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<blockquote data-quote="helotaxi" data-source="post: 2295984" data-attributes="member: 550915"><p>Get ahold of a clamp meter.&nbsp; Measure the current coming from the alt with the stereo off and the headlights and AC on.&nbsp; That is the amount of current that your car was spec&#039;d for.&nbsp; There is a bit of headroom beyond that as well which your audio system is using.&nbsp; Now turn off the headlights and AC and turn on the system.&nbsp; Turn it up to the level that you normally listen to it playing what you normally listen to.&nbsp; Clamp the power wire going to your system and see what the average draw is, not the peak, the battery in the trunk will handle the peak.&nbsp; Add the average draw of the system to the current from the alt with the system off.&nbsp; Add a few percent for headroom.&nbsp; The chances of you really needing more than 100-120A are small.&nbsp; The nice thing about smaller alts is they put out a larger percentage of their rated power at lower RPM unlike really big alts.</p></blockquote><p></p>

[QUOTE="helotaxi, post: 2295984, member: 550915"] Get ahold of a clamp meter. Measure the current coming from the alt with the stereo off and the headlights and AC on. That is the amount of current that your car was spec'd for. There is a bit of headroom beyond that as well which your audio system is using. Now turn off the headlights and AC and turn on the system. Turn it up to the level that you normally listen to it playing what you normally listen to. Clamp the power wire going to your system and see what the average draw is, not the peak, the battery in the trunk will handle the peak. Add the average draw of the system to the current from the alt with the system off. Add a few percent for headroom. The chances of you really needing more than 100-120A are small. The nice thing about smaller alts is they put out a larger percentage of their rated power at lower RPM unlike really big alts. [/QUOTE]

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