Voltage drop with good electrical. What am I doing wrong?

[hatedonmostly 5,000+ posts]

Short answer? NO! lol
The alt puts out 14.4v. Nothing else does. It puts out a higher voltage than the batts can charge up to, so that there can be a difference of potential and current can flow FROM THE ALT into the batteries to charge them.

The reason the voltage lowered is because the alternator could not keep up with the current being drawn.

Except for the voltages you listed this statement is true.

So far so good.

No. How could this happen? IT TAKES A DIFFERENCE OF POTENTIAL TO MAKE CURRENT FLOW!!!!!!! LEARN THAT. A difference of potential is a voltage. If the alternator couldn't keep up and it's voltage dropped and now the batteries are discharging, how the hell is current going to flow from it into the batts? It can't! Furthermore, if the alternator were charging the batts and they were discharging to power the alternators, it would be totally unsustainable. Batteries discharge much faster than they recharge and they waste power when recharging. Something would fail really quickly. If the alternator can raise it's voltage above the battery voltage, all current is being drawn from it, and it is then powering the system as well as recharging the batteries.

Nope. Read above. What you're saying is not even close to correct.

So if the voltage drops to the point that the batteries start to discharge to power the amps, then what does the alternator do? Nothing?

 

[hatedonmostly 5,000+ posts]

I know ya was lol just wanted to make it clear for him why CCA is irrelevant //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif
and yes RC on paper that is how it works, but each car is different. And as Ecrack/Sexy both said the box rise is often overlooked..

for daily IMHO you need 3-400Amps of alt/battery power in reserve. if you hammer it all the time you need an H/O alt and 2-300 Ah of battery..

I have built more systems in my profession than I can recall and hardly any of the DD setups "needed" H/O alts... some absolutely did w/o a doubt but not many.

in your case with those amps strapped and drawing close to 400 or more amps.. I would definately agree at least a 200A alt as well as 300 Ah of batts minimum...

the ohm load you have the amps at makes their efficiency go way way down...which requires alot more amps for the same power...

See, that's what I'm saying, I know a H/O alt would be the end all problem solver, but I have seen plenty of people running ~3k with nothing but battery reserve...

 

[ahole-ic]

So if the voltage drops to the point that the batteries start to discharge to power the amps, then what does the alternator do? Nothing?

It's voltage will be down around where the batteries are so if it's voltage is less than the batteries then it's doing nothing. If it's dead even with the batts they share the load. If it's higher than the batts it will be supplying all current and adjust it's voltage depending on the draw. Higher voltage means more current can be drawn which is why the alternator voltage slowly raises back up after the batteries have been heavily depleted.

 

[hatedonmostly 5,000+ posts]

It's voltage will be down around where the batteries are so if it's voltage is less than the batteries then it's doing nothing. If it's dead even with the batts they share the load. If it's higher than the batts it will be supplying all current and adjust it's voltage depending on the draw. Higher voltage means more current can be drawn which is why the alternator voltage slowly raises back up after the batteries have been heavily depleted.

So what you're saying is that when the batteries start discharging to handle the load of the amps, the alternator essentially becomes SELF-AWARE of this and stops charging the batteries? lolwut?

I didn't make this thread to just disagree with everyone and not take any advice; I'm trying to learn, but you have to understand that that doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me...

 

[sexy 10+ year member]

It's voltage will be down around where the batteries are so if it's voltage is less than the batteries then it's doing nothing. If it's dead even with the batts they share the load. If it's higher than the batts it will be supplying all current and adjust it's voltage depending on the draw. Higher voltage means more current can be drawn which is why the alternator voltage slowly raises back up after the batteries have been heavily depleted.

You know whats funny about alternators is that very few people know how they work. I was reading an article on termpro where guys that build HO units were going to auto parts stores and trying to see why the auto parts people could not properly test an alternators output. They could only tell you whether the alt was working or not. Then they went to some rebuild shops where the guys only know how to replace parts of an alternator but still could not explain how an alternator works or tell you how much load it will carry.

 

[ahole-ic]

So what you're saying is that when the batteries start discharging to handle the load of the amps, the alternator essentially becomes SELF-AWARE of this and stops charging the batteries? lolwut?

