What's the most powerful amp I can use without modifying my electrical system?

Is there a way to determine the most powerful amp I could use in my vehicle without having to upgrade the electrical system? Doesn't amp efficiency need to be factored in and how do you go about finding out how efficient a given amp is? I don't want to have to spend a bunch of moola on stuff like H.O. alternators, caps, additional batteries, etc.
'99 Corolla and I think the stock alternator is rated for 80 or 85 amps.

Ok now I can chime in.

There is only one way to determine the most powerful amp you can use. Try it out and see what happens.

Efficiency does NOT play enough of a factor into this in any way shape or form to worry about.

My suggestion. You drive a rather small car. You should find you a nice amp that will produce in the 1-1000 watt range, set the system up correctly and monitor your voltage at all times. If you don't have a voltage gauge in your car, get one. There are even ones that plug into your cigarettes lighter.

Ill add some math or something later when I get time.

 
yes, i have a '04 Trailblazer running about 1500w RMS on a 150 amp alt... it handles it pretty well.... theres some massive dimming at times but nothing huge
Ok thanks //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 
Ok now I can chime in.
There is only one way to determine the most powerful amp you can use. Try it out and see what happens.

Efficiency does NOT play enough of a factor into this in any way shape or form to worry about.

My suggestion. You drive a rather small car. You should find you a nice amp that will produce in the 1-1000 watt range, set the system up correctly and monitor your voltage at all times. If you don't have a voltage gauge in your car, get one. There are even ones that plug into your cigarettes lighter.

Ill add some math or something later when I get time.
Wow, someone making sense.
There is no realistic way for us to tell you what the largest amplifier you can run is. Its like people who ask if they need a new alternator for their newly planned stereo system. The answer.... it all depends.

Your listening habits, for example. If you never turn your stereo above 3 on the volume knob, you could run a million watt amplifier without issue. You just would never see a million watts out of it.

Like said above, the best you can do is, if you think your charging system may or may not be sufficient, hook it all up and try it out. Just be sure to have jumper cabled with you the first few weeks. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

 
yes, i have a '04 Trailblazer running about 1500w RMS on a 150 amp alt... it handles it pretty well.... theres some massive dimming at times but nothing huge
massive- to be large

synonym- huge, enormous, big

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 
I have a 1000-watt RMS Class-D amp and 100 x 4 Class A/B in my Civic with similar sized alternator, thats about all she will handle when cranked up -- dimming is noticeable with highly upgraded big-3 and substantially larger than stock battery.

 
My old car had a 75A stock alt with a pretty demanding stock electrical system. I had an old wal-mart battery. I ran 1100w. It struggled at idle - V was around 12.5, but did ok driving, minor dimming at high volume. Alt died after 2 years, but it had 226k miles on it so take it FWIW.

Replaced it with a 110A alt. Ran ALMOST perfectly, only slight dimming at idle full volume.

Transplanted the same system into a Contour with a 130A alt and it doesn't even flinch.

 
massive- to be large
synonym- huge, enormous, big

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif
//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/confused.gif.e820e0216602db4765798ac39d28caa9.gif

massive works? there is a massive difference when bass hits hard to when it doesnt?

 
Efficiency actually won't be that big of a concern. It seems like 90% of your monoblock sub amps nowadays are class D topology. Class D yields somewhere between 70% and 90% efficiency. That 20% difference in efficiancy isn't going to make or break an electrical system. Besides, most manufacturers overrate their amps efficiency anyway. So, throw efficiency out the window. It's not an important spec. With that car, I wouln't even consider anything over 500 watts RMS if you want to do nothing to upgrade your electrical system. Going with something as large as a 1000 watt amp will require an upgraded battery and upgraded factory grounds at the least. Anything larger will require a high output alternator.

This all depends kinda depends on your taste in music. I assume you listen to rock or rap, in which case will be the most taxing type of music you can listen to, so this is where my recommendations arise from. If you listened to primarily classic rock, classical music, country, something a little more tame, you could get by with a larger amp, but I doubt that's the case.

A 500 watt RMS amp will draw upwards of 50-60 amps at full output and prob slightly more during peaks. A 1000 watt amp is likely to draw twice that of course. How long do you think your factory 85 amp alternator is going to allow you to get away with more than 120 amps of current draw from a single electrical accessory in your car?

Stick with the 500 watter or less.
i agree. but if you are willing to spend 150 or so on a battery itll be a worthy investment. otherwise anymroe than 500w rms is pushing your limit

 
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