How to get Higher volts?

iApex
10+ year member

CarAudio.com Elite
How do I get my car to push out 14.4v? It pushes about 13.7 right now.

The question seems simple enough and I did some research on it.

This is what I found.

1. Do the Big 3, which I plan on doing. (will that be enough to bring it up to 14.4v?

2. Buy a better battery

3. Buy a HO Alt.

Is there anything else, anything not so, costly?

I can't seem to grasp why anything over 12v is even made for a car, as the electrical should be 12v lol. I dont understand why amps are rated at 14.4v or w/e. Doesnt seem to make any sense.

Asking this question makes me feel like a DA.

 
How do I get my car to push out 14.4v? It pushes about 13.7 right now.
The question seems simple enough and I did some research on it.

This is what I found.

1. Do the Big 3, which I plan on doing. (will that be enough to bring it up to 14.4v?

2. Buy a better battery

3. Buy a HO Alt.

Is there anything else, anything not so, costly?

I can't seem to grasp why anything over 12v is even made for a car, as the electrical should be 12v lol. I dont understand why amps are rated at 14.4v or w/e. Doesnt seem to make any sense.

Asking this question makes me feel like a DA.
big 3, bigger wire (if your using 4gauge)

shouldnt be worried at getting voltage to 14.4v, its all about how much it drops..

amps are rated at 14.4v so some company's can tell people they produce a higher wattage. some company's rate at 12v

 
big 3, bigger wire (if your using 4gauge)
shouldnt be worried at getting voltage to 14.4v, its all about how much it drops..

amps are rated at 14.4v so some company's can tell people they produce a higher wattage. some company's rate at 12v
I got a bunch of 2ga I'm going to rewire with and see how that works, it doesnt drop that much right now so hopefully it wont then.

Does this have to do with the KAC-X1R?
It might have something to do with that ;p.

I'm at school and just trying to figure some stuff out before I go home.

 
Haha, well, you were getting that 92 volts out of it...which means you had your gain wayyyyy too high.

If you still haven't figured out your amp yet, you should stop by a local shop and see if they'll help you out. If not, I can search the manual that came with your amp and try to help you out better. (Gotta work out and stuff before the wifey gets home, then spend time with her, then go to work!)

 
i saw the diode thing on a WRX forum, putting it inline with the signal wire going into the alt, it also gave a size rating of what to put for what voltage increase.

searching for link

 
1. Big 3 isn't going to magically raise your voltage.

2. Your voltage will only go as high as your alternator will allow.

3. You need batteries that do not restrict flow. (old batteries, shitty batteries, etc.)

If you really want to get your voltage around 14.4, you'd want to find an alternator + step up module & run 15v daily.. & when you drop, you'll drop into the 14v range. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

 
What issues are you having with the KAC-X1R?
I have the same amp and I am going from 14.7v to 10.8v on repeated hard bass notes. I dont have the gain adjusted very high either.
10.8 isn't good. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/fyi.gif.9f1f679348da7204ce960cfc74bca8e0.gif

I used to run 1500 rms @ 1 ohm from 80 amp stock alt + Redtop.. & I never dropped that low.. 11.5-.6 MAYBE.

 
Haha, well, you were getting that 92 volts out of it...which means you had your gain wayyyyy too high.
If you still haven't figured out your amp yet, you should stop by a local shop and see if they'll help you out. If not, I can search the manual that came with your amp and try to help you out better. (Gotta work out and stuff before the wifey gets home, then spend time with her, then go to work!)
Well that was on the 7204 and that is what it was pushing out. This thread is asking how to get higher volts from the battery to the amp.

When I get home I'm going to try and get the protection off, then put the dmm on the x1r and see what kind of volts it pushes. If it still wont push anything i'll bring it to a local shop and ask them about it before I have to start talking refunds.

1. Big 3 isn't going to magically raise your voltage.2. Your voltage will only go as high as your alternator will allow.

3. You need batteries that do not restrict flow. (old batteries, shitty batteries, etc.)

If you really want to get your voltage around 14.4, you'd want to find an alternator + step up module & run 15v daily.. & when you drop, you'll drop into the 14v range. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif
When I searched it on google, thats one of the things that came up. Thats why I made this thread, because google isn't always right :p

So are you saying I need an old battery to stick in the trunk? or do I need to buy a new one.

What issues are you having with the KAC-X1R?
I have the same amp and I am going from 14.7v to 10.8v on repeated hard bass notes. I dont have the gain adjusted very high either.
Mine goes from 13.8 to about 13.0ish so not that bad. I just can't get it to push out the wattage it claims it can do... or anywhere close to it.

http://www.caraudio.com/forum/showthread.php?t=439573

Theres the thread with all the information about the problem at hand if you want to read up.

10.8 isn't good. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/fyi.gif.9f1f679348da7204ce960cfc74bca8e0.gif
I used to run 1500 rms @ 1 ohm from 80 amp stock alt + Redtop.. & I never dropped that low.. 11.5-.6 MAYBE.
**** my set up wont drop below 12.5

 
10.8 isn't good. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/fyi.gif.9f1f679348da7204ce960cfc74bca8e0.gif
I used to run 1500 rms @ 1 ohm from 80 amp stock alt + Redtop.. & I never dropped that low.. 11.5-.6 MAYBE.
10.8 has potential to damage the amp for sure.

Right now I've got a stock 80amp alt, big 3, 2 batts, and never gobelow 14 currently running 2k.

 
Well that was on the 7204 and that is what it was pushing out. This thread is asking how to get higher volts from the battery to the amp.
When I get home I'm going to try and get the protection off, then put the dmm on the x1r and see what kind of volts it pushes. If it still wont push anything i'll bring it to a local shop and ask them about it before I have to start talking refunds.

When I searched it on google, thats one of the things that came up. Thats why I made this thread, because google isn't always right :p

So are you saying I need an old battery to stick in the trunk? or do I need to buy a new one.
Woah, no. Old batteries w/dying cells will restrict flow. Those are examples of what you DO NOT want. Sorry for the misunderstanding. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/tongue.gif.6130eb82179565f6db8d26d6001dcd24.gif

10.8 has potention to damage the amp for sure.
Right now I've got a stock 80amp alt, big 3, 2 batts, and never gobelow 14 currently running 2k.
Stock 80 amp + Redtop & Yellowtop.. all 1/0.. I never drop below 12 volts.

 
Activity
No one is currently typing a reply...
Old Thread: Please note, there have been no replies in this thread for over 3 years!
Content in this thread may no longer be relevant.
Perhaps it would be better to start a new thread instead.

About this thread

iApex

10+ year member
CarAudio.com Elite
Thread starter
iApex
Joined
Location
Tampa
Start date
Participants
Who Replied
Replies
21
Views
1,526
Last reply date
Last reply from
J31Rob
IMG_20260516_193114554_HDR.jpg

sherbanater

    May 16, 2026
  • 0
  • 0
IMG_20260516_192955471_HDR.jpg

sherbanater

    May 16, 2026
  • 0
  • 0

New threads

Top