MAJOR current draw... AHHHHH!!!!!!1!11!

[OoMesKoO 10+ year member]

I cant win. This is insane. Someone needs to help me out.

I just put my new Cadence ZRS10 in my tahoe today. Even before that though, I am having some SERIOUS current draw problems. I have an alterstart 180a alternator, 0awg all around, 4awg to the zrs, 4awg ground. A kicker 350.2 for my comps. 4awg + - there too. But when the bass hits, or the amp runs full tilt, forget about it. I drop to almost like 10 volts! I am running a stock POS battery, does that have anything to do with it? What else can i do to beef this up so the draw isnt so friggen bad? //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/crying.gif.ec0ebefe590df0251476573bc49e46d8.gif

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[pensacol 10+ year member]

Add a deep cycle battery (yellow top) that can throw power out quicker than your stock POS battery and you shouldn't have any problems.

 

[IgnoreMe 5,000+ posts]

first off...what do you really drop to. "like 10 volts" is obviously nothing more than a guess. we need to know what you really drop to. put on a song with a heavy constant tone that drops the voltage to what you normally see, and get us a reading with a dmm.

second of all, what voltage do you idle at in park, and in drive (still stationary). i use this to see if maybe a smaller pulley can be an issue. my friends motorcity reman alt would charge at idle in park with a tiny *** pulley, but as soon as it went into drive and put a load on the engine, the RPM's dropped SLIGHTLY and the alt stopped charging. was even worse with the stock pulley.

second, did you do the big 3?

 

[pensacol 10+ year member]

Also what ohm load are you pulling on that amp? If it's lower than 4 you will want to upgrade your wire size to your amps also.

 

[KnOkIn It 420 10+ year member]

I cant win. This is insane. Someone needs to help me out.

I just put my new Cadence ZRS10 in my tahoe today. Even before that though, I am having some SERIOUS current draw problems. I have an alterstart 180a alternator, 0awg all around, 4awg to the zrs, 4awg ground. A kicker 350.2 for my comps. 4awg + - there too. But when the bass hits, or the amp runs full tilt, forget about it. I drop to almost like 10 volts! I am running a stock POS battery, does that have anything to do with it? What else can i do to beef this up so the draw isnt so friggen bad? //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/crying.gif.ec0ebefe590df0251476573bc49e46d8.gif

I dunno lets think about it.

 

[OoMesKoO 10+ year member]

first off...what do you really drop to. "like 10 volts" is obviously nothing more than a guess. we need to know what you really drop to. put on a song with a heavy constant tone that drops the voltage to what you normally see, and get us a reading with a dmm.
second of all, what voltage do you idle at in park, and in drive (still stationary). i use this to see if maybe a smaller pulley can be an issue. my friends motorcity reman alt would charge at idle in park with a tiny *** pulley, but as soon as it went into drive and put a load on the engine, the RPM's dropped SLIGHTLY and the alt stopped charging. was even worse with the stock pulley.

second, did you do the big 3?

My in park idle is nice... right at 14 or so. My idle in gear sucks, if i pull up to a stoplight, it drops down pretty low. I can actually see my interior dash lights dim down.

I bought the smallest possible pulley for my tahoe. Its actually custom made from a guy on fullsizechevy.com. Still a problem.

And the big 3 is all done. In 0awg as well.

 

[CRXBMPN 5,000+ posts]

battery, end of story... never know, maybe your stock battery is about dead? Try using a battery load tester to see how crappy it is.

 

[OoMesKoO 10+ year member]

I was thinking battery too. Id just hate to get another one, to have the same problem still.

 

[IgnoreMe 5,000+ posts]

My in park idle is nice... right at 14 or so. My idle in gear sucks, if i pull up to a stoplight, it drops down pretty low. I can actually see my interior dash lights dim down.
I bought the smallest possible pulley for my tahoe. Its actually custom made from a guy on fullsizechevy.com. Still a problem.

And the big 3 is all done. In 0awg as well.

well thats your biggest problem. a battery wont fix that trust me.

we tried it with my buddies explorer. EXACT same issue your having. we put in a nice new G31 battery plus the stocker and a 200A motorcity reman alt....still huge voltage drops.

the problem is that the alt is not doing its job. its not providing the current the rest of the car needs. you have got to raise the speed that the alt is spinning. i realize that you said its the smallest pulley made, and custom made but you really wont get anywhere with that alt.

just for reference, with my mean-green alt, i can take my rpm's down to almost 100rpm's (i drive a stick, so i can take the car to almost the point of stalling) before my voltage will drop.

 

[IgnoreMe 5,000+ posts]

I was thinking battery too. Id just hate to get another one, to have the same problem still.

you will i can guarantee it.

 

[audiolife 5,000+ posts]

i would put in a couple group 31 batteries. kinetik 2400, deka g31 intimidator, or oddyssey 2150.......

 

[IgnoreMe 5,000+ posts]

i would put in a couple group 31 batteries. kinetik 2400, deka g31 intimidator, or oddyssey 2150.......

whats the point if his alt wont charge them. he gonna be running off batterys evertime hes idleing.

 

[OoMesKoO 10+ year member]

well thats your biggest problem. a battery wont fix that trust me.
we tried it with my buddies explorer. EXACT same issue your having. we put in a nice new G31 battery plus the stocker and a 200A motorcity reman alt....still huge voltage drops.

the problem is that the alt is not doing its job. its not providing the current the rest of the car needs. you have got to raise the speed that the alt is spinning. i realize that you said its the smallest pulley made, and custom made but you really wont get anywhere with that alt.

just for reference, with my mean-green alt, i can take my rpm's down to almost 100rpm's (i drive a stick, so i can take the car to almost the point of stalling) before my voltage will drop.

Sounds exactly like my problem man. 100%. Do you suggest i put my stocker back in with the smaller pulley on it? My stocker is a 100a.

 

[audiolife 5,000+ posts]

whats the point if his alt wont charge them. he gonna be running off batterys evertime hes idleing.

i have ran more power than that on worse power hungry amps than that (all old school class AB) with a smaller alt and didnt have the problems this guy does.

 

[IgnoreMe 5,000+ posts]

Sounds exactly like my problem man. 100%. Do you suggest i put my stocker back in with the smaller pulley on it? My stocker is a 100a.

my buddies is a 130a. itll work for now, if you got some extra batteries, but i would look into either

a) check more places to see if you can get a smaller pulley. i know you said its custom and its the smallest they make but keep trying

or

b) replace the alterstart alt with a different one.

ive noticed the cheaper HO alt's always kick on way to high, to be of any use at idle. my buddies with the stock size pulley would idle @ 12.7 volts or so (basically battery voltage), then as soon as he touched the gas and gained 2-300 rpms, it would up to 14v.