Alternator output question

[Stefan2k]

Does anyone know the output of the stock alternator on a 2014 LT 1.8? amperage that is. I have two amplifiers and one has 2 70amp fuses and the other has 2 40amp fuses. I want to use a circuit breaker on the power line going to the amps to limit how much amperage they can draw from the electrical system.

Also for all the Geeks, Rocket Scientists and other Electrical Geniuses please feel free to tell me why this wont make a difference, why theres a better way or whatever, i welcome any useful information. Here's what I'm going to do;

Install two amplifiers one is a Hifonics HFI-1500 it will be set up with two American Bass XD-212's running parallel to get a 1ohm load which lets the amp push 1500 watts rms. The other amp is a Crunch V series 2450 which is 300 watts rms times 4 channels.

What I would really like to also know is how to figure out how much "real wattage I can expect based on how much power the stock system can safely put in. I know I can't expect 2700 watts rms coming from 12 volts and probably less than 100 amps from the cars electrical system.

 

[carsNskis]

I'd recommend you run your amps from direct battery voltage. The alternator is variable (low rpm = low amps) so it's not a constant amperage (and adjust voltage based on system load, more load = more volts)

If you are really pushing your amps and they are overpowering the amperage available from the battery you can run a capacitor (stores amperage for quick draw) or add a second battery (or both).

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[Uncletom]

I am not an audiophile {but I normally call them audio fools} That does not mean I like crappy music played way to loud to be enjoyed. I have my own pretty specific ranges of volume and bass that I do like.

One of my many nephews builds custom car and then puts a competition grade stereo system in.

He has won a lot of trophy's with his audio creations. So far I have not cared for what the over amped sounds his creations make, but,... others seem to.

When he first started doing this he was just using the regular wiring in the cars. As time passed he started using heavier dedicated wires for the 'system'

As more time passed he figured out he needed more amperage to run the systems he started to install more batteries and sometimes putting an additional alternator on the engines of these cars.

I'm not real sure how much amperage your system requires but adding another battery might just do the trick. You may not need an additional alternator.

 

[wy2sl0]

No you don't need to install any of those things, and do not add a battery in my opinion.
Sound is incredibly dynamic from an amperage standpoint so don't worry unless you plan on running full tilt regularly/or with the car off.
So right now I am running 2 amps, although usually three. One 4 channel bridged for the midbass, one 4 channel for the tweets and rears, and then an amp dedicated to the sub. Class D's have come a long way so I would run them as your full range amp as well as they are markedly more efficient than A/B or A.
Also take into consideration that because we have a small cabin and it is a hatch, you can run a 10" in a smallish box on 200w RMS and still get it to perform to very high listening levels, from a sound quality standpoint.
If all you want to do is listen to bass and not music, then that is a different story.

P.S. never ever ever run a capacitor. Battery is always going to be your better option. If you want to learn about sound, there is no replacement for diymobileaudio.com
It ranges from beginner to all out theory on sound engineering.

 

[laborsmith]

I am informed the stock alternator is rated at 100 amps but goes up to 110 amps BUT the wiring from the alt. can only handle 80. I had a Big Three set installed after Thanksgiving weekend last year and I have not had a problem since.

Don't know if this is your solution but maybe my experience will serve as a guide.

Laborsmith

 

[Stefan2k]

Thanks everyone I value your opinions

I just wanted to know the output of the alternator, I don't plan to hook up my amps to it. One thing i know is that once you start bouncing your system and drawing power away from the rest of the car it causes heat when components need power and it isnt there. That can cause premature failure of anything with a circuit board in your car.

With that said anyone who doesn't believe in capacitors must not have tried one. A Capacitor store quick energy and is used to help your bass more than anything else. When your bass hits a low note the amplifier draws more power from the electrical system and the cap releases that energy to take the strain off of your electrical system which helps to keep your headlights and interior lights from dimming to the beat of your music. So it works best when you connect it to just you bass amp. In general speakers 6" or less don't handle enough wattage to benefit from a capacitor. They usually run 50 to 100 watts and up to 150 watts for 6x9's (RMS wattage). Bass on the other hand generally starts at 200 watts rms and goes up.

High power alternators are terrible for a car at idle but great for those long trips with the system pounding. you have to be careful of how high the car needs to idle in order to get a certain power output from them. Usually you end up with a car that idles higher in order to keep up. Not Good.

As for not liking the sound of a high power system consider this;

At home I can't turn up my stereo, the wife is watching tv, the baby is sleeping, the neighbors are complaining you name it. Around town in the car thirsty cops are waiting with a $300 ticket, my goodness.

But then i hit the highway and i want my car to sound like a studio! I want to hear every detail, bass has to be tight and powerful. Sometimes I wanna listen to Tupac, other times I wanna pump smooth jazz and if your old school sometimes I wanna rip some Boston, Why? because it more than a Feeling!

Thanks everybody, I really appreciate all the help and comments

 

[Stefan2k]

Oh one more thing

Just for grins and giggles;

My system

two American Bass XD-12 DVC
Crunch DRA-2450.4 300 watts rms x 4
Hifonics HFI-1500D 1500 watts rms x1 @ ohm
Soundstream Capcell 400 (supposed to be a battery and capacitor in one)
Pioneer 6 1/2" 4 ways in the rear
pioneer 6 3/4 components in front

I still need to replace the mylink radio. I have replaced the stereo and speakers in every car I have ever owned since 1978. I only paid a professional once, and i realized I could do the same quality work cheaper and most times better (IMO).