Questions for you car audio guys

[Prophet]

A deep cycle battery isn't going to help with dimming lights. All they're good for is allowing you to run a system longer with the engine off than a regular battery. They also can be run down further than a standard battery while still recovering. Whereas the first time you run a stanrdard battery down enough it never truly recovers. THe other problem with deep cycle batteries is for a given size they tend to have much lower cold cranking amps than a stardard battery. Now if you don't live in a place where it gets very cold you can genreally skate by this problem.

I do have one problem with your statement though. The math doesn't add up. FActory spec on a galants alternator is 85-100 amps. Even if your alternator is outputting 15 volts, that's 167 amps of current required to hit 2500 watts. And that's if the amps were 100% efficient. That's a minimum of 60amps worth of power that the battery has to provide, not including the 50+ that the car's electrical system pulls to run it.

I used to run Optima blue tops in all my systems I had put together... I live in Northern Cali so I don't have problems with running into extreme cold... Never needed a huge amount of CCA...

I have always upgraded the battery first... then go to a HOA... Is that wrong?

As for the specs on my amps... Click Here

Two wired down to 1 ohm each... 12 volt specs is 1,200 RMS x 2= 2,400 RMS... So I assumed at 14.4 volts I was getting more... of course at high volumes I was watching the volts dip really low to 10 so I never played it that loud but I never got any dimming and the only electrical upgrade was the battery...

If you know the math teach me and I can tell you what a real world wattage I was probably putting down... I am by no means a expert or even some kind of installer... just going by what I have done...

[Galantman03]

A deep cycle battery isn't going to help with dimming lights. All they're good for is allowing you to run a system longer with the engine off than a regular battery. They also can be run down further than a standard battery while still recovering. Whereas the first time you run a stanrdard battery down enough it never truly recovers. THe other problem with deep cycle batteries is for a given size they tend to have much lower cold cranking amps than a stardard battery. Now if you don't live in a place where it gets very cold you can genreally skate by this problem.

I have a blue top optima, and had it in -40 F for like 4 weeks straight at night, stilled cranked, fired right up, BUT it was that fast of a crank.... But it still started for me..
Yeah i like that i can run my subs and half volume of max for 5 hours before i need to start the car, the other battery was like 1/2 hour lol

[cntrylvr79]

I'll try and put something more indepth together, it's kind of hard though since I can only post when I'm at work and only when I have enough downtime. But a general rule of thumb would be to take the current rating of the amps fuses and multiply that times 13.8 ( average running voltage of a cars alternator). Then take 80% of that number since most amps are about 80% efficient. Again this is just a quick and dirty way to get a general idea of the output of an amp. Maybe I'll try and update the alarm wiring post too since I just realized that my geocities page is gone.

[HungarianHunter]

Where would I get thicker wires for the big 3?

[jubeiaire]

Originally Posted by cntrylvr79
A deep cycle battery isn't going to help with dimming lights. All they're good for is allowing you to run a system longer with the engine off than a regular battery. They also can be run down further than a standard battery while still recovering. Whereas the first time you run a stanrdard battery down enough it never truly recovers. THe other problem with deep cycle batteries is for a given size they tend to have much lower cold cranking amps than a stardard battery. Now if you don't live in a place where it gets very cold you can genreally skate by this problem.

I dont know where you got that info from but its wrong.
First-Deep cycle batteries allow your system to bump louder and harder while running your vehicle and not fully depleteing themselves requiring your alternator to supply the full load. Deep cycle batteries will solve dimming lights based on your stereo systems power consumtion.

Second-Optima(which is the only real deep cycle you should replace your standard battery with) Batteries that are rated for 8g-9g start at 720CCA wheres as the 8g is factory rated to require Cold Cranking Amps @ 0° F (Primary) 525.
Compared to your standard 8g-9G matched Batteries
Gold-Duralast/Battery Part Number:86FT-DLG is 640CCA
Valucraft/Battery Part Number:26-VL is 525CCA
So i fail to see how these batteries wont deliver the required CCA for us frosties to start our cars.

Originally Posted By Prophet
I have always upgraded the battery first... then go to a HOA... Is that wrong?

Your Doing it right prophet first is the battery to lesson alt strain. then the Big3 to back up the battery and alt.

Secondary batteries Vs Caps/Capbats: Its personal choice as long as your not competing in Decible compititions...the purpose of a cap is to be a smaller version of a secondary battery for people who dont blast there music through every single song that plays while they are driving. they are to help when those few songs with deep heavy long standing bass come on that make you say "Thats my shit" and crank the dial.

Lastly people should Know that (most) High Output Alts dont kick in the extra juice till the car is at a certain speed which turns the pulley fast enough to kick in the extra power. The alt can only put out as much power as the rotation of the internals allow it to produce.
{Some} (Highly Expensive) HOA come with built in/on secondary componenets that will produce the extra power directly into your stereo systems allowing the main alt to just run the car and the secondary to produce the stereos power.

[HungarianHunter]

Alright guys, so I've gotten to the point that my alternator barely recharges my battery, and barely handles the strain from just the headlights being on...


