how to test electrical draw?

[60ndown 10+ year member]

is there an easy way to test my electrical? i have a dmm, im just curious how my stock electrical is dealing with an orion 2500d? do i test at the subwoofer terminals or at the battery? i assume i play some test tones or bass heavy music and take a reading somewhere?...where?

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[tRiGgEr 5,000+ posts]

Measure the voltage @ the amp. That's really all you can do.

 

[qtipextra 5,000+ posts]

The only way, like trigger said, is to play tones and use a dmm to measure voltage at the amp terminal. If you drop below 12 v while running you have a problem. I'd actaully say u have a problem if it drops 1 volt, but that is debatable. Basically, if your drawing too much power, your going to have a higher voltage drop.

 

[60ndown 10+ year member]

so i touch my dmm across the poitive and negative at the amp? i sense smoke from my dmm but hey ill give it a go? subs connected or not?

 

[Blunt 10+ year member]

subs connected. and qtip I know people runniong 50 8v batteries that drop more then 1 volt on a single amp in a 3 second burp. If your voltage dont drop at least 1 volt in my book somethign is wrong.

 

[tRiGgEr 5,000+ posts]

so i touch my dmm across the poitive and negative at the amp? i sense smoke from my dmm but hey ill give it a go? subs connected or not?

Remember to only measure the voltage on the power and ground terminals. Do not measure the speaker outputs. That will tell you nothing with a dmm.

 

[Hydrastas 10+ year member]

wtf is in your avatar 60ndown... thats been bothering me lately?

 

[tRiGgEr 5,000+ posts]

wtf is in your avatar 60ndown... thats been bothering me lately?

Dog holding a rubber chicken in its mouth. Lasik surgery is an option //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/fyi.gif.9f1f679348da7204ce960cfc74bca8e0.gif

 

[yacob.naif 10+ year member]

I've seen caps with ampere meters as well as voltage meters.

I wonder if they make a standalone.

 

[PollyCranopolis 10+ year member]

I have a 880PRS deck that shows you your volts from the battery. Any reason why this wouldnt be accurate? I read 12.3 or so when off, 13.4-13.9 when running.

 

[yacob.naif 10+ year member]

The ideal would be a display with probe inputs, so you could have voltage at the batt, voltage at the amp, and calculate voltage drop.

Kinda like what they have for pre-intercooler vs. post-intercooler air temp. gauges.

 

[azbass 5,000+ posts]

load test.

 

[photocrazy8 10+ year member]

you could also find some one that has the clamp that goes in a high end DMM that cam measure the drop in amps.