how come

dunger · backyard mechanic Joined: 16 Oct 2002 Posts: 553

hey how come when i put 2 12" subs and a 1200 watt amp in my car my battery went flat i know it is because it drained power from my battery but how can i stop this from happening is there something i can buy that can keep my music pumpin without having to push start my car.?

please help nate

Klown · tinkerer Joined: 11 Aug 2002 Posts: 374

Get a descent battery and also were you playing your stereo while the car was started? or when it was off? coz when the car is started the alternator charges the battery, keeping it from going flat, but if you just play it when its off the battery would go dead flat.

Mr DOHC · tinkerer Joined: 21 Oct 2002 Posts: 217

yep if you have the car off then thats natural for a standard 4cyl battery to go flat but if the battery is going flat when you have the car running then your alternator is stuffed.

peteymate · tinkerer Joined: 15 Aug 2002 Posts: 306

unless he hasnt wired the amp properly and has the power wire connected to the remote terminal which would make the battery go flat cos the amp would be permanently on and draining power.

Pete

dunger · backyard mechanic Joined: 16 Oct 2002 Posts: 553

is there something i could buy to give me power when i am sitting there my car turned off?

like a capacitor or what the fuck, what do they do?

peteymate · tinkerer Joined: 15 Aug 2002 Posts: 306

all they do is store power for when u get a big punch of bass the rest of the amps etc. arent struggling for power cos its stored there.

I dont think theres much u can do, get the battery checked and see if its charging right. Check the voltage of the battery with nothing on, then see what power u get out of it with ur stereo on. It should be around 12volts. Then turn ur car on and put ur stereo full ball and see if the alternator is charging it properly by keeping it around 12v or a little more give or take. To do this just get a multimeter, its not real hard to do. It will tell u if ur battery is shit, or ur alternator has shit itself.

pete

Gold TX Sleeper · backyard mechanic Joined: 05 Feb 2002 Posts: 509

If your alternator is stuffed, i have a SIV RX-7 alternator up for grabs for $50 bucks. It's rated at 55 odd amps compared to the 35 odd from a standard Gem one. There's an article in the workshop explaining the benefit and fitting of one of these into a Gem. Give us a post if you're interested. I'm on the Gold Coast.
Jasyn...

TG 1985 · backyard mechanic Joined: 08 Jan 2002 Posts: 550

my car has less voltage when it idle's, then when it's off. it only charges at about 1500 or 2000 revs up. i got 6spkrs, 50x4 deck running 4 6 inchers in the doors, and a 400w amp running 2 7x10s in the parcel shelf. i run as loud as i want, sounds fukn awesome, and neva had to push. the car drives regularly, and has 3 month old Excite battery.

chris.

Reddez · tinkerer Joined: 29 Oct 2002 Posts: 353

Check the latest hot 4s for a high performance battery review, expensive batteries, but good for power. If you wanna check if you are drawing current whilst the car is off disconnect your earth and place a multimeter between the lead and the battery on amps reading, should only be a small current draw 50 to 100 mA (clock etc), if its more check what else is on. Also if when you stereo is on flat out and the car is on and the alternator isnt charging, must be at least 13v, 14.4v is optimum than your alternator isnt up to it, replace/upgrade that. But with that sort of draw on the battery dont run it with the car off. If ya need any more info give us a yell...

g161strokeer · tinkerer Joined: 13 Aug 2002 Posts: 111

theres sick batteries u can buy which are meant for big stereos there like 250 bux or something its an orange battery ask autobahn or stereo shops theyll tell ya