General Alternator Question

[R05Nismo 10+ year member]

Even before I installed anything in my truck I would notice my battery gauge just a hair lower after the truck was warmed up (5-10 miles) then in the morning it would charge at the same point again. So I checked it with a DMM and in the morning its running at 14.4 then after a good 30 miles its running at 13, note: this is with the stereo turned down very low.

Now, when I looked into the "Big 3" I found out the truck has a "battery current sensor" on the stock ground which tells the alternator to output more or less. And they do offer an aftermarket grounding kit for my truck and it says, do NOT connect any grounds to the battery and bypass the current sensor.

So, Is this something normal for it to charge like that or what??

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[patotay 10+ year member]

how much demand do you have bud?

 

[R05Nismo 10+ year member]

how much demand do you have bud?

It did that ever since new with out the amps but I just have a Phoenix Gold Ti600.2 running @4ohms to one 10 and a Ti500.4 running my components active.

 

[missinglink 10+ year member]

This is your alternators thermal protection. When your alt is cold you will see a high # , but when they heat up the always tapper off. This is just in the alt its self no worries. It can drop .6v when hot .

MLA

 

[R05Nismo 10+ year member]

I checked it today again. 14.4 this morning and 13.1 when I got home from work. With it running I played the stereo at the normal level I listen to it and it would drop down from 13.1 to 13.02 which is nothing really.

I just wasen't sure about it only running at 13.1 as most run between 13.8-14.4 all the time I thought. I'm still unsure what to do about adding a bigger ground as i've read not to run a ground to the battery itself, just from the block to chassis.

 

[missinglink 10+ year member]

What year and make is your truck? That voltage is regulated by the cars computer as well. Your car if 2003 -07 GM is sent the signal from your comp. this tells how much to put out ,and takes into account alt internal heat, and battery levels. Kinda sucks

MLA

 

[R05Nismo 10+ year member]

What year and make is your truck? That voltage is regulated by the cars computer as well. Your car if 2003 -07 GM is sent the signal from your comp. this tells how much to put out ,and takes into account alt internal heat, and battery levels. Kinda sucks
MLA

2005 Nissan Frontier, 110amp alt.

 

[patotay 10+ year member]

i think floating at 13 bud is fine.. and do the big 3

 

[R05Nismo 10+ year member]

i think floating at 13 bud is fine.. and do the big 3

Ok, good. I think i'm just going to make my own grounding kit and see how that does. The factory wiring is 4 gauge for the alt+ and battery- .My lights dim pretty bad for only having 600rms to the sub, well it is a class A/B amp so....

 

[jbizzle 5,000+ posts]

I'm having the same problem, even the voltage drops after driving about 30 minutes,

http://www.caraudio.com/forum/showthread.php?t=313517

someone help!!

 

[missinglink 10+ year member]

Might want to have the alt checked/battery tested. Use the same size power wire as for ground. 600 watts should be fine. I know some forien cars computer regulates the alternators voltage. If all else might try a bigger alt. It just don't sound right to me. You might have a weak alt.

after all, all is unfair in the unloving world of car audio. Good luck

 

[R05Nismo 10+ year member]

Might want to have the alt checked/battery tested. Use the same size power wire as for ground. 600 watts should be fine. I know some forien cars computer regulates the alternators voltage. If all else might try a bigger alt. It just don't sound right to me. You might have a weak alt.
after all, all is unfair in the unloving world of car audio. Good luck

My battery is brand new. My parents have a new Pathfinder which is the same thing as my truck so when I get a chance i'm going to test it also, see what it runs at. I have 4 gauge power/ground to the amps. Good, clean connections.

My 600 calls for an 80amp fuse alone and the 500 calls for a 60 when run at 4 ohms stereo which seems like alot. Is having 4 gauge as main power wire not enough? I have a 100amp main fuse and it never blew...yet.

 

[patotay 10+ year member]

thats okay for your demand bud..are you done with the big 3?

 

[R05Nismo 10+ year member]

thats okay for your demand bud..are you done with the big 3?

No, I haven't done it because of the sensor. Everything I've read says not to connect anything to the battery - and bypass the sensor so I guess i'm just going to make a grounding kit like this..

http://www.nathanweltonphoto.com/frontier/groundingkit.pdf

 

[R05Nismo 10+ year member]

Bump, anyone know what to do about running a ground wire to the battery negative?