HO Alternator vs Upgrade Battery vs Second Battery

[edgeh2o 10+ year member]

I'm currently running 4x50rms for my mains, and 1x500rms for my IDMAX 12". My vehicle is a 99 Mitsubishi Galant 4 CYL w/ stock alternator and battery. I will soon be upgrading the amp to an Alpine M1000 1x1000rms, which will put me at a total of 1200rms watts.

My stock alternator is only 90amps, and as it is, pushing 700rms watts, I already have headlight dimming issues. It seems I have 3 options, all of which would include upgrading my 'big 3' first...

1. I could get a HO alternator built by DC Power for around $600 installed.

2. I could upgrade my main battery.

3. I could get a second battery.

Would I be OK with either adding a second battery or upgrading my main battery, or should I just get a HO alternator?

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[*SlappinAzz*]

Get a Big battery up front, then get another one in the back, then get the alt.

 

[BloodyGuts335i 10+ year member]

BIG 3, HO alt, and then the extra batteries..

 

[edgeh2o 10+ year member]

I'd really only like to do one of the 3. If I got both a new main battery and a second battery, that would be the cost of a HO alternator anyways, so wouldn't it be better, in that case, to just get the HO alternator? The only I would be getting is a 220amp, 160amp idle.

 

[BloodyGuts335i 10+ year member]

HO alt is the best way to start.. and the big 3... get a decent alt though. for now I know you say you have a 1k amp.. but I'm pretty sure in a year you would be trying to get 3k all these batts and subs.. lol.. just get a real good HO alt..

 

[*SlappinAzz*]

actually, if your gonna have to get batteries anways, so you might as well get big one up front, then get the second one, and then save up to get the high output alt.

Big 3 first, and do it all. But whateva brah, your choice of order, just helpin u out. =)

 

[edgeh2o 10+ year member]

I just don't know. Wouldn't upgrading or adding a battery just delay the problem... wouldn't it just eventually die overtime since my 90amp alternator wouldn't be able to supply enough juice? I do drive a lot...

Or would my 90amp alternator be sufficient for 1200rms watts if I did the big 3, and either got a better main battery or second battery. Or would it be fine with only the big 3 upgrade? Whatever I do (alternator, battery, 2nd battery), I don't want to do all 3... just 1 if possible. I won't let myself upgrade my sub or sub amp anytime soon... if I do anything I would like to upgrade my mains from my Alpine Type-S's to the Hertz Energy ECX line.

 

[*SlappinAzz*]

I just don't know. Wouldn't upgrading or adding a battery just delay the problem... wouldn't it just eventually die overtime since my 90amp alternator wouldn't be able to supply enough juice? I do drive a lot...
Or would my 90amp alternator be sufficient for 1200rms watts if I did the big 3, and either got a better main battery or second battery. Or would it be fine with only the big 3 upgrade? Whatever I do (alternator, battery, 2nd battery), I don't want to do all 3... just 1 if possible. I won't let myself upgrade my sub or sub amp anytime soon... if I do anything I would like to upgrade my mains from my Alpine Type-S's to the Hertz Energy ECX line.

Adding a bigger battery will actually take the strain and work off your alternator.

I drive a scion xb, with a 90 amp alt, and have a kinetik up front.

 

[edgeh2o 10+ year member]

I was under the impression that batteries are only for playing music with the car off and for starting the car, when it has to do anything else it is because the alternator is not strong enough, is that not right?

How much wattage rms are you running with the 90amp alternator?

 

[*SlappinAzz*]

I was under the impression that batteries are only for playing music with the car off and for starting the car, when it has to do anything else it is because the alternator is not strong enough, is that not right?
How much wattage rms are you running with the 90amp alternator?

Hell no, absolutely incorrect. Battieries act as the reserve. The alternator is there to charge them up.

Im running a little over 1200 watts. I will be adding an AQ2200 soon. No dimming lights whatsoever. And i just remembered that its a 70 amp alt.

 

[edgeh2o 10+ year member]

Still haven't made a decision lol, I think I'll just get the M1000 in, and do the big 3 upgrade, and see how things pan out...

I read accounts where people swear that there is no way a 90amp alternator can run 1200rms, and I've seen accounts like yours where people run x amount of watts on an alternator no bigger than mine.

