and not designed to do so

wow I didnt catch that. Kicker DX is only stable to 2 ohm, I'm surprised you havent fried it.

 

[jumpshowhigh]

If you're going to put in a battery isolator, go with a POWER-GATE. Not cheap but just plain works as advertised.

 

[argenis69 10+ year member]

Battery isolator will not solve that problem, you should go and do the big 3 with 0 gauge wiring first.

 

[RokintypeRs 10+ year member]

It is a good idea to use a battery isolator because if the resting voltage on the car battery is 12.2 V and your resting voltage on your other battery is 12.4 V then they end up draining each other when an isolator is not installed. It will help to put an isolator on the system to eliminate your batteries from discharging each other. And I would recommend 1/0 AWG OFC wire and a different amp. The amp you have listed is not supposed to be wired down to .5 ohms. You'll end up frying your amp fairly soon.

 

[sthib 10+ year member]

The amp is probably going into protect because it's running at .5 and not designed to do so

For get everything everyone said and listen to this first. Then do what sloride said big 3 0g

 

[ChaseinBass]

I had that amp and it wont even do 1 ohm let alone .05 ohm, I to am really surprised it is still working ! Everyone talks smack about Kicker but there built tough lol

 

[noble brown]

It's the old DX that's stable at 1ohm. I know I am running a risk at .5 but I am not seeing any of the typical warning signs. It's cool as a cucumber when it shuts off. Also I have 0 ground from bat to chassis and to distro. Only big three not done is the alt which is 120 stock. Still think my problem is the .5 ohm?

 

[SounDrive Pro Seller]

It's the old DX that's stable at 1ohm. I know I am running a risk at .5 but I am not seeing any of the typical warning signs. It's cool as a cucumber when it shuts off. Also I have 0 ground from bat to chassis and to distro. Only big three not done is the alt which is 120 stock. Still think my problem is the .5 ohm?

Yes, being under the rated impedance will trigger the protection circuit

 

[noble brown]

Doesn't box increase with volume or is it static. Either way if it was the impedance wouldn't it go into protect from the jump, unless either box rise decreases with level or im completely off base here which is possible to. Just to clarify it does get loud, really loud actually but it always shuts off at a specific point on my remote knob. If I keep it below point though it runs indefinitely. I appreciate the help.