Running a separate battery to power system in trunk?

[MetalMaxima 10+ year member]

I was wondering if there was any advatage to be gained by simply throwing a battery in my trunk to power my amps or running it through the firewall to the car battery? I am guessing that the trunk method would be a bad idea because without the alternator running to it, when the battyer is gone, it's gone?

Any inputs?

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[Decipha 10+ year member]

some people like to put a battery in the trunk, its not a bad idea but i wouldn't do it (for personal reasons), however you can give it power just get a hi capacity diode (optional) and run an extra wire from the alternator to the second battery. Another battery would give you alot more power and more power means a more stable supply of power for your amps. however its not neccessary unless you have an unusually small alternator, lets say perhaps a very small import car with a stock 30 amp alternator and you want to run a hi power sub amp and another amp for your comps... then you would need another battery. But in most cases, you can bypass needing another battery by getting a capacitor.

 

[MetalMaxima 10+ year member]

Bump...anyone else? I would plunk down $100 without hesitation for a second battery if it could bypass the need of going through the firewall.

 

[MetalMaxima 10+ year member]

PS - I am running a 135A alternator (stock)

 

[LightningStryk7 10+ year member]

Im guessing your battery will die with out a wire to the alternator.. unless u somehow put a gasoline or diesal or some sort of generator in your trunk to power ur battery, or you will need to keep charging it with some other method. Probably best just to go through the firewall.

 

[THUNDERBIRD 10+ year member]

r u just lazy and dont want to run the wire threw the firewall? u could run it under your car and drill a hole in the trunk. if u put an extra battery in ur trunk u need a dual battery isolater. and u still have to run probly 4 gauge at least to the battery but should run 0 on the safe and smart side. so that is all gunna run u like $200 range kuz u have to bu the battery, isolater, and wire.

 

[Ti22 10+ year member]

seriously it is not that hard to run your wires through your firewall, it looks like from your sig you are not running that much amperage, your stock 135 amp alternator and stock battery should be plenty for your charging system, ditch the idea of running a battery in the trunk and just run your wires through the firewall, or underneath the car.

 

[80INCHES 5,000+ posts]

i would say yeah put a batt in your trunck.......but u not even running enough power to even consider it.......run it off the starter batt....u have a 135 alt...its mor than fine 4 what u have

80

 

[johnecon2001 5,000+ posts]

...But in most cases, you can bypass needing another battery by getting a capacitor.

That is the worst idea ever. Please do not suggest that getting a capacitor will help his charging system. You obviously havn't researched capacitors enough to fully understand how the whole process works.

If his charging system is struggling to power all of the accessories in his car, and charge the battery AND power the sound system adequetly.. how is adding another item to be charged going to help anything? Oh... that's right.. its not going to help.. it'll hurt more than anything else.

 

[Decipha 10+ year member]

That is the worst idea ever. Please do not suggest that getting a capacitor will help his charging system. You obviously havn't researched capacitors enough to fully understand how the whole process works.
If his charging system is struggling to power all of the accessories in his car, and charge the battery AND power the sound system adequetly.. how is adding another item to be charged going to help anything? Oh... that's right.. its not going to help.. it'll hurt more than anything else.

you may want to read the original post once more

I was WONDERING if there was any ADVANTAGE to be GAINED by simply throwing a battery in my trunk to POWER MY AMPS or running it through the firewall to the car battery? I am guessing that the trunk method would be a bad idea because without the alternator running to it, when the battery is gone, it's gone?

no where in there do i see he says ANYTHING about not having enuff power, he simply wants to know if running his amp(s) off a second battery would be an advantage.

now remember what you said.... (i quote)

"If his charging system is STRUGGLING to power all of the accessories in his car, and charge the battery and power the sound system adequetly.. how is adding another item to be charged going to help anything?"

thats a large *** assumption to make considering he says NOTHING about not having enuff power. So before you come at me like that make sure you know what your talking about and also, JUST SO YOU KNOW, most manufactures put large enuff stock alternators in their vehicles to supply power for everything to be on and running at once without loss of power consistency, adding a capacitor to any system will do many things including giving you more power when needed and a more continuous power supply which will cause your amp to perform better. However, i dont think adding a capacitor to any system will give you LESS performance. If you think differently then thats your own right and i respect that, but just so this isin't a 'rivalry' lets see what the other members think????

 

[Ti22 10+ year member]

capacitors are wooooooooooooooooorthless! Just save money and get a ho alternator!

Decipha,

your scenario about the car with a 30 amp alternator is wrong, you would need to replace the alternator, not add another battery, you need to generate more amperage not store it! I recommend you do a little more studying on capacitors because most everybody in the car audio business (who knows anything about car audio) do not believe in them for the simple reason that they are another way for big audio companies to make more money, plain and simple.

 

[forbidden 10+ year member]

A cap does not create power, it stores and uses it. In this case it is a really bad idea. There are very few instances where they are beneficial. A second battery in the back is a bad idea. First it must be secured properly or it can take your head off, second it produces noxious odours that must, by law, be vented to the outside of the car (an exception is a gel-cell type), third it is another drain on a small alternator and will destroy the primary battery if it is not isolated. If you want more play time with the engine not running, a second battery and proper isolation of it is a must, if it for use primarily with the engine running, a good battery up front and proper power and ground by means of the BIG3 (or BIG4) is a must as well.

 

[ngsm13 5,000+ posts]

you may want to read the original post once more

You editted jackass...it even says so on this forum...

" Last edited by Decipha : Yesterday at 04:45 AM."

Nice try //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/rolleyes.gif.c1fef805e9d1464d377451cd5bc18bfb.gif//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/laugh.gif.48439b2acf2cfca21620f01e7f77d1e4.gif

Also, as Ti22 stated...you're dumb!

Adding another battery will only create MORE of a load on an already wimpy alternator (if that's the case, i.e. your stupid 30A alt example). Also, as stated...capacitors are a band-aid for a weak electrical system. They also create ANOTHER load on the alternator. So, in conclusion you are mis-informed...or dumb... and should not be giving anyone else advice.

NG

 

[Decipha 10+ year member]

well i learned something and thank all of yall for your input it was really helpful.

What did you learn today??

You editted jackass...it even says so on this forum..." Last edited by Decipha : Yesterday at 04:45 AM."

Nice try

hey jack **** just so you know i edited it because i spelled a few words wrong that i didn't catch when i wrote it.

 

[ngsm13 5,000+ posts]

...But in most cases, you can bypass needing another battery by getting a capacitor.

That is the worst idea ever. Please do not suggest that getting a capacitor will help his charging system. You obviously havn't researched capacitors enough to fully understand how the whole process works.

If his charging system is struggling to power all of the accessories in his car, and charge the battery AND power the sound system adequetly.. how is adding another item to be charged going to help anything? Oh... that's right.. its not going to help.. it'll hurt more than anything else.

Then this is below your post bud... "Last edited by Decipha : 03-29-2005 at 04:45 AM."

SO, Johnecon quoted you BEFORE your edit...you said "capacitor" first...then editted it to "diode". That's hardly a misspell.

So, in conclusion, quit LYING you phuck-tard! Nice one...trying trying to slip it by me..but you're too stupid.

OH, and I learned...you're a LYING phuck-tard...that's what I learned

NG