Voltage drops? Help!

[Tshaffe]

I have a jl 1000/1 (v1) with 4 gauge wire and just stock alternator and battery and everything. When I hook up the amp to a sub with gain on about half (either my w7 or re audio sxx) it will play for a little bit but when I turn the volume up on my deck the amp light flickers than powers off but then will turn back on. I have never had a problem like this before so I need advice! I have never had a system with this high amount of watts tho.I went to a auto part store to test my battery and they said the battery is good and is getting a good charge. So my battery and alternator are okay. I think maybe my alternator just can't keep up with this high powered system. Any suggestions?? Would doing the big 3 help? Hooking up my capacitor help? Please give me advice!

Click to read more...

 

[gckless 5,000+ posts]

I have a jl 1000/1 (v1) with 4 gauge wire and just stock alternator and battery and everything. When I hook up the amp to a sub with gain on about half (either my w7 or re audio sxx) it will play for a little bit but when I turn the volume up on my deck the amp light flickers than powers off but then will turn back on. I have never had a problem like this before so I need advice! I have never had a system with this high amount of watts tho.I went to a auto part store to test my battery and they said the battery is good and is getting a good charge. So my battery and alternator are okay. I think maybe my alternator just can't keep up with this high powered system. Any suggestions?? Would doing the big 3 help? Hooking up my capacitor help? Please give me advice!

Do your lights dim? Have you measured voltage anywhere? You're going to want to measure voltage both at the amp and at the front battery playing music about 3/4 of the max volume where it shuts off. Big 3 will almost always help.

What I'm getting at is that your electrical system probably cannot keep up with the draw demands of the amp, but it also might be a poor connection either on your power or ground wire, which those tests I mentioned above will show.

 

[Tshaffe]

Yes my lights dim pretty bad

 

[jasonbillnelson 10+ year member]

definitely get the big 3 done. Audio Technix is having a crazy sale go buy one of their 0 gauge big 3 kits that they have on sale right now. That will definitely help with charging

 

[raptor727 10+ year member]

spare batt too I had two of those amps and they draw a good bit of current for the 1kw they are

 

[Tshaffe]

Do you think I would actually need an extra battery in the trunk? Cause ill hook up my 2 farad cap and do big 3 upgrade.

 

[robert420 10+ year member]

a two farad cap will barely do anything. either a deep cell in the back, but if you have to go with a cap, go with at least 20 farad