Current Draw + Watt Question

[aarunt1 10+ year member]

I don't know if this has been answered b4 so if it has please direct me but I really need this answered.

I have a 98 Dodge Neon and I don't know how many Amps the Alternator is, but I think it might be around 85A so if my BP1200.1 pulls 120A max should I still be getting the 1200w all the time or no?

I ask this because I don't feel as tho I'm getting the full 1200w. I figure I should be feeling my hair move and my clothes vibrating with the bass, but I don't really at all. I don't know if I'm just used to it or wat but that doesnt sound right to me. I know my wiring is correct and my Mag is wired for 1 ohm and my amp is using 4G wire to the battery and ground. My box is 3.5ft^3 tuned to 33hz so I should be getting alot of bass with good SQ. I don't think it is my box. I know box design has alot to do with SQ but it should be loud regardless. I figure if the box sucked then there would still be alot of bass just it wouldnt sound so good but it sounds really clean. I just don't get why its not as loud as I think it should be for 1200. I think most people would agree 1200w is alot of bass. SO i', guessing maybe its my Alternator? If my Alt is 85A then I gues that means it will only put out 85A max? SO i wouldnt be getting the 1200w? Im not sure about this because I dont know how that works. Also wat could I get at the store to test how many watts is going to my Sub.

Please help me out here,

Thanks

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[supa_c 5,000+ posts]

IIRC its a 90A alt, thats 90A maximum

I suggest a larger battery with more CCA and upgrading the big 3

Big 3 link:

http://forum.sounddomain.com/forum/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=5;t=007801

 

[BryanGsu 10+ year member]

14.4 X 85 amps= 1224 watts. I am sure you cars electrical system is drawing atleast 20% of the alt. output. So i see it being very hard to feed the amp peak power. But you are probably not using peak power very often. Get some caps.

Also are your lights dimmng?

My electrical system get so bad at times that my rpms take a hit, i have to hold 2000RPMs, with A/C off and that is with 2 1 f. caps.

MMats d200hc, alpine V12 four channel, and a 200 watt kenwood. It is in a 2000 4 Runner.

The caps are about 3 years old, does anyone think that they could not be holding a charge any longer?

 

[supa_c 5,000+ posts]

Do not get caps.

Do a search, you will find that in your case they will make it worse.

Caps are a band aid to the problem, they will not fix it

 

[aarunt1 10+ year member]

Wat is CCA? And what battery do you suggest and how will that battery help?

 

[Einzee 10+ year member]

CCA = Cold Cranking Amperes. Its a measurement relating to the output capacity of your battery. The higher the number, the better and more expensive.

 

[aarunt1 10+ year member]

I was thinking about getting the Hifronics BX1500d. 1500w would definately be a lot louder than 1200w don't you think?

 

[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

no, i don't...//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

generally you need to double your power to get a noticeable change, and/or add another sub...300W at that power level already isn't going to be *that* noticeable.

 

[aarunt1 10+ year member]

Hmm. Well I was thinking about changing my setup to the BX1500d witt a 15" XXX. But I guess there wouldn't be much difference there either huh?

 

[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

well...yes and no...

upgrading cone area also gives you an increase in output...you'd definitely notice a difference between those.

 

[aarunt1 10+ year member]

Ic...

Wat if I kept my amp and got a 12" SX. I guess that would be the same as my Mag. Although the SX is aimed more toward SPL isnt it?

And if I got a 15" SX Im guessin there would be a difference but I'd rather have the XXX.

 

[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

you're right, i don't think it would be worth it to swap the Mag for the SX with the same cone area.

 

[aarunt1 10+ year member]

Wat about getting sum second skin and sound deadening my trunk? I heard sound deadener can increase sound by like 3db or something which it said was like twice your systems normal output? Will this be true if I sound deaden my trunk?

 

[mrray13 10+ year member]

first, get a new battery, like mentioned above. a good optima redtop with 875cca,IIRC, is only $130 bucks. upgradeing the big three is just about $25 worth of wire, connectors and fuse, takes about 1 hr of ur time (depending on where the grounds go and how hard they are to reach.) i picked up almost a full volt just by upgrading two of the big three, i haven't done the engine to chassis ground yet( i've got everything..just lazy...lol)

i also have a redtop with an 105amp alt. my voltage doesn't drop at all..even though i'm only running a pr500d now...before the battery and the big 2 outa 3, i was getting a voltage drop off just 70 wrms..of course the factory battery was only 650cca. (check my sig for truck)

sound deading will help, but in extreme case's i've also heard it hurt spl. i'd still do it as it will really improve the sq inside the car. and of course cure rattles outside.

but the battery and big 3 are ur easiest ways to gain current which should help with a slight boost in spl. also make sure ur running at least 4 gauge wiring to ur amp, though 0/2 gauge would be better.

wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/peace.gif.2db28b618ed8d1964ebbe2f5021d2c39.gif

 

[audioholic 5,000+ posts]

Just because your alt doesn't put out X amount of power at any given moment doesn't mean you wont be able to draw that power from your charging system, that's what the battery is for (among other things). However, if you pull my juice than your alt is producing for very long, yes you'll have problems.

What I dont understand is this thread started off about if your alt was big enough for your amp. Once it was determined it really wasn't, you decided to upgrade to a bigger amp.