No, the alternator has a voltage regulator that is supposed to manage the voltage. Despite what others will tell you, it protects itself from overcurrent by reducing the voltage. This in turn reduces the amount of current that can be drawn from it. That is the only thing that could possibly cause it's voltage to drop and stay low, because the regulator is designed to raise the voltage if it gets too low. It would instantly burn out in these situations if too much current mysteriously just brought the voltage down and it tried it's heart out trying to raise it back up. It is constantly monitoring the circuit voltage and staying within it's own limits.

I didn't make this thread to just disagree with everyone and not take any advice; I'm trying to learn, but you have to understand that that doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me...

Well I'm sure it doesn't because you, like many others have learned the wrong thing.

 

[ChevyRidinLow]

Just because I don't have XS Power batteries doesn't mean that my batteries ****...same with the alt, just because it's not a forum boner like DC Power doesn't mean that it's garbage.

probably the dumbest thing ive ever seen on the computer (and thats saying something) its not the fact that your alt isnt dc or that your batts arent xs, its because they arent good enough!

 

[Bumpin' Goalie 10+ year member]

When the alternator cannot handle the demand placed upon it, and the voltage falls to the battery's domain: The battery "reserve" will help voltage @ this point. Not above it.

During music, since the amount of draw is varied: If the alternator "falls behind" to the point of batteries being used, the battery will discharge until the music selection reaches a point that the draw demand is less. Then the alternator will be the source again and be taxed by draw and charge the batteries.

Tried to keep it as casually worded as possible.

 

[hatedonmostly 5,000+ posts]

probably the dumbest thing ive ever seen on the computer (and thats saying something) its not the fact that your alt isnt dc or that your batts arent xs, its because they arent good enough!

gtfo of my thread, 38 posts noob.

When the alternator cannot handle the demand placed upon it' date=' and the voltage falls to the battery's domain: The battery "reserve" will help voltage @ this point. Not above it.
During music, since the amount of draw is varied: If the alternator "falls behind" to the point of batteries being used, the battery will discharge until the music selection reaches a point that the draw demand is less. Then the alternator will be the source again and be taxed by draw and charge the batteries.

Tried to keep it as casually worded as possible.[/quote']

Makes a lot of sense, thanks

 

[SicAudio 5,000+ posts]

When the alternator cannot handle the demand placed upon it' date=' and the voltage falls to the battery's domain: The battery "reserve" will help voltage @ this point. Not above it.
During music, since the amount of draw is varied: If the alternator "falls behind" to the point of batteries being used, the battery will discharge until the music selection reaches a point that the draw demand is less. Then the alternator will be the source again and be taxed by draw and charge the batteries.

Tried to keep it as casually worded as possible.[/quote']

very well put BG thx

didn't wanna say anything at all on this thread and get called a liar ect and start a war lolz

 

[SicAudio 5,000+ posts]

also OP you may wanna unstrap the amps and just run 1 amp per sub.. it will draw less amperage due to amp efficiency.

 

[ahole-ic]

very well put BG thx
didn't wanna say anything at all on this thread and get called a liar ect and start a war lolz

LOL!! Man we're cool as long as you stay on my side. I know what I say is true and I will back it up with a vengeance lol.

 

[hatedonmostly 5,000+ posts]

very well put BG thx
didn't wanna say anything at all on this thread and get called a liar ect and start a war lolz

What lol?

also OP you may wanna unstrap the amps and just run 1 amp per sub.. it will draw less amperage due to amp efficiency.

That'd be no different than running each amp separately at 0.6, how would that be any different

 

[SicAudio 5,000+ posts]

I know E I was not referring to you //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

Loud when you strap the amps it changes alot.. E can explain it in technical terms that I can't, but strapping changes alot of factors ..

needless to say the amplifier efficiency is not as good strapped especially when being run well below what they rate at. we all know they will do .5 ohms each but that is with massive electrical.

Tommy had his strapped and pulled insane power from them at 2 ohm but he had wicked electrical and was still drawing close to 400 amps IIRC ( cant find the thread )

my point is your drawing gobs of current that you cannot supply. to ease it up some unstrap the amps so the amps efficiency will go back up to where they are rated at.

 

[Bumpin' Goalie 10+ year member]

LOL!! Man we're cool as long as you stay on my side. I know what I say is true and I will back it up with a vengeance lol.

As long as you're right, be as vengeful as you want. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif