imported_hdave

I know civics have a very weak electrical system. (73A alternator).

How well will it fare with my amp?
I've got a Planet Audio P2250D (2251RMS @ 1 ohm).

130A max current draw.


I've got a 2005 Civic Sedan, and do not want to compramise the warranty or lease or anything.

So will the amp suck the life out of the alternator/battery, or will they bare with it.

So should I downgrade my system or keep this?

scarlemthug

Well if the amp is only rated for 130A max current draw then likely you would only get 1300wrms from it. Even still your alt wont be able to keep up with the demands of the amp and your lights will dim and your alt will be strained alot.

Whiplash

i'm running over 3000 watts..
yes i have a spare battery but that too is being charged by my alternator..
only time i dim is when i'm cranked with gains all the way up and the subs pounding..

imo, yer safe

scarlemthug

Marty you should find out if the small GM case alts will fit into the 7th gens, if so maybe get rob V.O. to make you a self exciting H.O. alt.

imported_loudsubz

1.) You don't have to downgrade your system, you could have a 5000 watt amp and only run it at 25 watts if you wanted to, its all about how you set the gains, and what input voltage you send it.

2.) The alt can only handle so much, plus there is a little reserve set in that is acounted for when they put the alternators in. The best way to test it, have the car running, and turn on any electrical device, lights, stereo, windshield wipers, heater, lights etc, and measure the current draw coming off the main power wire to the fuse box under the hood, and see what the current draw is.

Take that reading and subtract it from the marked number on the alt case, so in your case ~73amps

That will give you an idea of what the reserve is, and it should be a pretty low number, but you have an idea what you could run on your car under extreme conditions safely, but who does that really?

The worse thing that would happen is if the amp needed more current than the alt could provide it would simple dip into the battery supply and use that instead, now the batteryes have a limited amperage output as well... Food for thought

imported_Thrill_House

I upgraded my alt because I kept blowing up the weak *** 65 factory units, I went through like 3 of the suckers. Ive now upgraded to a 140amp unit to handle the strain of the 2 class A and 1 Class D amp Im adding. I know how much my amps and other electrical acessories are going to draw and thats how I figured out how big an alt I would need my advice for you would be to do that same. Even if you dont need an alternator quite as large as what I run it still helps out alot because you not running the alt at its full capacity all the time like you would with the stock alt and you therefore increase its lifespan.

imported_loudsubz

well said blair

imported_Thrill_House

Thank you sir.

imported_Thrill_House

Oh and if there is one thing I could recommend very highly to you, it would be to add a stiffening cap and not just a regular one, I would run a batcap because its far superior to any other conventional cap on the market. A stand cap will only discharge its maximum output for maybe a second whereas even a small batcap will discharge like 400amps for 10 seconds. That would should solve your some of your electrical problems and it really helps to take the strain of the voltage regulator on the alt apprently to.

ironballs

wtf is a batcap whats the difference from a regular cap?
where can i get one?

imported_hdave

how much do batcaps usually go for?

selective sound

iTrader: (2)

Batcaps are from the states check their website, it's like a cap and a battery all in one, cool piece works really good.I'm trying to import them into Canada, just a matter of time before I get them.

ironballs

so would you replace your main battery with a batcap or isolate it?

imported_loudsubz

well it says it can crank the car so yea you could replace it

the advnatges of the batcap are that is responds to current demand lightning fast, within miliseconds, wheres a conventional battery can take a second to respond to rapid changes

Whiplash

i'd isolate it..
run it as a spare
ya never know what a spike like that might do to your stock wiring

ironballs

they also say to mount close to amps like traditional caps so i guess id isolate as well and keep my yellowtop up front.

me want a bat cap now

Gunmetalef

upgrading alt would be good.. mine dims... i plan on doing it soon.. but blair don't get so cocky your lights still dim

shlammed

i noticed that my lights dim a bit at night when my system is cranked pretty loud but i think my battery itself is already dying as it is

imported_loudsubz

its your ALT luka

if they dim and come back bright again after a big hit, then your alternator can't keep up

if they just go dim for a split second then come back bright even on a big bass note than the regulator on your ALT is just slow to respond

shlammed

so i should get a cap?