Is my 160 amp alternator sufficient?

[NytFlyt]

Gathering up equipment for my upcoming install and I’m wondering if I could benefit from an alternator upgrade.

Amps will be a Rockford Fosgate T400-4 on mids and tweets of Focal PS165F3 3-way components.

A RF T400-2 on the 6.5’s of those Focal components.

And a RF T500-1bdcp on 2 Kicker L7T 10” subs in a sealed box.

A DSR1 for DSP if that matters.

My car doesn’t have heated seats and I generally don’t drive it much after dark. There are OEM 180 amp and 220 amp alternators available that would bolt right up in place of my 160 so I’ve been kicking around the idea of upgrading. (aftermarket options are available too, of course).
Obviously I should address the “Big 3” as well.

I realize this is a very modest set-up power wise compared to what many people are doing today - and I’m wondering if I’d be wasting time/money swapping it out for, say, the OEM 220 amp alternator.

I was an avid car audio enthusiast 1987-1995, but have been out of the game since then. Obviously much has changed since then.

At what point do people start bumping up their alternators? (Or are other options more viable at this point - second batt/add a cap, etc).

I’m not focused on SPL this time around - and don’t expect to be pushing things particularly hard - so maybe the stock set-up is fine for what I’m doing??

Sorry for the noob question. I never bothered with any electrical upgrades when I was younger - though I likely should have. So this area of it is still new to me. I just want to address the alternator issue right up front (if it will even be an issue).

TIA

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[Clifff150 10+ year member]

You should be fine. Get a nice AGM Battery and call it a day.
So you are running active components up front and a set of components with the crossover in the rear?

 

[NytFlyt]

Thanks for the info. I just learned the other day that there was an OEM 220 amp alternator available for my car so I’ve been scratching my head on getting one - guess I’ll skip it for now.


For now just the (active) Focal 3-way components up front. (The T400-4 on the mids/tweeters and the T400-2 on the 6.5’s).

As of now no definitive plans for the rear. That’s still up in the air. Been reading all of the talk/info/debates on rear fill - my head is still spinning from all of that. I have a set of Kicker 6.5 co-axials that would drop right in place in the rear deck - but not sure exactly how I’d power them or if I want them there, etc. (DSP is all new to me - my shop will be setting that up/tuning) I’ll jump off that bridge when I come to it.

 

[Clifff150 10+ year member]

Ok I misread what you wrote originally. The sub amp is 500 or 1500?

 

[NytFlyt]

Just 500. It’ll be running into a 2 ohm load. The “Birth Sheet” (that’s an interesting development since I last did this) says 627 watts at 2 ohms - so nothing like these mega-watt systems/amps I see guys using these days. Although it is a “BD” amp vs a straight “D” - and the 2 front amps are AB - so not as efficient as D amps.

 

[BCotrell]

On normal music consumption that 160 is fine.

 

[Clifff150 10+ year member]

Do you already have those Kickers?

 

[NytFlyt]

Yes, already got the subs and I’ve pretty much finished the enclosure- just lack finishing all of the pretty/cosmetic/beauty panel stuff.

Any critiques on those subs? Honestly, I’ve only heard one set of these play and he was playing a completely different type of music in a completely different type of vehicle with a completely different amp - was hard to really judge them, so I am hoping they satisfy me.

I’ll take any and all advise on what I’m putting together (although it’s basically already all bought at this point). I’m just sticking my toe back in car audio after 25+ years and trying to ramp back up to speed - I know a lot has changed. Looking for more of a SQ-ish set up than when I was younger - while still having some bump for when I want to feel 22 instead of 52. lol

 

[BCotrell]

Yes, already got the subs and I’ve pretty much finished the enclosure- just lack finishing all of the pretty/cosmetic/beauty panel stuff.

Any critiques on those subs? Honestly, I’ve only heard one set of these play and he was playing a completely different type of music in a completely different type of vehicle with a completely different amp - was hard to really judge them, so I am hoping they satisfy me.

You already got the subs and built the enclosure so not much sense in asking for feedback.not a lot of kicker validators here.

One thing That caught my attention EACH of those subs ask for 500 rms, for a total of 1000 watts rms On a pair. After impedance rise you’ll be at likely lower than 450 Watts output from they monoblock. That amp is decent for one sub. A 1000 watt or 1500 watt version Of that amp outprices your entire system Though. If you’re not married to a Full rockford Amp suite , an md1200 2ohm version would get you the power you need and a better cost per watt and be more efficient on your electrical.

 

[NytFlyt]

I allllllllmost bought the 1000 watt version - was only a couple hundred dollars more than the one I got. Even had it in my “cart” for a while. But it just seemed like overkill for the amount of bass I “think” I want/need. (I almost just went with just a single 10” sub rather than 2...and still might).

I also guess my mindset is still stuck in the late-80’s when 1,000 watts was “ludicrous “ power. My last “big” amp (circa 1989) was a RF Power 650 (4 channel). The back half that I had on my subs was rated at just 325 watts and I remember thinking it was all the power I could ever want in my life. Even with the way they underrated them back then, I doubt it was more than 400-450 on the back half. So buying a 1000 watt mono amp just seemed like overkill to me (for what I’m after).

Buuuuut...I know how this all goes. I’ll see what my appetite for bass turns out to be. If I’m anything like I used to be, I’ll end up trying numerous variations of enclosures/subs/amps searching for that perfect (to me) sound. Once this system is in I figure that’s the “starting point”, not the end.

But if I do end up with 1,000+ watt amp - I’ll be right back to asking the question about my alternator/electrical system (kinda one of the reasons I opted not to go that big this time).

It’s all fun - I’m enjoying getting back into it. Ready to have something up and playing.

 

[NytFlyt]

Ok, so I think I’m going to exchange the T500 for a T1000 before I start getting things installed. So back to my original question - will this change make any difference in the power/alternator advice?

 

[hispls 5,000+ posts]

Ok, so I think I’m going to exchange the T500 for a T1000 before I start getting things installed. So back to my original question - will this change make any difference in the power/alternator advice?

Modern amps are far more efficient than what we had back in the early days. 1200w worth of class D amps should go fine off factory electrical. I would suggest adding an additional ground from battery - terminal to a nice clean bolt on the chassis nearby.

2000w may even be OK depending how long you play how hard. Extra batteries are the easiest/cheapest fix when you want to go bigger but alternator is better and will take up no extra cargo space. Modern high output alternators run 6 phases and use a flat (square) wire in windings which greatly increases output and efficiency, though at a steep cost to manufacture.

Post pics of your build as you go and let us know what you think about the state of equipment some 30 years later. I've never been "out" for too long myself and have been upgrading with the times. We've come a long way in a lot of areas.

 

[NytFlyt]

“Post pics of your build as you go and let us know what you think about the state of equipment some 30 years later. I've never been "out" for too long myself and have been upgrading with the times. We've come a long way in a lot of areas.”

Thank for the reply. Things certainly have changed!! I’ll update with some pics once construction/installation resumes (car has been in the shop for nearly a month - but that’s a whole ‘nother story. Should have it back late next week so I can resume the build).

It’s definitely fun being back in it! I started with the idea of just replacing the factory head unit, dropping in some upgraded speakers, and maybe buying a powered sub. But once I got going the bug bit again and the plan just kept growing.

Not sure about swapping the T500 for the T1000 now - Crutchfield says the T1000 is backordered. Guess it just depends on how patient I am.

 

[hispls 5,000+ posts]

Not sure about swapping the T500 for the T1000 now - Crutchfield says the T1000 is backordered. Guess it just depends on how patient I am.

Well that's unfortunate, especially if wanted to stick with RF for amps.

Have you already bought the 4 channel? @wew lad has a couple very nice Focal amps for sale that would get you the same place or better as the Punch offerings.

 

[NytFlyt]

Well that's unfortunate, especially if wanted to stick with RF for amps.

Have you already bought the 4 channel? @wew lad has a couple very nice Focal amps for sale that would get you the same place or better as the Punch offerings.

Yeah, I’ve already got the amps all purchased. I considered Focal as well as a Morel 4 channel amp but in the end I am just anal enough to want all 3 amps to match visually (stupid, I know but when I was younger I always built my stuff to “showcase” the amps and am planning something similar this time). Plus it is just a bit of nostalgia for me - I was a RF guy when I was younger (Punch 45’s/75’s/150, Power 650 as well as a couple of “Peanut” Punch 30’s). Now at 52 I want to build the system I wanted at 22 (with a bit more emphasis on quality sound mid/highs and less on bass/SPL). I know Rockford has changed and there are plenty of new offerings from many new manufacturers that would have worked great, but I’m just an old geezer reliving my youth a bit.