FLat battery

[stanleym]

hey i got a flat battery today (due to installing new amp and having to fiddle with rca's

just wondering what i can do just to ensure i wont get another flat battery
i dont really want to get a new alternator or a second battery
i was thinking capacitor but i heard all they do is give a extra boost to the current when say it needs a large bass note

this is what i have installed at the moment

2X 4ch 1000w Boss amp
6" kenwood splits front (HPF)
6" sony splits back (HPF)
6X9 kenwood speaker back (HPF)
2X 12" mtx 400w roadthunder

thanks for any help that can be given

i kno it proberly wont go flat unless i listen to music with car off but i just want to be sure

[aaronng]

Is your battery going flat while you are listening with the car off? Or does it go flat when everything is off?

Get a higher rated battery. That is my first suggestion. Especially when you have 2 x 1000w amps, no capacitor is going to prevent your battery from going flat. You are right in that capacitors help when you have a spike in the power drain. Optima batteries are meant to be good for audio setups.

[vividjazz]

In reality you have 2 x 400W amps at best (RMS rated at 14.4V with high signal to noise and THD)

Steps as power needs increase.
1) Upgrade the primary battery
2) Add a 2nd battery
3) Upgrade alternator

Shouldn't need to go beyond step 1.

Real 1000W RMS amps would require a dedicated battery.

[stanleym]

aiight thanks for input i was thinking of new battery so i will look up different options

just wondering has there been any write ups for adding a second battery as in wiring etc

cheers

also battery flat while listening to music so i havn't got h/u connected to constant power source

[TRU32U]

errrr is ur amp wired correctly?
IE remote is in remote wire not the power wire?
check by amp lights.
if u copped a flat then eaither alt needs replace due to old age (brushes in alt) or 2 need newer batt...
get a truck batt if i was you, not a AA one you see in most cars. IE go as big as you can.

[stanleym]

amp wired fine been doing sound systems for ages now
got flat due to having to play around with rca i have 4 going down side of car

but yea i will be buying new battery

[kid_dynamite]

Optima Yellowtop D51. Deep cycle but it's a compact size (perfect for Hondas). Works fine for me.

[stanleym]

what are you running off that battery ??

ill have a look at it any idea of the price?

[kid_dynamite]

Talk to Marty (FHRX) for a good price.

Running two sets of speakers, two subs, two amps, alarm, lighting, the whole lot. Can leave the car for two weeks and it starts up fine.

[wynode]

How old was the battery?

Also make sure you're alternator is up to scratch (14V with all your electrical stuff switched on including headlights) otherwise a new battery would be useless.

[arverson]

08-01-2006 09:41 PM
vividjazz

Steps as power needs increase.
1) Upgrade the primary battery
2) Add a 2nd battery
3) Upgrade alternator

Shouldn't need to go beyond step 1.

as suggested, u shouldnt need to go beyond a new battery. if in ur case u do, BEFORE going to extreme measures of adding a 2nd battery or new alternator... do these:

. upgrade the powerwires to the amp and groundwire
. upgrade the groundwires for the battery and alternator that connect to the chassis
. keep wire lengths to a minimum where practical

caps r useless. do the above instead

[Fhrx]

Optima Yellowtop D51. Deep cycle but it's a compact size (perfect for Hondas). Works fine for me.

Whilst I'm sure all of you already know plenty about the Optima D51 and what it looks like, I thought I'd chuck a few images up of some we've installed into Honda's.

Civic (with Stinger terminals):


Jazz (with Audison Connection terminals):