Alternator? Which one??????

[BlueCaprice20]

ok i have been installing sound systems for 2 years now i did it in my first car and now i have a caprice which im gona install a sound system after christmas.. I plan on running 3 12's 800 watt each for a total of 2400 watts.. then im going to buy a little 6-800 watt amp for my inside door speakers which comes out to 3200 watts. What amp alternator should i buy.. Ofcourse im going to have 2 farrad caps but still i want this alternator to last. Ive never delt with the amps on the alternator infact i dont know how many amps can how how many watts on an alternator..... help thanks

[bumpinstang77]

first off the caps are useless you won't need them. Are you talkin 2400 watts peak power or 2400 watts rms? Also find out what the fuse ratings on all of the amps are. That will tell you the very most current they can draw (this will be in amps) then we'll know a little better how many amp alt to reccomend. You will also want to upgrade to a good battery or two. How many amps is your current alternator?

[BlueCaprice20]

2 b honest i have a 91 caprice and i have no clue how many amps my current alternator is..... I didnt have the manual with the car wen i bought it... umm 2400 peak.... and most likely it wil be a rockford fosgate or MTX amp which will be a big fuse.... most likely a 80 or 150.
IF i can run 2 batteries i will i just never done it. do i just connect the amp to the seperate battery.. and if so wouldnt it drain the battery because nothing is powering it up like an alternator.../
THanks

[PaulD]

worst case scenario .......

3200 watts @ 12 volts is 266 amps + about 50-60 amps to run you car, a/c, headlights, ect ... = appx 320 amps

The truth is, you could probably get away with a 150-175 amp alternator

[BlueCaprice20]

ok well im going to go with a 200-240 amp alt... how much would this type of amp alt. cost?