Upgrade alternator or add second batttery?

[ATOMICxTomato 10+ year member]

Hey so im still new to the whole car audio scene so am still a noob. But would it be better to upgrade my alternator or add a second battery? I will be running a re hc 12 of a pheonix gold tantrum 1200.1 at 4 ohms. My car has a stock alternator but i think it only does 78 amps. Its an older car so i figured I probably would have to upgrade the electrical but not sure what. Any help would be appreciated, thnx.

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[ATOMICxTomato 10+ year member]

Anyone?

 

[myjaja 10+ year member]

Running at 4 ohms? I dont see it drawing too much current so a good size battery in the rear should be fine.

 

[ATOMICxTomato 10+ year member]

So what kind of battery would you recommend? Every one I know is telling me i should go with a Optima yellow top, but i just wanted to know what other good ones are there. Also does my main battery have to be the same as the one I would be adding?

 

[orphe 10+ year member]

So what kind of battery would you recommend? Every one I know is telling me i should go with a Optima yellow top, but i just wanted to know what other good ones are there. Also does my main battery have to be the same as the one I would be adding?

I personally go with Optima myself but I hear good things about stinger as well. Also a fresh battery under the hood would bot hurt at all.

 

[myjaja 10+ year member]

So what kind of battery would you recommend? Every one I know is telling me i should go with a Optima yellow top, but i just wanted to know what other good ones are there. Also does my main battery have to be the same as the one I would be adding?

Optima is pretty good but if it was me, id go with xs power.

 

[sexy 10+ year member]

Hey so im still new to the whole car audio scene so am still a noob. But would it be better to upgrade my alternator or add a second battery? I will be running a re hc 12 of a pheonix gold tantrum 1200.1 at 4 ohms. My car has a stock alternator but i think it only does 78 amps. Its an older car so i figured I probably would have to upgrade the electrical but not sure what. Any help would be appreciated, thnx.

try reading this do i need extra batteries? sticky plz - CarAudioForum.com

 

[macsdad 10+ year member]

try reading this do i need extra batteries? sticky plz - CarAudioForum.com

thank you for this, but now am truly confounded. I am unable to find a h/o alt for my 08 caliber, so i got an xsxxx and now i read this. Wtf am i supposed to do to maintain my voltage? The car idle bogs down to the point of almost cutting itself off. I would love to use my saz1500v.3 to its fullest, what am i doing wrong? Is it worth adding the second batt or not?

 

[Popcornhemeroid 10+ year member]

thank you for this, but now am truly confounded. I am unable to find a h/o alt for my 08 caliber, so i got an xsxxx and now i read this. Wtf am i supposed to do to maintain my voltage? The car idle bogs down to the point of almost cutting itself off. I would love to use my saz1500v.3 to its fullest, what am i doing wrong? Is it worth adding the second batt or not?

Ok so I don't know if I should even open my mouth as I am a noob as well but from my point of view so far (and what I'm doing) is right now I'm running blue top. Heard some crap about optima but hey I'm an offroad vehicle and want to roll around a bit lol jk... So my stock alt seems like its going.. My voltage runs sorta high until I turn on my heater then it evens out.. That's just on the gauge though and only since last week lol turning up my volume drops my voltage to make er squeal !!!!! Soo on march 11th I ordered a alternator from mechman search that up. I'd love to talk them up an whatnOt and tell you how awesome it works...I was told 5 days...... It's still not here... I receive ruddy answers if they answer the phone at all... But whatever. Back on topic. Second battery .. So I've read if done properly with isolator switch and solenoid. Is good for runnin your stereo with your vehicle off.. Is usually not used by us noobs for that, we en up using it as a band aid.. And the onl way to truly increase power without said "voltage drops" we need to now upgrade our grounds by doing a big 3 search on here.. An yes upgrade the alternator.. While it is a 400$ ish upgrade and seems pricey I'm fairly confident that it will be well worth it.. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[sexy 10+ year member]

thank you for this, but now am truly confounded. I am unable to find a h/o alt for my 08 caliber, so i got an xsxxx and now i read this. Wtf am i supposed to do to maintain my voltage? The car idle bogs down to the point of almost cutting itself off. I would love to use my saz1500v.3 to its fullest, what am i doing wrong? Is it worth adding the second batt or not?

In your first post you said you were using a pheonix gold tantrum 1200.1 at 4 ohms now you are saying saz1500v.3 sounds a little fishy to me.

But I will play along it should be a 115 amp alternator and once it gets hot it will probably make 90 amps. A 2008 caliber should have an engine management system that keeps your idle speed at a set point like a governor so I don’t know why you idle speed would ever be dropping? Now if you were to add a stronger alternator would your engine speed drop to the point where it dies? Adding a second battery will make your alternator work even harder to maintain that battery plus your sound system.

Normally I would recommend doing the big three first then get back to the forum if you have voltage issues and go from there.

The first thing anyone should ask you on a forum is have you done the big three. But no that’s not what happened makes you wonder why.

 

[Popcornhemeroid 10+ year member]

the big three first then get back to the forum if you have voltage issues and go from there.The first thing anyone should ask you on a forum is have you done the big three. But no that’s not what happened makes you wonder why.

Oh? Sorry I'm new here? Not trying to tick anyone off but, I thought that's the first thing I told him to do after explaining my own predicament?

 

[mclerico83 5,000+ posts]

batteries are great for reserve power but i would rather get the alternator upgraded with one nice battery up front

for the price you can run to sams club and get a duracell agm battery by deka for 99 bucks its a steal. thats all you will need put it up front where your stock is and do big 3 and get alternator.

what kind of car.

 

[macsdad 10+ year member]

In your first post you said you were using a pheonix gold tantrum 1200.1 at 4 ohms now you are saying saz1500v.3 sounds a little fishy to me. But I will play along it should be a 115 amp alternator and once it gets hot it will probably make 90 amps. A 2008 caliber should have an engine management system that keeps your idle speed at a set point like a governor so I don’t know why you idle speed would ever be dropping? Now if you were to add a stronger alternator would your engine speed drop to the point where it dies? Adding a second battery will make your alternator work even harder to maintain that battery plus your sound system.

Normally I would recommend doing the big three first then get back to the forum if you have voltage issues and go from there.

The first thing anyone should ask you on a forum is have you done the big three. But no that’s not what happened makes you wonder why.[/quote

I am not the op, i have the same question as the op. the caliber has a 130a alt. so why do so many say to add second batt if you have voltage drops? I would not have bought it if it is a useless addition. I have all the recommended alt builders, and none of them make one for my car. So what am i supposed to do? I have gen fit ho alts which may or may not work.

 

[ATOMICxTomato 10+ year member]

batteries are great for reserve power but i would rather get the alternator upgraded with one nice battery up front
for the price you can run to sams club and get a duracell agm battery by deka for 99 bucks its a steal. thats all you will need put it up front where your stock is and do big 3 and get alternator.

what kind of car.

Its an 85 buick regal. So if it would be better to get a new alternator since having to batteries would make my stock alt work harder. If so what kind? Ive found some but don't really know what to look for.

 

[esmokah 10+ year member]

Do the big 3 if you haven't. If you want to put a system in a vehicle, get this done. It should be mandatory!

H.O. alt is the best, most expensive way to keep your voltage up. It's where the 14.4v comes from in the first place! I have a Singer H.O. alt with a lifetime warranty.

A bigger main and secondary battery is the second, less expensive way to keep your voltage up. they will only help you to 12.x volts or so fully charged. It will help you, yes.