New Build, 150 Amp Alternator limitations

[5t4y_50L0]

The current system was two 8 in subwoofers 500 RMS 4 ohm each but only ran 650 RMS to them and a 4 channel amp with roughly 175 RMS to component speakers, maybe less RMS on comps. I think my dad audio BSI did the damage as I dug for the deep lows on regular music not Rebassed ...

I ruined my voltage regulator and am now looking to dial back on watts, was a wanting to ask what's the safest way to run a good system without repeating the same problem ?

Was looking at a single 10 in sl610 600 RMS, but looking to build a box tuned to 33 Hz. Also want to add in two 6.5 lound speaker about 200 RMS but only feed them half of anything

Looking to get a 4 channel amp too power both, 600 RMS sub but only push 500 to it.

Click to read more...

 

[Blackout67]

Best way to be safe is to either get distortion detector (they are expensive tho, the DD-1 that is popular is like $120), buy an amp with a clip light so you are making sure you aren't trying pulling more amps than your electrical system can provide, or the cheapest way would be to use a voltmeter that you can splice into your power and ground so you can monitor it. They sell some on Amazon for like $25 that will plug into your cigarette lighter or some audio companies sell this little digital one that you wire in with your power and ground but you'd have to install it yourself.

Unless you have some tiny pitiful amp, you should not be pulling enough power to fry a voltage regulator if everything is installed correctly. Especially at 4ohms. I'm assuming you have a class D and they are usually extremely efficient at 4 ohms. Both the amps I have are at least 90% at 4 ohms efficient meaning that 90 percent of the power pulled is being sent to the subwoofers and the other 10 percent is lost as heat.

Id start with cleaning up the amp ground and the grounds to your battery. Next if you haven't already id upgrade the battery wires as well. You can pick up a 4 gauge upgrade kit for super cheap. Stock wires are usually puny and only rated for whatever electrical options your have in your car.

 

[Doxquzme Premium Member]

You have other issues. A 1200 watt systems should be fine on a stock alt, heck, I run a 4500 watt system on a 110A alt. I do run a quality AGM under the hood and a GloweVoltage series 1 in the back, but you should not need such a setup at all.

Years ago, I ran an Punch 500.2 and a Punch 800.4 on a 90A alt in a suzuki swift, never had any issues at all. I was only using a PR1200 battery near the amps,

Amazon.com

Make sure you have good quality large gauge OFC cable for power (4 gauge minimum) going to the amp, 1/0 if you plan to upgrade.

Make sure you have excellent grounds.

 

[Jimi77 5,000+ posts]

Under 1000 watts you should be good with just doing the big 3.

 

[Blackout67]

. I do run a quality AGM under the hood and a GloweVoltage series 1 in the back

I've been considering one of those Glowe Voltage batteries. Do you use a voltage balancer (for the life of me I can't remember what they are actually called) between the AGM and the Glowe?

 

[5t4y_50L0]

Yeah, I can't figure out why the voltage went wacky, I have a ct sounds at 2300 0 awh ofc knukonceptz and it ran fine for over a year. Things went side ways after I got a dashcam and dd audio BSI, the BSI I never thought to check it it was clipping but my ct sounds bass knob didn't clip. The BSI was set with its light indicator and 40 Hz test tone. Yellow top battery, I even set my gains with a o scope.

One issue I do see is the remote wire was connected by of the cigarette lighter, which also powered distro block for led lights and dash cam. I switched the remote wire off and capped it, then put signal detector for amps to turn on and not remote wire.i did notice my phone USB that connects to the factory plug for car audio malfunction after a few months. So I'm confused and am scared to do a big 3 on a 2019 Camaro. Factory radio also malfunction, turned off by itself a few times and will keep one song on the display after multiple other songs have played

I got a new alternator and will be installing it soon.

