Need advice

[Merc5]

Hello, I recently purchased an audio system for my 2001 Mercury Grand Marquis.

This is what I have:
SKV2-2500.1D | 2,500 WATT MONOBLOCK CAR AMPLIFIER

SKV2-100.4AB | 800 WATT 4-CHANNEL CAR AMPLIFIER

DUAL 12" 5,000 WATT EVL SERIES LOADED VENTED SUBWOOFER ENCLOSURE

SPX-65C | 6.5" 400 WATT 2-WAY COMPONENT SPEAKER SYSTEM

Here is the link(s) to the specs for each in order that I've listed them

https://www.skaraudio.com/collectio...500-1d-monoblock-subwoofer-car-amplifier#tab2

https://www.skaraudio.com/products/...100.4AB&_ss=e&_v=1.0&variant=18282398529#tab2

https://www.skaraudio.com/collectio...-dual-12-inch-loaded-subwoofer-enclosure#tab2

https://www.skaraudio.com/collectio...px-65c-6-5-inch-component-speaker-system#tab2

I also have 2 amp wiring kits. 1/0 Guage. One is 3000k watts and the other is 2000k watts

My battery is one that was with the car when I bought it. Newer, but one of those Ever start size 65 850 CCA or something. Walmart battery. Everything else is stock. My system is not installed yet.

I'm wondering, will I need to purchase a bigger battery or add a second battery?
Or could I use a capacitor instead?

My next question is what do I look for in a headunit? I have a double din. Wondering what specs I should look for considering my component speakers are 400 watts and my woofers are 2500 watts. The smaller, 800 WATT amp is to power my component speakers and the bigger 2500 amp is for my woofers.

Any guidance to my questions or any guidance in.general is appreciated.

Thanks.

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[some dude]

How many amps is your alternator?

My rough knowledge says you would be helped by getting a better battery.

Most people get AGM battery with some decent amp hours, or lithium which is stronger but pricier.

Your alternator strength matters as well. You will be taxing the stock electrical very hard if you start using the power your amps have.

 

[Deon1818]

For starters look at the rms numbers.
2500 rms amp and subs
400 watt four channel power two 100 watt speakers.

2700 watts at full tilt In a perfect world
At the very very least do a big 3 upgrade.
Like some dude said you should probably get an agm.
If you really want to maximize output and plan on keeping the car get a h.o. alternator.
I would only look at lithium if you fully understand it or plan to do a lot of reading.
Capacitors usually only help for the first note. But can reduce headlight dimming. Not much for musical purposes. Generally.
I would just use the 3000 watt wiring kit and split the power wire to both amps. The 2000 watt kit is cca. Copper clad aluminum.

 

[Deon1818]

As for a head unit make sure it has 3 sets of rca outputs. Front, rear, and sub.
Try to stick with reputable brands. I've liked jvc and Kenwood decks. 13 band equalizers are nice.

 

[Merc5]

Thanks for all of the advice
Are there any kits for the big 3? Everything seems to be in kits nowadays.

I can't see a name plate on the alternator but I looked on autozone for alternators for my vehicle and those are 130 amp and I saw that somewhere else online as well. It's stock at I assume it's 130 amp as well.

So if I do the big 3 and get a new battery would I be okay and then decide to upgrade my alt? This is my daily driver so most of the time my music is highway listening level.

What are my.options? Big 3, 2nd battery, upgrade the alt being the complete option I guess. I definitely don't want to blow anything or have my car shut down.

Would I be able to just upgrade the stock battery I have now to.something that would be adequate?

I made an error in my original post, I have a second 400 watt amp, not an 800.

Also what size battery do I look for? Do I keep it around the watts my system has? I would think the higher the better but I know they can be expensive.

Thanks again

 

[Deon1818]

Are there any kits for the big 3? Everything seems to be in kits nowadays.

Yes, there are. but regular wire works fine if you just crimp some ends on.

Would I be able to just upgrade the stock battery I have now to.something that would be adequate?

Yeah, you'll get some headlight dimming. And your alt will work harder. replacing the alt a couple times is probably still cheaper than a H.O.

Name brand batteries - XS, Yellow top Optima. (there's a ton of others, do some googling and searching through these forums we don't need to start a battery debate)
Cheap - find a box store and pick an AGM that fits in your vehicle.
XS and car audio brands will probably be the only ones that lists the wattage recommended for their batteries.

