Got a new 12" sub and amp.

[tonka 10+ year member]

I recently traided $46 worth of home audio (a reciver and a 200 disc CD changer) for some new audio equipment. I got a 12" Alpine Type-R (SRW-1242D) and a Alpine V-Power 650w monoblock (MRP-M650). Both are in mint condition. I hooked them up in my truck and they work great. Unfortunetly, they are decoration pieces for right now. Untill I get my bucket seats in the truck, there is not enough cab space for the sub to be in a proper box. I also realized while testing that even with the truck running, it dimms the lights pretty hard, so I will also have to upgrade the altinator as well. Dose anyone have any recomendations for a better altinator, I have a 350 chevy. I drew up my final idea on MS paint, let me know what you think (here come the trolz)

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[trumpet 5,000+ posts]

I have heard good things about DC Power Engineering but I have no personal experience with them. Other notable companies that can either upgrade your alternator or sell you a custom unit are Mechman and Iraggi. You might even be able to find a local company that can customize your stock alternator for more output.

 

[tonka 10+ year member]

DC power wants $340 for there cheapest alternator for my 350 V8. If thats about the average price, then this isnt going to happen. Thanks for the info man! This at least gives me some where to start.

 

[daboyfrumdabx 10+ year member]

DC power wants $340 for there cheapest alternator for my 350 V8. If thats about the average price, then this isnt going to happen. Thanks for the info man! This at least gives me some where to start.

$340 is a fantastic price for a decent H.O. alt. Most of us only have options ranging from $400-up.

Also, if you just erase the pyramid amp from your pic, the trolls likely will not bother you.

 

[tonka 10+ year member]

I cant afford that. Dude, I flip burgers at a wendy's to pay for gas and college. I guess I'll just start asking around. Who knows, I might be able to find someone who can get me one, or atleast the parts needed to mod my current one. How many amps I'm looking for this alternator to put out?.

 

[subzero 5,000+ posts]

I recently traided $46 worth of home audio (a reciver and a 200 disc CD changer) for some new audio equipment. I got a 12" Alpine Type-R (SRW-1242D) and a Alpine V-Power 650w monoblock (MRP-M650). Both are in mint condition. I hooked them up in my truck and they work great. Unfortunetly, they are decoration pieces for right now. Untill I get my bucket seats in the truck, there is not enough cab space for the sub to be in a proper box. I also realized while testing that even with the truck running, it dimms the lights pretty hard, so I will also have to upgrade the altinator as well. Dose anyone have any recomendations for a better altinator, I have a 350 chevy. I drew up my final idea on MS paint, let me know what you think (here come the trolz)
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I think you should consider upgrading all your electrical and making sure you havfe good solid connections... Your only talking about a 600rms amp...

If you have dimming issues then maybe the question should be... what is the gain setting at on your amp? do you have 4 gauge power wire to the battery and 4 gauge ground wire to a solid grounding point within 3 feet of the amp?

600rms is going to make that subs sound ok but I dont think your going to get it to WANG like it has 1krms.

 

[tonka 10+ year member]

yes sir, 4 guage from the battery to a distribution block, then about 1ft of 8 guage to the amp. 1-1/2 ft 4 guage ground right to the cab frame. The wire from the battery has its own designated battery post as well. IDK what the gain was. I didnt mess with it too long because the sub was in a box way too small for it. Concitering that I've been content with my MTX running off +-300RMS, I think it will be a nice step up. Providing I can solve the issue at hand, It shouldnt cost me all that much eather. I dont expect it to make the windshield jump or my mirriors fall off, but consiter how much sound I have in such a small space (single cab chevy), I expect it to sound nice.

IDK if it matters, but when I was testing it I just had it wired as a 4ohm load, but I plan on running it as a 2ohm load, dont know if that makes a difference.

 

[daboyfrumdabx 10+ year member]

Have you done the Big 3? Definitely do so if you haven't. I didn't rear your OP so I didn't know how much power you were running, but you certainly should need an H.O. for that. Either way, Wendy's pay can afford it, you just have to deprive your self of everything else haha I know how that works. Also, you have Dual 4 ohm sub. Your wiring options are 2ohm or 8 ohm, so you didn't test it at 4ohm. May want to go double check some ish before something blows up.

 

[tonka 10+ year member]

What is the big 3? And I just ran the sub like that to test it, I'm running the MTX daily.

 

[daboyfrumdabx 10+ year member]

What is the big 3? And I just ran the sub like that to test it, I'm running the MTX daily.

Big 3 is upgrading wires in your electrical system. Typically done with 1/0, but 4awg will still be an improvement. You run a wire from your alt(+) to your batt(+), from batt(-) to ground(-), and your engine(just pick a bolt) to ground(-) or batt(-). Search it on youtube, there's plenty of vids on there explaining it farther and it will give you a visual. You leave stock wires in place, you just add these new wires. It allows current to flow more freely and takes strain of your charging system.

What I meant about how you tested your sub, is that there is no way to wire that sub at 4ohms. You either had it wired at 2ohm or 8ohms for testing, unless you only hooked up one voicecoil(I hope that's not the case). I just want you to read up and learn these options so you don't mess something up when you really install it. You should be wiring at 2 ohms like this:

 

[SpeedEuphoria 10+ year member]

are you sure its a 1242D?

If so you can only wire it at 8ohm or 2ohm, to match the amp Its prob at 2ohm. So thats good

Dimming at 650watts is not good, check the ground and pos connections. Since you truck is old prob do the big 3 since there prob tiny and old

 

[tonka 10+ year member]

Thanks for the intel! I will deffinetly have to do the big 3 upgrade. I am 100% positive its a 1242D as I was reading it off the sub when I posted this. I honestly dont recall just how I had wired it, but I know that at the time, my intent was to wire it at 4 ohm. I have never had anything with dual voice coils or even anything that was 2 ohm stable so this is all new territory for me.

 

[xoutofmyheadx 10+ year member]

not sure what size you're looking for but here's another site you can checkout. possibly get a 2nd alt. instead of swapping out that one you currently have. you won't have to get that big of one then.

Chevy GM high amp output performance alternator

 

[tonka 10+ year member]

Those prices are better and I wouldnt be agenst 2 alternators. I see that they also will upgrade the alternator you already have for less cash, so that always an option. I'm not even shure what amp I should be looking for, or even what my stock one is putting out. and where would I get the brackts to house a second alternator?

 

[tonka 10+ year member]

I think tomorrow I am going to go out and put the sub and amp back in my truck, this time wired properly, and see if my lights still dim after that. If so, I'll take some spare 4 guage I have laying sround and start on that big 3 upgrade.