 

[Doxquzme Premium Member]

I have a 500amp smart isolator though it is not needed as the GlowVoltage and regular batteries charge at basically the same rate. It's also really overkill for what you need, by a longshot. I'd recommend doing a big 3 upgrade, make sure you have very good OFC heavy gauge (4 gauge or better) power/ground wiring and then if you still think you need a 2nd battery, this would be fine.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07P686S79/?tag=caraudiocom-20

Or

https://bigjeffaudio.com/products/b-stock-ioxus-12v-group-31-smart-power-bluetooth-car-audio-ultra-capacitor

I have an isolator because initially I was to use a different type of lithium bank which had substantially different charging voltages, not the case with an AGM or the GLoweVoltage.

It is convenient for disengaging the system from the primary battery should I want to do that, just a touch of a button so if you must.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B084VTXN9B/?tag=caraudiocom-20

 

[Blackout67]

Yeah, I can't figure out why the voltage went wacky, I have a ct sounds at 2300 0 awh ofc knukonceptz and it ran fine for over a year. Things went side ways after I got a dashcam and dd audio BSI, the BSI I never thought to check it it was clipping but my ct sounds bass knob didn't clip. The BSI was set with its light indicator and 40 Hz test tone. Yellow top battery, I even set my gains with a o scope.

One issue I do see is the remote wire was connected by of the cigarette lighter, which also powered distro block for led lights and dash cam. I switched the remote wire off and capped it, then put signal detector for amps to turn on and not remote wire.i did notice my phone USB that connects to the factory plug for car audio malfunction after a few months. So I'm confused and am scared to do a big 3 on a 2019 Camaro. Factory radio also malfunction, turned off by itself a few times and will keep one song on the display after multiple other songs have played

I got a new alternator and will be installing it soon.

Big three on a newer car isn't any different than and older one. You don't even have to replace the factory wires, just put the new ones over top. That's what I do.

Maybe your factory headunit is grounding out somewhere causing it to malfunction. This could be where your issue lies cause it seems like you have it set up correctly. Could also be that your VRM just wasn't designed to take those up and down voltage spikes. They usually are designed to prevent that and aren't made in mind with a high power aftermarket audio system.

Your DSP unit has a clip light and if you are setting it below clipping I can't see why that would be the reason. If I had to guess with the information that you've just given, it's likely an electrical issue up stream. Id check the voltage range on your VRM to make sure you aren't frying it with excessive jumps and falls in Voltage, next like I said earlier is also clean up all your grounds as well. If your amp or battery isn't making a solid connection to ground the voltage fluctuations will be more severe. You'll jump from 14v to below 13 from a small bass hit.

If those don't work you might have to pull out your headunit and check out the wiring as best as you can. Those headunits with the big screens that are tied into the monitoring systems and climate control burn out quick. Just happened to my grandfather's 2019 Ram

 

[5t4y_50L0]

I really appreciate the feedback and in a positive, professional form, I been stressed out for months on this voltage issue. There are 2 more things I thought I'd bring up, I set my gain with an o scope and went a little higher than 75% and signal was clean. I also was never able to get the amp bass knob to match the dash voltage, it (amp) would max at 11.9-12 volts but if I had the A/C maxed I can get it to 13.5-14v.

My amp ground was on the exact opposite side of the factory ground location in the trunk. I used a knukonceptz ground set screw block.

 

[Blackout67]

I really appreciate the feedback and in a positive, professional form, I been stressed out for months on this voltage issue. There are 2 more things I thought I'd bring up, I set my gain with an o scope and went a little higher than 75% and signal was clean. I also was never able to get the amp bass knob to match the dash voltage, it (amp) would max at 11.9-12 volts but if I had the A/C maxed I can get it to 13.5-14v.

My amp ground was on the exact opposite side of the factory ground location in the trunk. I used a knukonceptz ground set screw block.

The voltage reading discrepancy is normal. First off from what I see online, your battery gauge on your dash is analog so no matter how you read it it's going to be slightly off. 2nd is the wiring path to get to your gauge cluster will cause voltage to drop off due to the resistance from the long path and skinny wires. Testing it at your amp there is little to no resistance so your reading will be more accurate. For instance my bass knob has a built in voltage indicator and it usually reads .3 or .4 volts off what I read at the terminals with a multimeter.