You're kind of at the wattage where beefy electrical is encouraged but not required. I had a system around that size and after i got a H.O, kept voltage steady but couldn't hear a difference.
Your amps and vehicle will be a little happier with stronger electrical.
Start with a battery upgrade and install a decent volt meter. Watch your voltage and you'll see when your music is really taxing the system. You'll also know if your stock alt starts getting weak. Go from there.

 

[Merc5]

Yes, there are. but regular wire works fine if you just crimp some ends on.



Yeah, you'll get some headlight dimming. And your alt will work harder. replacing the alt a couple times is probably still cheaper than a H.O.

Name brand batteries - XS, Yellow top Optima. (there's a ton of others, do some googling and searching through these forums we don't need to start a battery debate)
Cheap - find a box store and pick an AGM that fits in your vehicle.
XS and car audio brands will probably be the only ones that lists the wattage recommended for their batteries.

You're kind of at the wattage where beefy electrical is encouraged but not required. I had a system around that size and after i got a H.O, kept voltage steady but couldn't hear a difference.
Your amps and vehicle will be a little happier with stronger electrical.
Start with a battery upgrade and install a decent volt meter. Watch your voltage and you'll see when your music is really taxing the system. You'll also know if your stock alt starts getting weak. Go from there.

Thanks man, I appreciate it.

 

[metalheadjoe 10+ year member]

Looks like you funded skar for an entire year!

What's your budget for electrical upgrades? Budget greatly dictates my response, but I'll do my best to give my opinion without knowing it.

I agree with most of what @some dude and @Deon1818 said.

I vote second battery near your amp(s). In my opinion the argument between second battery and better battery under the hood comes down to how much you like running wire, and I despise it. Big 3 "kits" really don't gain you much, as you'll still have to measure wire lengths, attach ring terminals, and make connections, because the kits that I've seen are not vehicle specific. Here's an example:
https://skyhighcaraudio.com/ofc-4/
You might even have enough extra wire length to do your big 3 upgrade.

If your alternator quits charging, you aren't immediately stranded. I drove my offroad toy for several days without an alternator before I realized it wasn't charging. If you have a gauge/meter to monitor your voltage or even a dummy light to tell you it's low, you'll know instantly if your alternator fails, and you'll have plenty of time to get to a parts store.

The single best electrical upgrade I've done was adding lithium. I had terrible voltage drop until I added lithium. LiFePO4 plays well with lead acid batteries, so you can use it with your current electrical system. I highly recommend a JY Power HP-40, but it is one of those purchases that's easier to make after a few drinks.

Summary: If it were my vehicle, I'd run 1/0 from front to back and add an HP-40 battery near the amps.

Sorry for the novel. Good luck whichever route you go.

 

[Clifff150 10+ year member]

it is one of those purchases that's easier to make after a few drinks.

This quote is so true and how most of my purchases are done these days

 

[metalheadjoe 10+ year member]

This quote is so true and how most of my purchases are done these days

Same, but my stereo would be less loud without my drunk purchases, so there's that.

 

[Merc5]

Yes, there are. but regular wire works fine if you just crimp some ends on.



Yeah, you'll get some headlight dimming. And your alt will work harder. replacing the alt a couple times is probably still cheaper than a H.O.

Name brand batteries - XS, Yellow top Optima. (there's a ton of others, do some googling and searching through these forums we don't need to start a battery debate)
Cheap - find a box store and pick an AGM that fits in your vehicle.
XS and car audio brands will probably be the only ones that lists the wattage recommended for their batteries.

You're kind of at the wattage where beefy electrical is encouraged but not required. I had a system around that size and after i got a H.O, kept voltage steady but couldn't hear a difference.
Your amps and vehicle will be a little happier with stronger electrical.
Start with a battery upgrade and install a decent volt meter. Watch your voltage and you'll see when your music is really taxing the system. You'll also know if your stock alt starts getting weak. Go from there.

This came up before I created this thread.
Would this be suitable?

12V BCI Group 65 AGM Battery, Max Amps 3,900A, CA: 1100, Ah: 86, 3000W / 4000W

Also, I came across this. Im not familiar with the brand although I do see it often in my searches. Thoughts?
Power Acoustik CPAA-70D

• Subwoofer Preamp Outputs : Yes
• Built-in EQ : Yes
• DIN : 2
• Display Size : 7 Inch
• Audio/Video Inputs : 1
• Bluetooth : Yes
• Aux Input : Yes
• MP3 Playback : Yes
• WMA Playback : Yes
• Front USB Input : 1
• Rear USB Input : 1
• Pre-amp Outputs : 6
• Audio/Video Outputs : 2
• SD Card Slot : Yes
• Rear View Camera Input : Yes
• Apple CarPlay : Yes
• Android Auto : Yes

 

[Merc5]

Looks like you funded skar for an entire year!

