Raising voltage

[Bobby322 10+ year member]

I have a stock battery with a c&d battery in the back. I have a 1/0 run from the front battery positive to the back battery and 1/0 for the rest of connections for back battery. I want to try to increase my voltage and have less drops so whats the best way to do that? Other than doing the big 3, what should I do? A new battery under hood? another back battery? I dont have a volt meter so idk how low my voltage drops are going. I want to be at around 13v even on heavy bass hits.

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[Bobby322 10+ year member]

also, is it bad to mix battery brands? as in, is it bad if I wire my c&d battery in the back with a different battery?

 

[Cabin_Pressure 10+ year member]

MLA and 2 reserve batteries. And it will still probably dip into the 12s, depending on the amount of playing time between fully charging because your OEM alt isn't really designed to keep up with the current draw of a 3000w amp.

 

[Bobby322 10+ year member]

what is an mla?

 

[Cabin_Pressure 10+ year member]

http://www.google.com/search?q=MLA+module&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-USfficial&client=firefox-a

 

[cj407]

tons of batteries...get about 4 for your case...and you shouldnt see much of a drop...but u will have to charge them often.

 

[Bobby322 10+ year member]

well im prob. going to sell the ap30001d and I want something like an AQ2200. So what do I need to keep my voltage up?

 

[jdawg 5,000+ posts]

what car? what size is your alt? how old is your stock battery? how old is the c&d? why dont you have a voltage meter when they are like $4?

 

[Bobby322 10+ year member]

'04 dodge ram 1500 work truck 4.8 v8. stock battery is prob. as old as the truck. c&d i got during the summer. Ill prob go to to walmart and get one.

 

[jdawg 5,000+ posts]

I would replace the stock battery and get the same type of battery, a gel cell or agm, whichever type the C&D is and go from there. You should be able to get a bigger alt for not a whole lot if need be.

here is a cheap dmm

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=90899

 

[jdawg 5,000+ posts]

btw you should have a 4.7, 5.2 or 5.9 engine

 

[Bobby322 10+ year member]

yeah i probally will get another c&d battery.

I have a dmm, but its not very useful with checking voltage drops. what type shoud i be looking to buy today?

its a 4.7 my bad.

 

[jdawg 5,000+ posts]

any type, just put it on you wires and wang away

 

[Bobby322 10+ year member]

I thought i just plug it in the cigeratte lighter? I have a dmm already.

 

[psychoacoustics 10+ year member]

you cant raise voltage you unless you get 16 volt batteries and an externally regulated alternator

how ever you can prevent voltage drop.

voltage drop is a product of resistance if you have 1 run of wire a factory alt and 2 dissimilar batts your on the right track for voltage drop

first step is to replace factory battery dissimilar battery's do what's called parasitic discharge, that means that they discharge into each other trying to achieve equilibrium and will continue until they die

second step is to do a wire upgrade for your alt and grounds (big 3) i know you dont want to but its the only option do it or have votage drop no way around it

if you plan on doing more runs of 1/0 the next one should be a ground from front battery to back battery

and from that point on do equal number of runs per + and - terminals having a bunch of +++++ and only 1 - is going to make voltage drop too

then like all the other guys do more batteries in the back

if you plan on using a 2-3kw amp just do the math on how long you can sustain the voltage

look here

http://www.gizmology.net/batteries.htm

plus if you have a 2kw amp and a 150 amp alterntor when your amp is being used to full power you will get somewhere around 2100 watts

150*14=2100

so if your not using anything except the ignition you should bet very little time before you get drop

but you have a radio dashlights ignition computers headlights whatever

with your battery you should get about 45 min until its dead at full tilt but music is dynamic so double that time 1.5 hours best guess

now add a second battery and a 250 amp alt

250*14=3500 watts

136*2= 272ah

1.4 hours of battery life and now you got 1500 watts to pump back in to the battery but eventually your alternator will saturate with heat and not keep that up

this is all perfect conditions and with no voltage drop over your cables

if your batterys are less than 1 foot from your amp your good if not you need more wire

any meter will show voltage drop digital 3$ or 20 year old analog all the same , put the meter in the wire right at the terminal of the amp and play the system what is the lowest number you see ?

now turn stereo off and put it at the front battery and rev the engine a bit what is the highest number you see ?

subtract the 2 that is your voltage drop with the alternator on

now turn the car off and do it again same place amp at full tilt and front battery that is voltage drop without the alternator

long story short you need power to make power