Grounding location isn't as important as how clean the connection is. Obviously there will be spots that will give you no complete circuit because there is no path to the battery ground terminal. Your amp is working so you have a circuit, but it could be that the connection isn't great. I can't see how well you've cleaned up the surface of your ground location cause you have the block on there, but when you should have bare shiny metal for the best connection and make sure the entire block is making connection. If there is an air gap between the block and the ground surface it won't make good connection and will corrode because heat will build up between the block and ground surface.

At any rate those I don't think it has anything to do with your system. My jeep is 30 years old and I run a 2k watt amp that clips commonly cause of my wimpy alternator and I've never busted my VRM.ake sure your car doesn't have a recall for the VRM or maybe go on Camaro forums and see if it is a common issue with that generation

 

[fa5chups]

You have other issues. A 1200 watt systems should be fine on a stock alt, heck, I run a 4500 watt system on a 110A alt. I do run a quality AGM under the hood and a GloweVoltage series 1 in the back, but you should not need such a setup at all.

Years ago, I ran an Punch 500.2 and a Punch 800.4 on a 90A alt in a suzuki swift, never had any issues at all. I was only using a PR1200 battery near the amps,

Amazon.com

Make sure you have good quality large gauge OFC cable for power (4 gauge minimum) going to the amp, 1/0 if you plan to upgrade.

Make sure you have excellent grounds.

could you give me your 2 cents
110a oem alt, regular small agm underhood (cant upgrade battery is relocated and cant hold a bigger one)
i think i want to run a glowvoltage series 1 or 2, but im not to sure how the whole install process goes.
how do i hook up the lithium and the agm? what is needed to buy for the install

 

[Doxquzme Premium Member]

could you give me your 2 cents
110a oem alt, regular small agm underhood (cant upgrade battery is relocated and cant hold a bigger one)
i think i want to run a glowvoltage series 1 or 2, but im not to sure how the whole install process goes.
how do i hook up the lithium and the agm? what is needed to buy for the install

This covers the gamut. Let me know if you have any questions.

The fuses marked optional are there because I run the wire under my car to the rear and up through the sheet metal. Even though I use 2/0 gauge nylon gromets, in the event they loosen or crack and the power line or ground gets worn thorough, I have the extra fuses/breakers to prevent fires on either end.

 

[fa5chups]

This covers the gamut. Let me know if you have any questions.

View attachment 64628

The fuses marked optional are there because I run the wire under my car to the rear and up through the sheet metal. Even though I use 2/0 gauge nylon gromets, in the event they loosen or crack and the power line or ground gets worn thorough, I have the extra fuses/breakers to prevent fires on either end.

do you not need like an isolator or a DC DC charger?
also is the oem alternator ok charging the lithium? Ive heard lithium wants more than 14.2v of charging

 

[Doxquzme Premium Member]

do you not need like an isolator or a DC DC charger?
also is the oem alternator ok charging the lithium? Ive heard lithium wants more than 14.2v of charging

My LifePo4 is almost the same as the AGM. The charging voltage is the qualifier and 13.9 - 14.4 to 14.8 isn't significant enough difference to warrant an isolator.

but if you want one, I had this one laying around and used it anyway. It allows me to shut the rear setup off from the primary electrical with a touch of a button.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B9RT971X/?tag=caraudiocom-20

 

[fa5chups]

My LifePo4 is almost the same as the AGM. The charging voltage is the qualifier and 13.9 - 14.4 to 14.8 isn't significant enough difference to warrant an isolator.

but if you want one, I had this one laying around and used it anyway. It allows me to shut the rear setup off from the primary electrical with a touch of a button.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B9RT971X/?tag=caraudiocom-20

I see I see so it’s not really necessary but that does sound nice only 70 might as well add it in, where does it go or where do you have yours? (I’m not familiar with isolators todays the first time I’ve heard of them lmao)