What's your budget for electrical upgrades? Budget greatly dictates my response, but I'll do my best to give my opinion without knowing it.

I agree with most of what @some dude and @Deon1818 said.

I vote second battery near your amp(s). In my opinion the argument between second battery and better battery under the hood comes down to how much you like running wire, and I despise it. Big 3 "kits" really don't gain you much, as you'll still have to measure wire lengths, attach ring terminals, and make connections, because the kits that I've seen are not vehicle specific. Here's an example:
https://skyhighcaraudio.com/ofc-4/
You might even have enough extra wire length to do your big 3 upgrade.

If your alternator quits charging, you aren't immediately stranded. I drove my offroad toy for several days without an alternator before I realized it wasn't charging. If you have a gauge/meter to monitor your voltage or even a dummy light to tell you it's low, you'll know instantly if your alternator fails, and you'll have plenty of time to get to a parts store.

The single best electrical upgrade I've done was adding lithium. I had terrible voltage drop until I added lithium. LiFePO4 plays well with lead acid batteries, so you can use it with your current electrical system. I highly recommend a JY Power HP-40, but it is one of those purchases that's easier to make after a few drinks.

Summary: If it were my vehicle, I'd run 1/0 from front to back and add an HP-40 battery near the amps.

Sorry for the novel. Good luck whichever route you go.

Thanks for your input. Something to consider. Definitely a drunken purchase lol.
I don't have that much to play with, but I'm trying to find the balance between quality sound and preventing any issues with my car electrically.

 

[Jdh321]

Thanks for your input. Something to consider. Definitely a drunken purchase lol.
I don't have that much to play with, but I'm trying to find the balance between quality sound and preventing any issues with my car electrically.

Keep us posted. I’m at the exact same point as you, except I haven’t made purchases yet.

I’m looking at 2 skar 12s and around 2-3k power (probably Taramps smart 3k). There is a great deal local to me on a Sundown SFB 5k, but I’m not sure I want to go that big with the electrical I’d have to do. I have 4 gauge ran now and try to decide what to run beside it (OFC or CCA) as I know I’ll have to do something either way. I don’t want to have to get a HO alternator or another battery, but may have to. My plan is to wire it as it is and see how the factory electrical handles it.

Anyway, good luck with your build and let us know how it goes.

 

[Merc5]

Keep us posted. I’m at the exact same point as you, except I haven’t made purchases yet.

I’m looking at 2 skar 12s and around 2-3k power (probably Taramps smart 3k). There is a great deal local to me on a Sundown SFB 5k, but I’m not sure I want to go that big with the electrical I’d have to do. I have 4 gauge ran now and try to decide what to run beside it (OFC or CCA) as I know I’ll have to do something either way. I don’t want to have to get a HO alternator or another battery, but may have to. My plan is to wire it as it is and see how the factory electrical handles it.

Anyway, good luck with your build and let us know how it goes.

I have not upgraded my battery or purchased a second one just yet. Yesterday I had my wires ran. The 3000w 1/0 Guage amp kit from scar. I had some plywood cut to somewhat match the wall in my trunk. And mounted both of my amps to it. I have my woofers in the trunk as well. I'm actually hooking my subs up completely stock. No headunit, no battery, no upgraded alternator.
I decided to do what you mentioned and just see where I'm at. I have to do some modifications because the 6.5 component speakers system I have won't fit as is so my 400 watt amp won't be hooked up.

I think my subs are too close to the front, but the way my amps are mounted and the wedge of the bottom of my box I can't push it back anymore. Hopefully it isn't that big of an impact but I feel like I've lost some breathing room. Not sure.

I know I definitely need to get a headunit, I'm trying to find the right one. I know I will need to get another battery, but I think I'll be okay for now. Until I can get it all done right I won't give the system much play time.

also, I am going to do the big 3 upgrade at the same time. I'm probably jus going to use the 1/0 Guage power wire I got in my.other amp wiring kit.
so I'll be stock with the exception of my big 3 upgrade. For now anyways.

 

[trumpet 5,000+ posts]

A single bank of super capacitors could support this system with the engine running. These are also available in the same format as a battery.

https://xplicitaudio.com/shop/ioxus-uc-31-bstock/

Big 3 kit: https://www.franksaudiomotive.com/p...versal-1-0-awg-copper-big-three-upgrade-kit-1