What electrical will I need?

[undeadxsunshine 10+ year member]

So I'm planning a build in my Mazda Tribute, as long as my dad decides to allow me to //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/crap.gif.7f4dd41e3e9b23fbd170a1ee6f65cecc.gif. So far I'm thinking 2 DC lvl 4's off around 3k, then my front and rears which will be another 400w at most. So basically around 3k total. The mazda has a 110 amp alt. What kind of electrical will I need? I really don't want to have to get a H/O alt. Big 3 in 1/0 and a run of 1/0 to the rear plus a few batts?

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[cj407]

atleast 2 rear batteries since you dont wanna spend the money to upgrade. possibly even 3.

 

[bubbagumper6 5,000+ posts]

3k off a 110A alt is going to be tough man...even if it seems like it will hold up, it will probably be burning your stock alt up. I ran about 1600rms off my stock 100A alt and by the time I replaced it, it was completely black inside and just burned to hell. I was surprised it was even still working...

cliffs: You'll probably need a bigger alt

 

[BushJ311 5,000+ posts]

alt and 2 nice batts.

I can get sprinter 75 ah batteries local for a good deal.

 

[undeadxsunshine 10+ year member]

Hmm okay, I think upgrading the alt is out of the question since my dad is how he is and it's technically his car. Sooo...

2 DC Level 3 15"s off of...idk maybe a little more than 1500w. What will i need for that?

 

[tylork92 10+ year member]

fo sure Big 3.....prly a batt or 2 and a nice batt up front....i kno peps run around 100 alld ay on jsut anice up front and Big 3...hell imrunning ~1300 off of big 3 and walmart batt....not much dimming.

 

[undeadxsunshine 10+ year member]

So for 1800w at most, how many batteries and what kinda and size should i get? I know nothing about batteries.

 

[Stalin-ohaulic]

If I were you, I would run 1000w to the subs and maybe 100-200 watts to the mids. If this isn't your car and you don't have an alarm installed, I wouldn't bring out the big boys just yet. It sounds a lot like this is your first install since it's not your car. I would have to say learn to do a quality install on a smaller system and you'll be better off. Spending all this money on this beefy equipment but not having the electrical to run it is stupid. Just go with something smaller. Build it a good box and do the electrical things you need and you'll be more than impressed with it's output. Doubling your power can at most give you +3 db. So running those same 2 subs on 1000w vs 3000 watts doesn't result in 5 db. Is that worth the extra money you have to spend on electrical, amps, etc? Nope... Not in your dad's mazda tribute.

 

[undeadxsunshine 10+ year member]

If I were you, I would run 1000w to the subs and maybe 100-200 watts to the mids. If this isn't your car and you don't have an alarm installed, I wouldn't bring out the big boys just yet. It sounds a lot like this is your first install since it's not your car. I would have to say learn to do a quality install on a smaller system and you'll be better off. Spending all this money on this beefy equipment but not having the electrical to run it is stupid. Just go with something smaller. Build it a good box and do the electrical things you need and you'll be more than impressed with it's output. Doubling your power can at most give you +3 db. So running those same 2 subs on 1000w vs 3000 watts doesn't result in 5 db. Is that worth the extra money you have to spend on electrical, amps, etc? Nope... Not in your dad's mazda tribute.

It's not my first build, and I do know how to do a quality install, especially for my age. As far as the alarm issue, I may get one in the future. For now the rear windows are tinted and there's one of those vinyl screens that I can pull out to cover the cargo area that will completely hide the subs. As time goes on my dad will get more lenient with what I can do with this car. I just want to know what electrical will support around 1800w. Keep in mind that I will rarely ever be playing music so it actually pulls that much power, this is not a competition vehicle or anything.

 

[Stalin-ohaulic]

It's not my first build, and I do know how to do a quality install, especially for my age. As far as the alarm issue, I may get one in the future. For now the rear windows are tinted and there's one of those vinyl screens that I can pull out to cover the cargo area that will completely hide the subs. As time goes on my dad will get more lenient with what I can do with this car. I just want to know what electrical will support around 1800w. Keep in mind that I will rarely ever be playing music so it actually pulls that much power, this is not a competition vehicle or anything.

People on here recommend extra batts etc, as a bandaid for too small of an alt but it's bad for your alt. You'll end up replacing it anyways. If you can't upgrade the thing that supplies the power to the amps (alternator) then you simply can't run that much amp. If you do it right, you'll be more than happy with your smaller system.

 

[audiolife 5,000+ posts]

I know and have ran multiple batteries on a stock alt for many years and never had an issue, but then again im not crazy enough to turn my system up and keep playing it when it browns out LOL. For 1500 watts on stock electrical I would get a kinetik hc1400 or an odyssey pc1500 for the back.

 

[undeadxsunshine 10+ year member]

I know and have ran multiple batteries on a stock alt for many years and never had an issue, but then again im not crazy enough to turn my system up and keep playing it when it browns out LOL. For 1500 watts on stock electrical I would get a kinetik hc1400 or an odyssey pc1500 for the back.

That's what I'm saying, I'm rarely gonna have it up very loud at all, I just want the capability to. And maybe in the future I will upgrade the alt, but the stock one isn't too bad for now.

I'm thinking one of those C&D batteries would be good. Would i need an isolator?

 

[undeadxsunshine 10+ year member]

anyone? will that one C&D be enough for like 1800w at most keeping in mind I will rarely ever have my system pulling that much power?