Wiring PAC-200 and Kinetic HC1400

[maxmodder 10+ year member]

I'm pushing a 12w7 with an 1000/1 JL slash amp and a 450/4 is powering my interiors. I measured the volts of my factory battery setup with the big 3 and I'm dropping as low as 11.9v on a new accord with the A/C, lights, and system turned on. I'm thinking adding a HC1400 as a 2nd battery and a Pac-200 isolator will help me out. Will I be OK with my stock alternator? I saw some vids on youtube on how to wire it, and it looks like I need a 200a fuse between the battery under the hood and the isolator (running 0/1 awg) and another 200a fuse between the HC1400 and the isolator. So the positive terminal on the HC1400 will have one line leading to the isolator (mounted under the hood near battery) and the positive terminal on the HC1400 will have a 2nd line running into a 0/1 awg in, 4 awg out fused distribution block leading to my amps.

Does the isolator need to be mounted under the hood near the stock battery? Doing so means I have to run another remote wire through the **** firewall. Can't I just mount it somewhere in the trunk near the HC1400 which will be mounted in the trunk so that I can tap into the remote wire already there?

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[bubbagumper6 5,000+ posts]

The isolator can be mounted wherever convenient, the trunk is fine. It's basically just a giant relay, the remote turn on signal fires the relay inside it and it connects your batteries together, no remote signal no connection, simple.

You install fuses to protect your batteries so yes you'll want one at each end as close to the battery as possible. The wire between the battery and the fuse is unprotected. If the wire gets pinched/cut/grounded somehow that battery will send hundreds (if not thousands) of amps of current through that wire and it will melt. So you want the least amount of unprotected wire possible.

As far as fuse size goes, fuse based on the wire rating. Generally OFC 1/0 is good for 300A, CCA 1/0 is more like 250A. However since you're running on a stock alternator you really don't have any way to produce that much current so 200A should be fine, never hurts to go smaller.

 

[maxmodder 10+ year member]

Do you think the HC1400 will help, or is it pointless since the alternator is stock?

It will cost about $449 for an upgraded 240a alternator for this car, and even then all of the kinks aren't worked out with the alternator communicating with the ECU. Aftermarket companies are working on a spoof-box to fool the ECU into thinking the stock alternator regulator is in play, but nothing as of yet.

 

[bubbagumper6 5,000+ posts]

What vehicle are we talking about and what's the stock alt rated at?

 

[maxmodder 10+ year member]

We're talking a 2013 honda accord v6 with stock alternator part number 31100-5G0-A02. 130a, but the 2013 alternator has full ECU control. It's daily driven so maybe just try the HC1400 as a 2nd battery without the isolator for now?

 

[fatboytyler]

Try upgrading your under the hood battery. I'm running 1300 watts (RF R1200.1) and approximately 150 watts to each side of my front stage (BB 175.4) on a 100A stock alternator. My battery is a bigger than stock lead acid and I rarely, if ever drop below 13 Volts.

What did you do the Big 3 with?

 

[bubbagumper6 5,000+ posts]

We're talking a 2013 honda accord v6 with stock alternator part number 31100-5G0-A02. 130a, but the 2013 alternator has full ECU control. It's daily driven so maybe just try the HC1400 as a 2nd battery without the isolator for now?

Ah I believe the problem lies more in your car's ECU. I believe I've seen threads before about Honda's in particular. The ECU throttles the alternator for fuel efficiency and the demand for current from your amplifier isn't constant and fluctuates very rapidly, too fast for the control system to react thus you get nasty voltage drop. You'll need to find some way to bypass that otherwise there's not much you can do that will help. Adding batteries will help keep you above 12V but you'll still dip to their resting voltage. 130A should be plenty for the amount of power you're running if you could actually get that out of it...

 

[bubbagumper6 5,000+ posts]

This is for older model Honda's but it's good reference...you just need something like this for your modern one.

How To: ELD Bypass for Honda Civic/Accord/Fit - Electrical-battery- Alternators- Wiring - SMD Forum

 

[maxmodder 10+ year member]

double post

 

[maxmodder 10+ year member]

double post

 

[maxmodder 10+ year member]

knukonceptz kolossus kable 1/0 gauge for the big 3

This is for older model Honda's but it's good reference...you just need something like this for your modern one.
How To: ELD Bypass for Honda Civic/Accord/Fit - Electrical-battery- Alternators- Wiring - SMD Forum

Yep, but no one has successfully done it on the modern 2013 accord as of yet. People are working on it though.

Ah I believe the problem lies more in your car's ECU. I believe I've seen threads before about Honda's in particular. The ECU throttles the alternator for fuel efficiency and the demand for current from your amplifier isn't constant and fluctuates very rapidly, too fast for the control system to react thus you get nasty voltage drop. You'll need to find some way to bypass that otherwise there's not much you can do that will help. Adding batteries will help keep you above 12V but you'll still dip to their resting voltage. 130A should be plenty for the amount of power you're running if you could actually get that out of it...

So basically a 2nd battery is worthless until the ECU issue is resolved? Keep-hope-alive doesn't have time at the moment to work on a fix. He's the one that created that diagram for the 06 model.

 

[fatboytyler]

knukonceptz kolossus kable 1/0 gauge for the big 3


Yep, but no one has successfully done it on the modern 2013 accord as of yet. People are working on it though.

So basically a 2nd battery is worthless until the ECU issue is resolved? Keep-hope-alive doesn't have time at the moment to work on a fix. He's the one that created that diagram for the 06 model.

Other option is to get the lowest powered HO alternator from Singer or equivalent company so that it would have a custom modified ECU (Or so I would imagine)

 

[bubbagumper6 5,000+ posts]

knukonceptz kolossus kable 1/0 gauge for the big 3


Yep, but no one has successfully done it on the modern 2013 accord as of yet. People are working on it though.

So basically a 2nd battery is worthless until the ECU issue is resolved? Keep-hope-alive doesn't have time at the moment to work on a fix. He's the one that created that diagram for the 06 model.

If your voltage is dropping below 12V another battery will help. Batteries only supply power when the system voltage is less than their resting voltage. Most batteries rest in the mid 12V range, so if your system voltage is 13V or above all the power is coming from the alternator. When your amplifier tries to draw more current than the alternator can produce, the system voltage will drop until it hits your battery's resting voltage at which point it will supply current.

Upgrading your battery or adding a second can't hurt but I don't think you'll see much improvement either. A new non-ECU controlled alternator would probably do the trick however it will probably also cause faults to occur in your ECU and your check engine light to be on 24/7.

 

[maxmodder 10+ year member]

Thank you for the explanation. Makes sense, now I just need an alternator that is stronger that won't cause issues with the ECU. As soon as someone comes up with a way to bypass the ELD, I'll be able to get the power I need.