When to upgrade electrical system?

[icemayne696 10+ year member]

How do you know when 2 upgrade your electrical system? Is it a certain number of watts? would i have 2 upgrade it when runnin a brahma and between 1000-1500 watt amp?

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[btnhfan 5,000+ posts]

It all depends on the car. Right now i have about 2000w on my civic with a stock alt besides the big 3 and im gettin 13.3 volts to the amps.

 

[Primo 10+ year member]

i only have 500w and my lights dim every time the bass hits.

 

[swimfreak26 10+ year member]

I've got about 1300 watts and no problems running stock.

 

[kickerlivinloud 10+ year member]

800 and no problem, it is all dependent on the alt and wire size you have...

Jon

 

[skeptikal Premium Member]

1200 and jsut a little dimmage. i did 2 / 3 big 3 upgrades and i see dimmage maybe once every 10 songs... or when i have had my car running for a while.

 

[LIGHTBEING 10+ year member]

It all depends on the car. Right now i have about 2000w on my civic with a stock alt besides the big 3 and im gettin 13.3 volts to the amps.

What the hell? I have about 2000 wattts not installed yet and I was sure I would need around a 200a alternator? I have an Acura TL and the stock Alt is 105a. I was gonna do the big 3 first but I was making arrangements to get the HO Alternator already.

 

[DFW40 10+ year member]

You cannot go wrong with a bigger alt IMO. It is always better to be on the safe side.

 

[LIGHTBEING 10+ year member]

yeah, but I'm having a pain trying to get a 200a Alternator. Do I need that much for a 2000 watt system. Mean grean has a direct bolt on for my TL but it's only 140a for $150.

 

[LBX2G 10+ year member]

too tell u the truth it all depends on the amps u are running.

 

[LIGHTBEING 10+ year member]

Well, my amps are in my sig. What do you think?

 

[LBX2G 10+ year member]

i was looking at the manual for those amp. The manual says the vga1600.2 should get an 90 amp fuse and the vga600.2 should get an get fused. See this is fused at the battery. so it should never draw the much current unless at full tilt and with a low sine wave.

 

[LIGHTBEING 10+ year member]

Do you think you could elaborate in Lamans terms. I'm not sure I understand. The 600.2 shouldn't get any fuse? And if the 1600.2 requires a 90a fuse does that mean thats all it pulls from the Alternator? If so, a 140a Alt with the Big 3 should suffice no?

 

[LIGHTBEING 10+ year member]

BUMP....

can anyone answer my question?

Thanks

 

[supa_c 5,000+ posts]

14A alt with the big 3 would be more than suffice.

Ive got 3.5K with stock alt and wiring