Effect of sound system on the mileage of the car..

I got my AQ HDC315 firing back. The Deebeez actually make my car function like a hybrid. If I'm low on gas, it just turn my shit up louder and I can make it home. I'd never need a fill up if I had 2.

 
****n no way.. but your alpine's weigh around 44lbs each.. my kickers are 30lbs..don't know if that makes much of a difference.. but its crazy how u gained 50 miles per tank..
yea, no joke... i was drivin around w/ my system out for about 3 weeks, and I was noticing that on both tanks I was hittin almost 340 miles per tank,....when i average 280-300!....then I threw the system back in, and it went down... so Im sittin there thinkin to myself... "huh...this is weird, wtf happened".... thought about it for a while, then it hit me... my system wasnt in the trunk!

 
The two things that will have an effect are the extra weight and the added load on the engine from the alternator having to work a little harder. Of the two, the weight will be the biggest effect.
I don't believe the alternator "works" any harder. The alternator simply puts out a load constantly, which is either funneled into the battery (when the battery needs it) or is used to run the car.

Since systems work off the battery, and not the alternator, the alternator will not work any harder, however if you're pulling more amps than the alternator produces, this can decrease the life of your alternator.

EDIT:: Also, like I said previously, the added electrical load won't stress your engine anymore. As the previous posters pointed out: the only effect on your car, gas mileage wise, is weight. However, we're argueing 100-200 pounds in 1-2 TON cars... it's not gunna make much of a difference.

 
I don't believe the alternator "works" any harder. The alternator simply puts out a load constantly, which is either funneled into the battery (when the battery needs it) or is used to run the car.Since systems work off the battery, and not the alternator, the alternator will not work any harder, however if you're pulling more amps than the alternator produces, this can decrease the life of your alternator.

EDIT:: Also, like I said previously, the added electrical load won't stress your engine anymore. As the previous posters pointed out: the only effect on your car, gas mileage wise, is weight. However, we're argueing 100-200 pounds in 1-2 TON cars... it's not gunna make much of a difference.
Incorrect, you do not know how an alternator works.
An alternator will only output as much current as is being drawn from it. If you have an altenator with a 300 amp capacity, but you are only needing 150 amps from it (in total, from stereo, car, everything) then the alt will only produce 150 amps. Its output is not constant, nor is its drag on the engine.

All the drag an alternator produces is created from current flow. The more power the alt produces, the more drag that is created. Need proof? Ever try spinning an alternator when the belt is disconnected? It spins freely.

 
What 2000 watt kicker subs do you have? I dont know of any current or previous model Kickers rated for 2000 watts. The L5 and L7 are rated for less, and the solo-x is rated for more. *shrug*
I believe he is talking in max power terms. Also if you add 100lbs to your vehicle it will slow you down .1 second in a quarter mile drag race and if you lose 100lbs it will be .1 second quicker.

 
Hmm.. I always keep pretty tight fuel economy records with my F150. There was no difference in fuel economy with or without the system.

Then again...it's a truck...

 
If you're watching your gas mileage, yes there will be a few mpg difference most likely, but chances are running your air conditioning all the time would have a bigger impact than that (to put it in perspective)
running the ac has almost n effect on gas mileage, mot cases less than 1/2 mpg

to the original poster, dont worry about your system just tell your fat girlfriend she has to walk from now on and it will all even out

 
Incorrect, you do not know how an alternator works.
An alternator will only output as much current as is being drawn from it. If you have an altenator with a 300 amp capacity, but you are only needing 150 amps from it (in total, from stereo, car, everything) then the alt will only produce 150 amps. Its output is not constant, nor is its drag on the engine.

All the drag an alternator produces is created from current flow. The more power the alt produces, the more drag that is created. Need proof? Ever try spinning an alternator when the belt is disconnected? It spins freely.
x2...I can let you guys know once everything is final on my saturn how much I lose mpg-wise, I could get around 31-32 mpg before the alternators were swapped and with a small audio setup in...I have a feeling it will lose a good handful of miles per gallon //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/frown.gif.a3531fa0534503350665a1e957861287.gif but still will be decent mileage probably.

 
I believe he is talking in max power terms. Also if you add 100lbs to your vehicle it will slow you down .1 second in a quarter mile drag race and if you lose 100lbs it will be .1 second quicker.
To a point...but there is a point where returns deminish. That might hold true for the first 300 or 400 lbs you pull out, but you can't keep pulling out 100 lbs of weight and continue to get a 0.1 second increase.

Same with the weight of the system. To be honest, if you're THAT worried about 2~3mpg, you should change your driving habits or get a different vehicle. Nuff said.

 
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