Do I NEED a new alt/2nd battery?

[PuZo 10+ year member]

Im just wondering do I necessarily need a new alt or an extra battery?

I'm going to be running:

DLS A6 - 2 12" IDQV3D4

Kenwood KAC-8401 - PG RSD's

The DLS will push around 1000 rms and the Kenwood will push around 350 rms.

I have a Yellowtop currently and will be doing the big 3. Do I really need a new alt or a 2nd battery?

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[jbizzle 5,000+ posts]

I don't suppose you need a new alternator, but you should have to add a second battery.

 

[PuZo 10+ year member]

What would happen if I left it as it is, when I play it really loud so it starts getting near the 1000+watt mark? Dimming, drain the battery faster? To add an extra battery would I need to run another run of 1/0 cable to the back?

 

[audiolife 5,000+ posts]

try it and see...

 

[PuZo 10+ year member]

Im going to be installing the 1/0 cable soon but want to know if i only need one or if ill need more. Also what type of battery would work?

 

[PuZo 10+ year member]

I was reading on some other forums and I found this. Is this what I should do.

+ to + and - to - if you isolate them the front will be dedicated as a starter bat for your cars electronics, and the rear will be only for audio.

If I have a stock alt will it be fine?

 

[wu501 10+ year member]

best bet is to try it and see. Those dls amps tend to be pretty power hungry from what I have heard. And you really don't need a isolator for the rear battery unless you plan to play your music for long periods of time with your car off.

 

[PuZo 10+ year member]

Im mainly concerned about my stock alt being able to power both batteries.

 

[rod_b 10+ year member]

What kind of power is the alt putting out first of all?

 

[skmfkr 5,000+ posts]

you should be fine with only doing the big 3 and your YT

 

[redrider13 10+ year member]

If the alt is 100amps or over you should be fine. Anything smaller and you might want to upgrade if you have the money.

 

[PuZo 10+ year member]

Its a 96 camry v6 so im guessing its gonna be under 100 amps

 

[ahillworks 10+ year member]

I can see where Puzo is coming from. He does not want to do the extra work if not needed. In simple I will place it this way. Do the B3. with the single battery. Try it and see what it does. Worse case is you have to place another battery in the back. Spend enough money on the B3 wiring to be able to run to the back if needed. It always better to have extra than not enough.

Your technicaly not wasting money if you every wanted to change things up you will have extra wire you do not have to buy. Its a simple adjustment to run wires to the back if needed.

With the B3 and the yellow top I do not see much of an issue. Most of the dimming will be caused by not having thick enough wire to power it all and then there is a loss which will cause the dimming. I think you have enough since you may only be off by 300. Unless your going to a competition I dont see the need for so much power reserve as well your not going to be sitting around all day with the car off.

Keep us posted.

 

[PuZo 10+ year member]

I can see where Puzo is coming from. He does not want to do the extra work if not needed. In simple I will place it this way. Do the B3. with the single battery. Try it and see what it does. Worse case is you have to place another battery in the back. Spend enough money on the B3 wiring to be able to run to the back if needed. It always better to have extra than not enough.
Your technicaly not wasting money if you every wanted to change things up you will have extra wire you do not have to buy. Its a simple adjustment to run wires to the back if needed.

With the B3 and the yellow top I do not see much of an issue. Most of the dimming will be caused by not having thick enough wire to power it all and then there is a loss which will cause the dimming. I think you have enough since you may only be off by 300. Unless your going to a competition I dont see the need for so much power reserve as well your not going to be sitting around all day with the car off.

Keep us posted.

I guess this would be the best way to go. I am thinking of running another wire, like you said, just in case for the future.

3 more questions

1. Since the price of a new alt/ new battery are roughly the same, maybe 100+/- which would you recommend getting if you only could get one for now.

2. There are 2 stock wires connected to my negative battery terminal. How should I go about replacing this. As far as I know, for the big 3 only 1 wire is hooked up the neg battery and that is to the chassis. Should I use some sort of terminal, since there will be lots of wires connected to the main battery, would something like this work best? Is a fuse recommended for the alt to pos bat? If so, how many amps?

http://www.knukonceptz.com/productMaster.cfm?Category=Battery%20Terminals#

3. With the car off, and a 2nd battery, roughly how long am I looking at playing music for? Just say 1000rms, how long say a YT or a RT? If I get a 2nd bat, im thinking of going RT because if the rear bat is purely for car audio, then it wouldn't make sense to put the YT in the back and the RT in the front, right?

 

[DBDRAGGUY 10+ year member]

A 2nd battery is never a bad thing.