SO... time to nut up I spose....

Should I grab a deep cycle battery or an alternator first? I've read the posts, and it sounds like the consensus is battery first, but if my alternator is shitting the bed, should I try getting an HOA first? Considering my batt is pretty new, and has a warranty so if it's going bad I can just grab a replacement?

Thanks.

Oh, and if an HOA would be good right now, would this one work?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...d=130231537934

Or should I pay the extra money for 220? That one is 165.

[HungarianHunter]

Actually, my battery is on the way out. Soooo I'm gonna start with an Optima Battery. The yellowtop and bluetop are the same exact price, but as far as I know, only the bluetop is deep cycle. The guy said the yellowtop would be really good for car audio as well. I figure if they're the same price I might as well get the bluetop? Which is actually a boat battery... but whatever XD

This sound right?

[jubeiaire]

The shop "Guy" is a turd- ALL Optima Batteries are Deep Cycle Boat batteries-Yellow is for low start more conastant running draining with Quick discharges I.E. Stereos

Red is For More powerfull start up drains like Turbo and built enginges

Blue is more suited for RV and Boat for the eltric equip they use....stoves radar sonar washers etc etc

[jubeiaire]

Now if your battery is going and its a new battery more than likely your alt is going to so you nee to replace your alt.

Heres how that works..when your alt starts togo you wind up running on *your battery while running the car because the alt is to week to power the car and charge the battery while you have all your crap on. radio head lights ac etc etc.
when you come to a stop or turn your radio down the alt has a chance to catch up and charge the battery a lil bit,,,,but each time it does that youve lost some top ends battery fill. keep doing that over long periods and the battery will completely doe and so will the alt...

so long story story short change bothe and get bigger wires for the big 3

[HungarianHunter]

Well I grabbed a bluetop last night... should I take it back and grab a yellowtop instead? (same price)

Oh, and should I use 0 guage for the big 3?

[Joshua42007]

Yes your gonna wanna run all 0 AWG wires/cables. the bigger the wire, the better.

as for the battery i am not sure, i was told that the yellow top performs the best when it comes to running car audio.

[ricky_db]

Well I grabbed a bluetop last night... should I take it back and grab a yellowtop instead? (same price)

Oh, and should I use 0 guage for the big 3?

im just going to hit on the big 3 since i (personaly) think optimas are over priced poses. agm batteries = win. for your big three you can use 0 guage wire. make SURE you crimp, soldier, or both on those wires you do not want those comming apart due to all the heat under the hood the sh!t will most def hit the fan big time.

[OMEGA PHX]

Well I grabbed a bluetop last night... should I take it back and grab a yellowtop instead? (same price)

Oh, and should I use 0 guage for the big 3?

Compare the specs, over here car audio guys always talk about the yellow tops.

And about the big 3 if you plan on running big power then 0 gauge, 2 gauge is enough, if you get a HOA you need to have the big three done, remember the thicker the wire, less resistance and less power gets lost in the run.

[Joshua42007]

here, this should help:

What is the difference between RedTop, YellowTop and BlueTop batteries?

RedTop: Use this for normal engine starting where an alternator immediately monitors the state of charge and provides energy to the battery whenever it is needed. This would describe most stock vehicles.

* Automotive and RV under-hood starting
* Heavy equipment where starting is the primary function
* Diesel powered vehicles with no aftermarket electronics

YellowTop: Use this when electrical loads are higher than average, or when the discharge cycle is more than typical engine starting, such as vehicles without alternators. This also includes vehicles with significant electrical loads that may exceed the average alternator output (for example aftermarket audio system, GPS, chargers, winch, snowplow, inverters, drag cars). This can also include vehicles that have a lot of electronics from the factory, such as a minivan with power sliding doors and a DVD player, especially if the DVD player is used when the engine isn’t running.

* Racing vehicles without a charging system (alternator or generator)
* Dedicated drag racing vehicles
* Diesel powered vehicles with aftermarket electronics
* Car audio/video applications exceeding 250 watts over the OE system
* Vehicles or heavy equipment with inverters, hydraulics, winches or other accessories
* Electric vehicles

BlueTop: The BlueTop starting battery (dark gray case) is to be used when a dedicated starting battery is required and it should never be used for cycling duty. The dual purpose BlueTop (light gray case) can be used for both starting and deep cycling; it is a true deep cycle battery with extremely high cranking power.

* Trolling motors, marine applications with heavy electrical accessories and RVs should use a dual purpose BlueTop (which is both a starting and deep cycle battery)
* Use a BlueTop starting battery for marine applications and RVs when the battery’s only function is engine starting

Note: The difference between BlueTop and YellowTop deep cycle batteries is that BlueTop batteries have both automotive (SAE) posts and threaded posts, while YellowTops (other than D31T) only have SAE posts.

If you ever get confused on the color tops just remember: if it has a dark gray case then it is a starting battery; if it has a light gray case then it is a deep cycle (dual purpose) battery.

[HungarianHunter]

Cool thanks a lot for clearing that up, im gonna return the bluetop and grab a yellow.