I do feel however that over the last 6 months, the output of my bass has slowly decreased. The only thing I can think of is that my alternator is not supple enough for my current 700rms and that it has drained my battery over time, resulting in less power to drive my current setup. Is this a fair estimate, or could this be attributed to my lack of doing the big 3 upgrade?

 

[rosshimself13 10+ year member]

well when you play music you arent going to be seeing a full 500 from your sub amp or 200 from your component amp.. its dynamic, meaning that rarely will you ever see that type of draw if you are having dimming issues i would first have your alt checked the auto parts store of your choice can do that, and then have you battery checked too, next step would be big 3 and a second battery, but i would try to upgrade my front battery as well maybe if you have to wait a bit then do that but you should notice a huge difference with a second battery

 

[Lonnie 10+ year member]

Big 3 upgrade first and then the alt+battery.

Do gotta say...its freaking annoying trying to make sure my 2nd battery is charged so I dont ruin it. Putting in a order from DC power Monday for a alt.

 

[edgeh2o 10+ year member]

I finally got some things done to my sound system, but the shop also told me some bummer news. This whole time they were in contact with the guy from DC Power, where I was planning to get a HO alt at some point from, and he was gathering info on the build for my 99 galant, and it turns out that he just can't do it. So anyways, I had the big 3 done and they replaced some other stuff as well, and then I had a 4guage amp kit installed that I got for super cheap when I worked at Best Buy to replace my other one which was probably 8guage. I also had them replace my Kenwood 8104D with the Alpine M1000, and I replaced my Alpine Type-S fronts and Sony Xplod rears with Hertz Energy coaxial front and rears, and that has been a great upgrade in itself.

But then to the crappy part- they called me and informed me that the cone on my IDMAX was damaged, that this sound I thought was rattling was actually coming from the sub, and that the sub was putting the amp into protection mode. When he mentioned it putting the amp into protection mode, I had a realization. Ever since I first got my IDMAX, it would randomly put my amp into protection mode when played for prolonged periods at high volumes. Sometimes it would take 3 hours for it to do so, and other times just 20 minutes. I'm not sure if hot weather plays into this but I think it might. Anyways, the shop that originally installed the IDMAX said it may be dipping below 2ohms and that my amp simply couldn't keep up with it at demanding times. So I finally bought the Alpine M1000 when I worked at Best Buy in December, and I just got it installed, and now this new shop tells me it's because the cone is damaged, and that something inside the sub like a coil may also be damaged.

I didn't bother to look at the cone until I got home for some reason, but when I did, I noticed that the cone on the upper front part was infact damaged, it looks like its starting to peel off at a couple places. But the weird thing is, I looked at my sub not but 5 days ago and the cone looked fine. I'm going to let the shop know tomorrow and see if they have anything new to say about it. I called Image Dynamics and I can get a repair kit for $190, and that includes the cone and some other things which I'm not exactly sure of, but I do think they told me it included new coils as well.

What could cause it to put the amp into protection mode? Would this kit indeed be all I need? Why did my cone get damaged just within the last few days?

They also told me that my sealed box (that the shop I went to 2 years ago whom is now out of business built for me) isn't exactly built right and that it would sound a lot better in a proper box. The dimensions of my sealed box are: 7 1/2" deep at the top, 11" deep at the bottom, 14" tall, and 26" wide. What do you guys think about all of this?

 

[nateberrier 10+ year member]

First that seems like a huge box for sealed. idk much about the idmax but most subs dont like much more than 1cube sealed. depends on manufacture spec.

You can check your coils with a multimeter and see what the coils are reading. if they drive below what they are supposed to be then your coil is probably burnt. from what you have said it doesnt sound like there should be problems from teh cone peeling a bit. you can push down on the center of the sub and see if its scratches also.

If the sub is ok then it sounds like youre not getting enough juice to the amp or its getting too hot but this is unlikely.

I would have replaced my big three wiring and battery before anthing else. then depending on the car, another battery or new alt.

i think you should be able to find a higher amperage alternator whether custom built or not but big three and batt are always first for me.

you might have your batteries, alt output, and voltage drops checked