A/V Car Audio Help?

My mate has got a Peugeo (spelling i know im dislecsic) and hes got some Pioner 16x9s in the back and a Pioner amp but when he plugs the amp in if frys the alternater or something so how can he run the amp, someone has said he needs 2 batteries or a bigger batttery any ideas or links would be helpful will get exact details up tomorrow

 

Sounds like the dude needs a larger alternator. How big is that amp anyway?

 

There is something seriously wrong there dude!

I would be very surprised if the AMP drew any more than 20amps (and thats not 20amp output - thats the fuse rating!) and most alternators kick out at least 35 - usually a lot more. Sounds like the amp might be screwed or u have some dodgy wiring. You battery size should not make a lot of difference tbh but for a good job go for a diesel car battery.

Has the amp ever run and worked before?

 

If the amp makes a squealing noise which gets louder until it cuts off, then he doesn't have a decent earth connection. Took me ages to figure that one out, but um.. I'd just totally forgotten to connect the earth cable! D'oh!

otherwise, I doubt the amp would acctually screw the alternator, at worst your lights would dim etc....

 

Unless you are running above 1000 watts RMS most alternators will be fine, you could have a battery draining problem.

Most car alternators put out at least 50-60 amps peak.

If you don't have a proper earth connection a car amplifer will not turn on, cars use the body metal work as a negative ground.

Having a larger amp battery will not make a difference unless you are using the full alternator output(which is bad), batteries run at 12 volts, alternators run between 13.8 V and 14.4 volts.

 

I think the alternater just diead anyway hes got a new one at the mo and the car is diesel so hes got a diesel alternater. The amp is an Alpine 3555 and it does draw 20amps.

How would i rig it up outside the car to test it as he doens't want to try it in his car and i want to try it.

Help and advise would be cool thanks O and links to sites

 

He might need larger alternator or battery but thats weak... To keep it from putting mass strain on the car battery (like lights dim when stereo is on) get a farad cap. Comes out to be 1 farad for everyone 1000 watts in car audio...

 

A cap will not help with electrical problems they just cover up the problem.

Adding a stiffening capacitor to an car audio system does not solve a bass peak problem or protect the battery, they mearly act as a band aid (for a maximum of only two seconds) to stop the effect of the dimming lights which is produced when the electrical system is over loaded and can not provide the current required for the bass note.

Caps do not reduce the drain in a electical system, technicaly it increases the strain because the charging system of the car has to cope with charging a cap as well as running every thing else.

A proper way to solve a amplifier current problem in a car when running a too powerfull amp is to buy and fit an uprated alternator to provide a greater amount headroom of current for the electrical system.

 

But caps are there to handle the amp for huge amounts of music drain instead of putting it on your battery which, ive heard, can actually stall your car from lack of power. Caps are healthier then no caps so your battery doesnt get shafted

 

Not in my opinion.

Amplifiers use the current provided from your alternator which runs the electronics devices and charges the car battery.

With a healthy charging system with not too much demand from amplication all is fine.

If you use heafty amplifiers and do not have the alternator current to supply the amplification demands then voltage of the electrical system in the car drops lower than its standerd 14.4 volts.

The car battery supplies 12 volts if required, so when a huge electrical demand is great enough to drop the charging system from 14.4v past 12v the battery starts to get drained and it supplying the additional voltage requirements, this is a bad situation to be in.

Doing this can damage the alternator due to a continous high load and will drain the battery.

A cap will not protect your car charging system from damage or battery drain from high electrial demands.



If a car has electrial problems such as stalling when an audio system is in use then the problem is

1)You have a damaged or weakend alternator.

2)You are requiring more power than you car charging system can give out.

To fix the problem a properly rated for you car high output alternator will need to be fitted.


If a car lighs are seriously dimming to excessive amplification demands then adding a cap will cover up the problem but will not solve the inital problem of not having enough power, the alternator can still be damaged and the battery can still be drained.