wiring question

[oldmanjingles1]

The system I am setting up uses a JL Audio 1000/1 and two JL Audio 300/2 amps. I have no idea how to go about powering these. Can I just run a 1/0 gauge wire back to a distribution block and power the three of these or what? Do I need to change anything in my car such as the charging system, add another battery, etc. I need to know exactly, step by step, what to buy, etc, how to power these for the best performance and preferably the lowest cost. Any help would be appreciated thanks.

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[Gauntlet 5,000+ posts]

Use a 0/1 gauge wire from the battery with a fuseholder within 12 inches of the battery, id recommend a 150 or 200 amp ANL fuse. Wire it to a distro block in the back, and run three separate 4 gauge wires to each of the amps. Do the same for the ground wire, wiring it to a piece of bare metal on your chassis instead of the battery. Make sure to scrape/sand the metal area thoroughly so the wire is touching bare metal and nothing else.

You don't need a second battery, but if you did get one, remember youd have to recharge it every 6 hours or so. You could easily get by with a better battery (check out Optima batteries) and using a higher output alternator. Youre running a lot of power, a h/o alternator is going to be a necessity. good luck

 

[oldmanjingles1]

Should I use a capacitor(s). I was thinking about using a 2 farad capacitor inline with the 1/0 gauge wire before the distribution block. If I were to do this would it work for all of the amps or should I run a 1 farad cap after the distribution block for the JL 1000 and a .5 cap for each of the jl 300's? Basically what im asking is can all of the amps share one cap and can it go before the distribution block, or do they have to after the block and should a seperate cap be used for each one? Also, is a cap even necessary? Thanks

 

[litspliff]

without a better alternator/battery a cap will be a total necessity

you may use either cap configuration forementioned.

it would probably be much more economical to go with one 2F cap

 

[oldmanjingles1]

If I do have a better alternator/battery will I still need the cap? Also, could I get by with just the caps and not upgrading the alternator battery? Thanks

 

[Alaxan 5,000+ posts]

Originally posted by litspliff without a better alternator/battery a cap will be a total necessity

you may use either cap configuration forementioned.

 

it would probably be much more economical to go with one 2F cap

Listen to this guy......and end up spending a lot of money on **** you do not need. A cap is not even a bandaid for a possibly failing system. It actually adds MORE stress and strain on the charging system.

First and foremost upgrade would be possibly the alternator. QUite often you can get it rewound for much less the cost and have a higher output etc....Which is what you are looking for and will need with the amount of power you can be drawing. A new battery? What good is that going to do you other than maybe add to the time you can run the system until it dies? Not much! Go with the alternator first if you notice the system lacking and or can tell a noticeable difference in lights dimming etc....but you can wait until you are done with the install to determine this also.

 

[maylar 10+ year member]

Originally posted by Alaxan ... It actually adds MORE stress and strain on the charging system.

Please justify that statement with facts. Physics, not hearsay. And if you spew nonsense, I promise I'll call you on it //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

 

[Alaxan 5,000+ posts]

Prove it doesn't...............

But adding an additional load of something drawing current is not a fix for a problem where current is not already there. A capacitor is still an addition load on the system.

 

[ASDF12345 10+ year member]

wow, lotta folks from connecticut on these boards

 

[Alaxan 5,000+ posts]

He already knows the answer otherwise he would have stated the reasons why it is not an increased load on the system.

 

[litspliff]

although it may be overall a heavier load on the system, it will reduce the peak power draws on the system. while the idle power draw will be slightly ( usually insignificantly ) higher, the stressfull power draws will be far less intense on your power system.

anyone who has some college-level (at least) disproving documentation, not just a web site:

please prove me wrong

do this and i will humbly concede with an apology

you want physics, here are your physics

 

[Alaxan 5,000+ posts]

Originally posted by litspliff although it may be overall a heavier load on the system, it will reduce the peak power draws on the system. while the idle power draw will be slightly ( usually insignificantly ) higher, the stressfull power draws will be far less intense on your power system.

 

anyone who has some college-level (at least) disproving documentation, not just a web site:

please prove me wrong

 

 

do this and i will humbly concede with an apology

 

you want physics, here are your physics

Read that thread that JMAC posted. There are the physics.

 

[maylar 10+ year member]

Originally posted by Jmac Got your back, Alaxan //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

http://forums.caraudio.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=15196&highlight=Capacitor

 

Read all those 118 extremely long posts and then comment ...

I did. The charts and graphs are all very pretty and address the question as to whether or not a high ESR cap is a waste of time and money. But they don't relate to whether a cap presents "additional stress" on the electrical system.

A "good" cap will supply peak currents to the amplifier and help prevent the dipping of the terminal voltage at the amp that would normally happen because of losses in the wiring and the alternator's series impedance. The alternator then has to restore the capacitor's spent energy. The cap gives up some of its charge to support transient loads, and the alternator replenishes what the cap lost. Yes, the cap is a "load" on the alternator.

But the total amount of energy drawn from the source (alternator) is the same if a cap is there or not. Without the cap, the alternator would have to supply the load directly. With a cap, the alternator has to recharge whatever energy the cap loses.

 

[paikiah 5,000+ posts]

Oh, I smell another argument about caps again....//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/rolleyes.gif.c1fef805e9d1464d377451cd5bc18bfb.gif

I always say

If you've got 'em, use 'em...

If you don't, don't whine and tell other's not to...//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/cool.gif.3bcaf8f141236c00f8044d07150e34f7.gif

can we move on?

 

[excelonperu 10+ year member]

A cap doesnt add stress to the system, since their resistance is so low (0.001 ohms) they dont consume any energy, they just supply an electrical charge when it is needed, but they can only supply it for a very short period of time (less than a second) they charge themselves and discharge in very short periods of time because of its low resistance. When an engineer designs a cap It must have low resistance, so they dont add stress to the system, and they dont are the solution for a weak alternator. They are the solution for systems that run ok, but have their lights dim when heavy bass comes.

The only thing that consumes energy are resistances and impedances, cause they are measured in ohms. A farad is a unit of capacitance not of resistance.

Any more proves??