Consensus here needed - Help Please

[U-H.Com 10+ year member]

I have been reading A LOT into this for the past week. My gear is on the way and I am a little concerned right now. I have an MA Audio HC2502 amplifier which puts out 2500 x 1 @ 1ohm (More than likely over-rated), but never the less I'm guessing about 1500 - 1700 watts. MA Audio, my local repair shop, and few others have told me that I need a second battery. While this is my everyday car for now, this seems to be the wrong idea because a 2nd battery will put more strain on my alternator. I was also told to upgrade my alternator first (btw, I have a 2003 Hyundai Tiburon which has an 80amp alternator). I can upgraded my current alt. to 140 amps for $200. (Although I would be without my car for 3 weeks because I have to send the alt. in) But people tell me that I dont have to go as far as upgrading my alternator. Other people tell me that 3 farads of capitence will suffice. And it seems the majority of people on the group say that caps dont work.

It just seems that everyone I talk to has a different idea, and all I really want is a setup that doesn't leave me stranded on the side of the road with no electrical system.

Now what do people think about this? I dont have a lot of cash for this, so I have to be economical. Should I get a second battery, upgraded alternator (last resort honestly because again, I wont have my everyday car), or get another 2 farads of capitence?

Thanks for any help you can give... I am really looking for the facts and I'm having a hard time trying to find them...//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/confused.gif.e820e0216602db4765798ac39d28caa9.gif

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[taylor 10+ year member]

honestly, depending on how hard you have it going all the time, your 80 amp should suffice...i am running a planet audio 1200d, 300-4, alpine cva 1005, clarion eq, and zenith DVD player, off of stock alternator and battery, mind you all the wires have been upgraded to 4 guage, factory grounds etc....and it's an SQ vehicle so it's never really loud, so there isn't many amps being drawn... but if you still want to upgrade and you have the cash alternator is your best bet, then you can, but caps will help as long as your charging system is healthy and it is cause it's a new car....

 

[Frraksurred 10+ year member]

I'd try upgrading all you power and ground wires, if you haven't already, to 4g (as Taylor did) and go wtith the caps for starters.

If you push your system hard then like it or not you're going to eventually have to add at least an upgraded Alt (or get yours rewound) and possibly the extra batt as well. I'd shop around, there's got to a shop that can do your Alt locally so you don't have to be without a car for so long.

 

[freddrick 10+ year member]

I had a second battery put in a 95 accord that had the same size altenator as your car does in order to do this I had to get this thingy from checker excuse me for not remembering what it was called this was like four years ago but it didn't put that much strain on the car good luck

 

[chris229 10+ year member]

basicly ----------if you listen to music ---- upgrade all wiring and add LOW ESR capacitance at the amps.

one thing you can't fix-------------low RPM alt output--------

yes when you sit a red light with you amps full tilt your voltage WILL drop cause the alt does put out much current at idle speeds --------other than that you aren't going t have any problems