Need Strong Batt that can fit in tight spots!

[Anonymous 10+ year member]

I posted on here that i was having voltage drops. I had all the connections checked out and had the alt and batt checked and they are all fine. So i figure i might need another batt to help maintain higher voltage at idle. The only problem is my box is huge and i need a batt that is only 6.5" wide. So if anyone has any suggestions let me know.

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[SkwurlyFab 10+ year member]

you could get 2 of these 3 pack 6 volt optimas and wire em together to get 12 volts. they're very small. there's dimensions towards the bottom of the page.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/NEW-OPTIMA-RED-TOP-6-VOLT-BATTERY-SC6A_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33574QQitemZ8067464699QQrdZ1

 

[req 5,000+ posts]

you should look into a new alternator instead of another battery because another battery will be another drain to your alt, wheras a better alt will have more current to supply to your system.

 

[Anonymous 10+ year member]

I have already upgraded my alt to a 220A Iraggi alt. I had it tested and it maxed the mechanics voltmeter out at idle. So it is putting out at least 130A at idle.

 

[Anonymous 10+ year member]

He said it was putting out more like 150A at idle. I have had the big 3 done in 2/0awg and i upgraded my batt under the hood to a Rockford/Exide Orbital 1100A batt.

 

[Anonymous 10+ year member]

Any other suggestions? As i said it can only be 6.5" wide. And i already upgraded my alt and it is working fine and upgraded my batt which is working fine and i have upgraded my big 3. The shop that did the install said that i needed another batt because the one up front could not keep up with the current draw. And if i have another batt then it will not be draining from the one under the hood as much, right? I do not know this is what i was told.

 

[Anonymous 10+ year member]

Can noone help?

 

[req 5,000+ posts]

you said you have a 120a aftermarket alt and you are having problems still?

i highly doubt the battery is the issue. but look at kinetik audio. personally i think something else is drastically wrong.

http://www.kinetikaudio.com/hc800.asp

 

[Anonymous 10+ year member]

No i have a 220A Iraggi Alt. That produces 150A at idle.

 

[req 5,000+ posts]

where did you have it tested for 150a idle? and did they test voltage (with a load) on it?

 

[Anonymous 10+ year member]

It is not that the battery is bad it is that i am just pulling too much current for it and my batt light comes on because the voltage drops to 10.5 when playing it at idle. Other than that going down the road at cruising speeds(1500RPM) it stays right at 12v with me pounding it out. Hell it gets up to 13v when i hit 2-2500RPMs, this is the votage read out on my cap. I am planning to get rid of the cap but that is the only way of telling my voltage right now. I just need that extra at idle.

 

[MegaHurtz 10+ year member]

I don't think your alt is putting out 150a at idle. You say it maxed out your mechanics voltmeter... voltmeters aren't meant to handle much current, maybe like 10 amps. The proper way to test is with a current clamp on your alternator wire, and a load tester. The reason you are getting voltage drop at idle is because your alt ISN'T putting out enough current at idle, if it was putting out 150a, it's unlikely that you would be having problems. Your only option would be to add a larger battery (or batteries), but since you aren't able do that, you are stuck.

Well, there is one long shot... you can get your alternator rewound with smaller wire. It has been my experience that the larger gauge windings you use, the more power you get at high RPM, but the lower you get at idle. If you use smaller windings, you will get lower overall output, but it will charge better at idle. This may help, but its effectiveness may be limited, and it depends on the size of your current windings. What alternator (casing) are you using? What is your voltage at idle, without the system playing? The ideal scenario to check idle voltage is after having driven your for a bit, maybe when you drive to work in the morning, check when you get to work. I know on my car, my car idles higher and charges more when I first start the car, and after driving a bit, the idle RPM drops slightly, as does the charging voltage.

 

[knukonceptz 10+ year member]

Anon - Dude, check out Hawker Genesis Batteries, Bad *** and small. I had a few used ones and have one left. To prove my point in your last thread, you buy it, if it does not improve your voltage situation, I'll buy it back and pay for shipping back to (you'd be out only shipping to you from OH) I am that confident it will fix the problem. and btw - at a dead short it can output 2400A!

Here is an old auction we had with specs - it is 6.6" wide

Battery

Full spec PDF

http://www.commutercars.com/downloads/batteryCharging/HawkerGuide.pdf

And for those that have not read up on the battery debate:

http://www.caraudio.com/forum/showthread.php?t=158828&page=3

 

[knukonceptz 10+ year member]

And I forgot to ask - did you have the the voltage (not alt or battery) checked at the front battery VS what it says at the rear like we mentioned last post? Because as I said before if the folks working on your car cant figure out how to test to make sure you have good electrical connections - just because they are tight does not make them good - you should just invest in a $10 voltmeter and do your own homework.

 

[knukonceptz 10+ year member]

you should look into a new alternator instead of another battery because another battery will be another drain to your alt, wheras a better alt will have more current to supply to your system.

You are so wrong - see my link about the second battery in the thread above. A second battery will add support for any system in the 12V range and keep drastic spikes from occuring.

Also I see the same statement about caps - Someone please with logical tech terms how a cap can be a strain on a system......

1- a Cap STORES what is available - does not add power/amperage

2- a Cap has a very , very low internal resistance, so it does not waste power.

If it does not Use and it does not waste - how is it a strain?

And FWIW open up any amp, I think you'll see several caps mounted directly to the power supply - why - to help regulate voltage spikes - and that helps SQ. A huge cap is not going to solve most problems, but they do have a real role in audio - just not as magical as people thought.