Electrical Upgrading 101...

[InhumanAcura 5,000+ posts]

We had a chance to do some real world testing of what you get for your money when it comes to upgrading the charging system..

Davidfre12's GMC was used for the tests. We basically started w/ a pretty much bone stock electrical system minus a 4g battery to chassis ground and an Optima red top.

Equipment used was 2 Sonic FX Q15"s in a quad 1 ohm configuration (actual dcr of 1.1) wired to a final 2 ohm impedance (2.2 actual) powered by a strapped pair of Crossfire VR1000D's (each seeing a final 1.1ohm load).

The 15"s were put in an aeroported box we had sitting around for the Explorer. Probally ~4.25^3's after displacment w/ 4 4" aeroports tuned in the mid-high 40's.

The box was placed in a carefully chosen position /sarcasm, and left in that spot for the duration of the tests to ensure some consistancy. Basically, the only thing that was changed in all of the following tests was the electrical system.

Here's what we had to start, with the vehicle running...

stock electrical wiring and a tired alt...from the battery to the amps we used the already installed run of 4g ran to a non-fused distrobution block splitting it to a 4g run for each amp.

the 2 existing 4g runs were used for grounds (attached to a bare metal bolt/bracket)

heres what we got w/......

Single 4g run:

V@battery before burp - 13.68

V@battery during burp - 11.5

V@amps during burp - 11.1

At this point, it was our original intention to go ahead and do the big 3 in 1/0 and run a test..that didnt work out.

For one, the engine bay was a bizzilion degrees and getting off the nut on the back of the alt holding the alt to battery wire wasnt going to happen unless we took the out alt. Since we had a new alt to put in, it was going to take a big chunk of time and we didnt really feel like doing it 2x.

So, what we did was swap the stock alt to the Excessive Amperage HO alt.

David opted for the 250A GM large case that went on really easy and used the stock bracketry. Before we put it in we installed the new 1/0 wire as well as leaving the stock wiring.

On this run we didnt connect the 1/0 from the alt to the battery just to see what just the alt did on its own and heres what we got...

Single 4g run w/ new alt installed:

V@battery before burp - 14.36

V@battery during burp - 12.2

V@amps during burp - 11.8

new score 150.5

Click to read more...

 

[InhumanAcura 5,000+ posts]

....................................................................................................

from here we simply connected the new piece of 1/0 from the alt to the battery, ran the new ground from the alt to the ground post on the battery, and replaced the 4g chassis to battery ground w/ the 1/0..

Single 4g run w/ new alt & Big 3:

V@battery before burp - 14.38

V@battery during burp - 13.2

V@amps during burp - 12.9

At this point, we have to send our thanks to Nikuk for sending the free 4g so we could do the following test.

This time we're gonna try running another run of 4g from the battery back to the amps and eliminating the distobution block.

didnt really see a point for not doing it ghetto, lol..So we just ran it outside the car and in through the door.

dual runs of 4g w/ new alt & big 3

V@battery before burp - 14.38

V@battery during burp - 14.1

V@amps during burp - 13.67

Next it was time to start running the 1/0 throughout the truck. We opted to start w/ the grounds.

kept them long enough to reach the amps in a few different positions, but wanted to keep them short..just the simple 1/0 ring to a 1/0-4g reducer for the Crossfires..

didnt want to run the non-fused runs of 1/0 through the car, so we ran them under the truck..a hole had to be cut for the 1/0 to come out..

once the 1/0 was in through the hole we had to connect them to the battery...

 

[InhumanAcura 5,000+ posts]

rather than just see what the 2 runs did, we decided to see what distributing a single run of 1/0 to 2 runs of 4g would yield.

Single run of 1/0 w/ new alt and big 3:

V@battery before burp - 14.38

V@battery during burp - 14.0

V@amps during burp - 13.6

new score 150.9

at this point, all there was left to do was run each amp it own run of 1/0.

2 1/0 runs w/ new alt & big 3:

V@battery before burp - 14.38

V@battery during burp - 14.0

V@amps during burp - 13.77

thats about it...be more than happy to answer ?'s //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

.....and welcome to Team Pwnage David

 

[davidfre21 5,000+ posts]

w00t

check ur pm's //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

 

[flakko 5,000+ posts]

really good stuff man... i likey almost 2 db gain.

 

[iceteebone 5,000+ posts]

also no capacitors used.

good work. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[Acidburn 5,000+ posts]

great write up Matt, Brad, and David

 

[davidfre21 5,000+ posts]

more matt and brad than me, but thanks //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/tongue.gif.6130eb82179565f6db8d26d6001dcd24.gif

 

[InhumanAcura 5,000+ posts]

I likey the almost complete lack of voltage drop even during burps more than the 2 dB gain ...
But that's me //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/tongue.gif.6130eb82179565f6db8d26d6001dcd24.gif

exactly...the lack of voltage drop is really going to pay off once we swap amps, or even dropped these to a lower load. they dont seem to do max power until ~.45 nominal...

it seems like the 2 runs of 1/0 arent worth it compared to the 2 runs of 4g in THESE tests, but we werent going to blow up more powerful amps w/ the lack of voltage, and didnt want to be unconsistant by lowering the loads on the amps ot swapping subs etc..

 

[iceteebone 5,000+ posts]

are you gonna do a test with a 2nd battery in the rear to see what that does?

 

[davidfre21 5,000+ posts]

are you gonna do a test with a 2nd battery in the rear to see what that does?

maybe, kinda depending on what class i get stuck in... but i wouldnt mind testing it anyways

 

[InhumanAcura 5,000+ posts]

are you gonna do a test with a 2nd battery in the rear to see what that does?

nah, this is for a "basic stock" set-up..meaning we can only use a single battery. depends on what class David chooses to go to finals in.

wanted to test the red top against a yellow top, g31 blue top, and a kinetik 2400..but, the battery opening in his truck wasnt going to fit anything besides the red and yellow.

 

[Moe Lester 10+ year member]

for more/larger pics u can go here http://www.woofervids.com/thumbnails.php?album=184&page=3

 

[RandyJ 10+ year member]

nah, this is for a "basic stock" set-up..meaning we can only use a single battery. depends on what class David chooses to go to finals in.
wanted to test the red top against a yellow top, g31 blue top, and a kinetik 2400..but, the battery opening in his truck wasnt going to fit anything besides the red and yellow.

Understandable, but I think, if you have time and the available equipment, many of us would like to see the results.

EDIT: Partially for proof and solidity behind certain recommendations in certain threads, along with future knowledge when/if the delimma of adding a second battery arises.

 

[Bake 10+ year member]

Great job guys, Any thoughts of putting a cap or two in and measuring Just to see if there is any measureable effect? What equipment and software are you using on that laptop? Does it function as an rta also?