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dual alternator setup; anyone done it or seen it done on a metro
Topic Started: Jun 17 2014, 04:21 PM (1,835 Views)
banginmetro64
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m4ick
Jun 19 2014, 04:52 PM
What RMS wattage are you going to be running?
ill be running 4500w rms using 4 huge amps thus the need for a lot of current.
Edited by banginmetro64, Jun 20 2014, 09:47 AM.
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evmetro


banginmetro64
Jun 20 2014, 09:47 AM
m4ick
Jun 19 2014, 04:52 PM
What RMS wattage are you going to be running?
ill be running 4500w rms using 4 huge amps thus the need for a lot of current.
4500 watts divided by 13.4 volts = 335 amps, plus whatever the rest of your car draws. This is a shitload of draw, but you may find that the advertised number of watts is nowhere near that. I have placed clamp on amp meters on battery cables to see what kind of current really goes into the amps, and I am amazed at how far off the numbers are that are printed in the specs and on the amp. What I have noticed, although not quantitative, is that watts seem to cost right around $1 each. An amp that costs $500 and advertises 500 watts will peak at around 35 amps draw. (500 watts divided by 13.4 volts = 37.3 amps) An amp that costs only $250 but advertises 500 watts will only have peaks of 16 amps draw. The other thing that I have noticed is that if you read the specs and find out what they claim for watts @ 4 ohms RMS and ignore the figures below 4 ohms, it will get you closer to the truth.

Even if your amps really do pull 300+ amps of current, this will only be in the form of peaks that your battery will be able to handle. I pull about 300 amps on a system that I have in my truck, but I get by with a 160 amp alternator pretty well. I do run two batteries, but if I was doing a five minute DB drag I would end up going through the batteries and alt before finishing. It takes about two minutes to throw the check engine light. For around town, the 160 amp alt does just fine, and there are very few environments where I can play music above 150 db. Pretty much just to dominate a teenager at a red light,
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banginmetro64
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ssa has made a part that allows your gm alternator to run at the higher voltages such as 14.5 and higher. the amps i am using are going to need the current as they will be running at a low impedance. lower impedance with amplifiers will in turn pull more current from batts and alts. if your electrical system cannot keep up you run the risk of damaging internal components and internal power supplies. reasoning behind dual alts is giving the car the voltage it needs and to have the extra for the stereo. having 1 300a alternator would not give me the entire 300a as it would need to run the car as well. i understand that the higher temp on the alt the lower the amperage goes. having extra batts will help out for sure with the reserve capacity for the huge bass notes but still need to have the charging backing of a good solid alternator. using agm cell batteries such as a kinetik are great for discharge and recharge as they do it very very well as they are designed for it. that is not going to help if you do not have the current to go to them. i have been in car audio for the last 15 years and have built many cars for others and this is my personal vehicle. the amps i have are needing the high current to prevent them from failing as they are unregulated power supplies. they need the high current to perform the way i need them to, they are not like the regulated ones of the current models nowadays. the car will be traveling across the us and competing and being driven to the shows so a huge electrical setup is indeed necessary. i am going to do the cs alt upgrade for the time being. ev, i sent you a pm with a couple questions about the bracket...
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ZXTjato
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bass heads

:smackface I need to get my system in check so bad....
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banginmetro64
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ZXTjato
Jun 20 2014, 01:55 PM
:smackface I need to get my system in check so bad....
we can get together and put a plan in place if you wanted....we do live in the same state, only hot air and some pavement between us...hot pavement i may add...damn its hot here...
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ZXTjato
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bass heads

banginmetro64
Jun 20 2014, 03:52 PM
ZXTjato
Jun 20 2014, 01:55 PM
:smackface I need to get my system in check so bad....
we can get together and put a plan in place if you wanted....we do live in the same state, only hot air and some pavement between us...hot pavement i may add...damn its hot here...
I have something called....bomb AC! Blows ice cubes on the high way speeds
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banginmetro64
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yeah i read about it...sounds like its perfect for the hot ass AZ summers.
Edited by banginmetro64, Jun 23 2014, 03:27 PM.
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m4ick
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I'm running an MTX1501D which is 1500WRMS at 2 ohms. I'm running it at 1 ohm and should be seeing over 2000WRMS, possibly 2500. I have a stock alt, but I only jam it for short periods of time and it runs pretty good with just an extra battery, although I need to get another.



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ZXTjato
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bass heads

Wow...def needs tint
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ZXTjato
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bass heads

banginmetro64
Jun 20 2014, 03:52 PM
ZXTjato
Jun 20 2014, 01:55 PM
:smackface I need to get my system in check so bad....
we can get together and put a plan in place if you wanted....we do live in the same state, only hot air and some pavement between us...hot pavement i may add...damn its hot here...
I did pm you my number long ago, we can meet up at the car show or setting some time.
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