Should i upgrade my alternatlr

[ENDER_XVICM 10+ year member]

After a Big 3 and the purchase of a yellowtop, will an upgraded alternator really be necessary.

It is a 2001 Cavalier coupe. The stock alternator is 105 amps. The alternator was replaced recently due to problems with the old one. I believe it is still 105 amps. I know it is not lower.

I will be running 3 amps total.

One TXA-3004 (75WRMS x 4)

One TXA-3002 (150WRMS x 2)

One Class D (1000-1200WRMS x 1) Probably a TXA-1000D

The car has power windows and locks but no seats or anything.

If I had everything on. Lights windshield wipers stereo, AC or Heat. interior LEDs I have in the doors and air vents. Sub cranked and volume up, do you think I would benefit from an upgraded alternator? Or should My stock one be good enough.

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[jco1385 5,000+ posts]

more is always better as far as reserve. but i think you'll be good

 

[ENDER_XVICM 10+ year member]

How do you know when you will have a need for an upgraded alternator?

 

[Twistid 5,000+ posts]

I would say just upgrade the hood battery and get a nice trunk battery... I can run 3+ kw rms off a yellowtop and powermaster d3100.

 

[jco1385 5,000+ posts]

when your amp draw > reserve and your shit will start dimming

is this a single battery or 2?

 

[ENDER_XVICM 10+ year member]

single yellowtop.

 

[jco1385 5,000+ posts]

you'll probably dim. i'd put a small trunk battery in there.

 

[ssackett 10+ year member]

Get a nice battery for the rear and you'll be set. Look into a hc1800/hc200 or something along that size.

 

[GAM3OVR 5,000+ posts]

Stick another optima in the back and you'll be a happy squirell

 

[ENDER_XVICM 10+ year member]

if I would get a second battery It would prob be a red top for hood and yellow in trunk then

I get a pretty good price where I work for them

 

[audioholic 5,000+ posts]

There is no exact way of knowing when someone will or will not need to upgrade their alternator. You listed the size of the amplifiers in your future system, but we have no way of knowing how loud you will listen to the stereo, how regularly, or how often you will run the engine with the stereo allow, allowing the batts to recharge, etc etc...

Try it without a new alt and see what happens. Just carry jumper cables with you the first couple weeks. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

 

[ENDER_XVICM 10+ year member]

Thanks for all the input guys. Ill be sure to carry jumper cables. gonna try it all off the yellowtop to start with. Thanks again.

 

[rasta4life 10+ year member]

There is no exact way of knowing when someone will or will not need to upgrade their alternator. You listed the size of the amplifiers in your future system, but we have no way of knowing how loud you will listen to the stereo, how regularly, or how often you will run the engine with the stereo allow, allowing the batts to recharge, etc etc...
Try it without a new alt and see what happens. Just carry jumper cables with you the first couple weeks. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

Upgrading to a more amperage alternator will always help.Find out what the amp draws on you amps,just say all your amps draw 250 amps and you have a 105 amp alternator.A good percent is going to other parts of the car while some is going to you radio and that would not be enough.

 

[99grandprixGT 5,000+ posts]

ya man just try it out and see what happens. easiest way to see if you need one or not.

 

[audioholic 5,000+ posts]

Upgrading to a more amperage alternator will always help.Find out what the amp draws on you amps,just say all your amps draw 250 amps and you have a 105 amp alternator.A good percent is going to other parts of the car while some is going to you radio and that would not be enough.

The situation is much more complicated than you realize. For example, when do all your amplifiers all draw maximum current at the exact same time? Unless you enjoy listening to pink noise at full volume, or run all fully class-A amplifiers (and you dont), the answer is never. Your comment also ignores the fact that you have storage capacity within the system. To even get close to undertanding the situation, you have to learn to look at it as a charge/drain over time, not just a snap shot moment in time where you think the system is draw X number of watts. Once you do this, you will realize the charge, and drain, going on are dynamic, not a static number like the 250 amp example you posed.