Do i need to upgrade my alternator to get to 14.4v?

[yobertss]

I recently upgraded my battery to xs power hoping i would get to 14.4v but it didnt make any difference compared to my stock battery. Its currently at 13. Do i need to upgrade my alternator to get to 14.4v?

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[Carlos1son]

What are u running? What equipment if it’s over 1000 watts you should upgrade.

 

[Carlos1son]

I’m at around 850 including highs and I’m thinking about upgrading. I have a jd1000 on a 12w7. Everything is fine but I want to upgrade my amp soon.

 

[some dude]

What does voltage measure when you have the volume turned up?
If it stays in the 13v range then you are good.

 

[yobertss]

What are u running? What equipment if it’s over 1000 watts you should upgrade.

Yeah im way over 1000 watts. thank you!

 

[yobertss]

What does voltage measure when you have the volume turned up?
If it stays in the 13v range then you are good.

It drops to low when bass is hitting hard.

 

[spokey9 5,000+ posts]

How much power are you running?

 

[Grimmjoww]

It drops to low when bass is hitting hard.

That can be a couple things. Are your power and ground wires sufficient size? Do you have the Big 3" done? If those are good then you might need to upgrade your charging system.

 

[yobertss]

That can be a couple things. Are your power and ground wires sufficient size? Do you have the Big 3" done? If those are good then you might need to upgrade your charging system.

I dont have the big 3 done. can that be the reason why? if so do i need to upgrade my alternator if i do the big 3?

 

[Grimmjoww]

I dont have the big 3 done. can that be the reason why? if so do i need to upgrade my alternator if i do the big 3?

The big 3 makes sure you have the least resistance on power coming from the alternator to the battery and the ground needed to secure the loop.

 

[HardofWhoring]

What vehicle is it in? If its the 95 cherokee, it could be a bad voltage regulator on your alternator. If you have an older one (and you don't NEED to upgrade it), the voltage regulators can go bad when the brushes wear down. They would be a fraction of the cost of a new alt, and are usually the easiest thing to rebuild, (and the easiest thing to qualify as a "rebuilt alternator"). On mine it was $40 vs $180 for an alt, and two screws to swap it out.

Some newer vehicles, up to the last 15 years or so, depending on the make and model, 13v might be what it's supposed to do.

 

[HardofWhoring]

What does voltage measure when you have the volume turned up?
If it stays in the 13v range then you are good.

NO, there is some missing information here to determine that. We need to know the vehicle, and If OP is running 13v with it completely off too. 13v running is too low if it's supposed to be 14.4v. If it's a newer vehicle, up to the last 15 years or so, (depending on the make and model), 13v might be what it's supposed to do. If not, then there is a problem before the stereo.

 

[Carlos1son]

If the bass is hitting and his voltage is dropping he needs an hoa, a high current battery and you gotta be running some decent gauge wire.

 

[HardofWhoring]

If the bass is hitting and his voltage is dropping he needs an hoa, a high current battery and you gotta be running some decent gauge wire.

No. He definitely did not need to upgrade the battery for 850 watts (59 amps). He did it thinking it would improve the voltage. The voltage regulator controls the voltage. On older vehicles the alt controls the voltage with it's internal voltage regulator. On newer vehicles the voltage is externally regulated by an ECU. Depends on the make/model/year. Op has not said what vehicle it is on, and so we don't know how the voltage is regulated yet.

OP has also NOT SAID whether or not that 13v is a constant steady, whether or not the stereo is even on, or whether they were talking about when the bass hits.

All we know is they upgraded the battery. That wasn't going to effect the voltage, and it wasn't needed for 850 watts.

 

[yobertss]

The big 3 makes sure you have the least resistance on power coming from the alternator to the battery and the ground needed to secure the loop.

What vehicle is it in? If its the 95 cherokee, it could be a bad voltage regulator on your alternator. If you have an older one (and you don't NEED to upgrade it), the voltage regulators can go bad when the brushes wear down. They would be a fraction of the cost of a new alt, and are usually the easiest thing to rebuild, (and the easiest thing to qualify as a "rebuilt alternator"). On mine it was $40 vs $180 for an alt, and two screws to swap it out.

Some newer vehicles, up to the last 15 years or so, depending on the make and model, 13v might be what it's supposed to do.

2014 toyota tacoma