Help me please!!!!

[sr20de4evr]

well the only source of power in your electrical system is your alternator, anything else (batt, cap, etc) just holds charge. If you were able to run all those reserves dry, then that means your average power draw is more than your alt can provide. The only way to fix this is to get a new alternator.

What I meant about the batt lasting longer is that it took a while for the batt to run dry before. Your amp was drawing more than the alt could provide and it was slowly sucking the extra current that it needed out of the battery. Eventually this slow draw sucked the battery completely dry, if you were to get a yellowtop it would last longer before it ran completely dry (because it has more reserve), but it would still go dead eventually. No matter how many batteries or caps you get, it will still run dead, the only way to fix that is to get a new alt.

[sr20de4evr]

Originally Posted by Abell255

I dont want to buy a new alt $$$$...

A new alt won't cost much (if any) more than that 50 farad boat anchor, but you were so willing to buy that....

[Abell255]

Oh. Well heres the case. The battery ran dry because it was before i had my system in. The car was at storage, and i left it on "Acc" And so it was totally dead, wouldnt hold a charge that good. Now it works fine and its been working for a month with using the system. Can you hook me up with a site that has a alternator or performance one for a 94 ford probe? I have no clue where to look, i tried though.

I just looked in my car. I saw the ground from batt- to the chassis like 3 inches off the batt... And then some other cable from the - but i couldnt follow it well... it was way under everything and it went into a "tube" with a shitloud of other wires. The tube had a hole and a series of wires came out and attached to some nasty looking thing. No red boot? So im not sure if thats the alt or not. I couldnt see a cable coming off that to a ground.

Should i run another wire from batt - to ground then?

[sr20de4evr]

ohhh, alright, I thought you meant the system ran the batt dry

In that case you might not need a new alt. You still might, but it's not a "holy crap man you need an alt right now" situation.

As for the cables, the one that you saw going to the chassis you should definitely upgrade, in my opinion that's the most important of the 3 wires. The other one coming off of the - terminal might be the engine ground, but it's hard to say since it could be anything really. On my car, a single cable runs off the - terminal to a bolt right next to the batt. It's bolted down there, but the cable keeps going (that's like a random bolt in the middle of the cable run kinda) and it runs about another foot where it bolts to the transmission. The alternator is completely separate, it's on the other side of the engine. It looks like this and on that little shaft that you see sticking out, there will be a pulley attached. On that bolt that you can see in the back right, that's where the cable that goes to the batt comes off of and has the red rubber boot over it. You would run a wire from that bolt to the + terminal on your battery, but to do so you might need to route it through the engine bay, behind or in front of the engine and all that crap.

[Abell255]

Ohhhh, alright. Yea i have the same thing, the ground off the batt - has like alot of other wires going by it. I followed it and it connected via a harness to something, but its not to the alternator. I have a book here that shows me where it is and how to take it out, etc. It says the stock one is "high performance" but whatever that means 10 years ago... What cable should i use to ground batt- again? I don't have any cables other then 8 gauge speaker wire.... lol


If you think i need a cap. I'll hit up ebay. They have a lot, so hook me up with a link to a alright quality one. Probably more 2.5 + farad.

tHaNkS

[sr20de4evr]

the cable coming off the batt - shouldn't go the alternator, the alternator connects to the batt + terminal, but that cable should be hidden with a bunch of others. That's the one that you can't follow with your new wire, you have to lay that one out yourself, but I would wait until the end to do that one to see if you really need it since it's the hardest.

To do the batt ground, you should use 4awg or larger. You should only need like 2 feet at the most since it's such a short run, but you might want to get a bit more if you want to do the engine ground too. Just like 5 feet of 4awg and 4 ring terminals would be all you need for those 2. Then another several feet of 4awg and 2 more ring terminals and you can do the alt + to batt +.

I don't think you need a cap at all. If you think you really need one, at least wait until after you do this before you order. You may be surprised and find that you don't need to get one, and it's not like you lose anything by waiting (other than just more time).

[Navy I.C.]

some alts. are rated at idle power and are closely regulated to maintain that rating. unless you can totally bypass every component used to maintain their +/- tolerances, lowering your charging systems (Z) will still only result in a regulated output.

some alts. are loosely regulated (ratings change with rpm's for example). this is the type that would benefit more from modifications (ie. wiring). For example, if your system is in a car that was originally designed as an economy car, you should realize that certain components were compromised to meet the target price/profit marks.

components like governors, regulators, step up/down transformers, # of coil windings, wiring (and their respective gauges), etc. etc. all of these components (along with a lot of other parts) are opportunities to help turn a modest priced car to an economy car.

These are the variables that makes one solution work for you, but not necessarily for another. basically what i'm saying is the exponentially varied nature of electricity will become more and more predictable (mathematically) with the more components used to control it.

remember your system is as strong as it's weakest link, if your having problems and feel upgrades are necessary, try to avoid spending money to upgrade parts that will not make a noticeable change to your system. this will leave you with more money to upgrade your known weak links.

[empathydude]

eveything has been stated more than enough... I just had to sniker at the 2000w RMS with no dim - either ur bs or ur system isnt using half of what that amp can put out.

[Abell255]

Alright, i'll wait on the cap then. I'll upgrade the batt- to ground tomorro with 4 awg wire. Where do you get that wiring and the ring terminals? I could probably use speaker wire 4 awg then? Where is the engine ground located? I have no clue what that means, cuz like the engine isnt the electrical system, or does it mean that their is a ground on the engine? After ya'll tell me this, ill update all of it, and if it still dims, ill get a cap. Anyways, thanks alot for all of you who helped. Peace

[empathydude]

ground wire should be like right there in the front of hte engine lookin like a weird little wire that goes from the frame to a bolt on the engine. if its 4 ga speaker wire, makes sure its actually speaker wire and also that is IS 4 ga...

[sr20de4evr]

I've never seen 4awg speaker wire, actually I highly doubt it's even made. Jesus that speaker wire would be an inch across and could handle tens of thousands of watts.

4awg power cable can be had at any local welding supply store or car audio store

[sr20de4evr]

Originally Posted by empathydude

eveything has been stated more than enough... I just had to sniker at the 2000w RMS with no dim - either ur bs or ur system isnt using half of what that amp can put out.

snicker all you want

you're right about not using all of the power, but honestly who can actually handle being in the car with 500rms going to the front stage and 1500rms going to a ported sub? The person who can sit there and take that is a better man than me...

[sr20de4evr]

Originally Posted by Navy I.C.

some alts. are loosely regulated (ratings change with rpm's for example). this is the type that would benefit more from modifications (ie. wiring). For example, if your system is in a car that was originally designed as an economy car, you should realize that certain components were compromised to meet the target price/profit marks.

The battery ground is upgraded to keep the voltage from dropping as the current leaves the battery, it really has nothing to do with the alternator or how it's designed/made at all.

How much it helps does vary from car to car, but the differences are based on how efficient the car's wiring is from the factory, not on how the alt is made.

[Abell255]

Ok, well i'll update that stuff tomorro with 4awg. Also, i wanted to know if this is how to set your gain properly:

http://www.caraudioresources.com/con...cal_tips/57/1/

[sr20de4evr]

That's the method I use, except I use test tones instead of music. Either will work well, test tones are just easier to hear clipping on, but you have to be careful if your speakers are being overpowered.