12V or 14.4V?

[CRX586]

I'm looking at this amp's specs:

40 x 4 + 150 x 1 @ 12V (4 OHMS)
60 x 4 + 200 x 1 @ 14.4V (4 OHMS)

So which one applies?

[chucksnee]

It depends on what your ALT. is putting out, if your ALT. is putting out 12.4 then the first set of figures applies if your ALT. is putting out 14.4 then the second set of figures applies.

Take a volt meter and start your car, there are 2 places to check your volt's coming off your ALT. 1 is the battery and the other place is the power wire for the AMP where it connects to the AMP. that will be your volt reading.

Hope this helps
:frog:

[delsolsi]

Your battery puts out 12 volts, your alternator puts out 14.4 volts. So when the engine is off your getting 12 volts, when your engine is running your getting 14.4 volts.

[GSteg]

those 2 statements above would be true, if you're not getting any voltage drop through the power wire

[delsolsi]

If you use the proper size power wire you should have a minimal, if any, voltage drop.

[sparq]

Power wire isnt the only factor determining voltage drop...

[GSteg]

Originally posted by sparq
Power wire isnt the only factor determining voltage drop...

ok..no corrision (spelling?) in the wire also

[SilverY2KCivic]

Also outside tempature can affect it. In the early morning, my car puts out about 14.6 volts, during the day on a mild say in the 60's day it puts out about 14.1 volts, and on a hot 90+ day it puts out about 13.5 volts unless I'm on the highway for a long period of time.

[chucksnee]

I agree with all your statments, just wanted to get the basics out to him becaquse like you said depending on the weather and so on it could change the out put of the ALT. some low some high.

I know in my truck that at the amp i was still getting 14.4v with kinda shitty wire while at the alt. it was still 14.4v.:smoker2:

[turbcivic]

14.4 volts to the amp is kinda of hard to get. Your car will usally trun only 14.1 to 14.3 volts to the amp due to the fact that your car is running. Power is need to run the car so you will have a small voltage drop.

[chucksnee]

So are you saying that 14.4 is the most that an ALT put's out? i know that i was getting 14.4 at the AMP. some put out a little more and some a little less

[PaulD]

the biggest loser of voltage is the crimp connectors, and their connection to the battery, amp, fues holder, ect ... Remember too, that the fuse is essentially a very small wire inline with the power wire. As for Alts, it's a known fact that they put out less power when they get hot - just like all electronic items. It's normal for an alternator to have a dual rating that looks like 140/120 amps (cold/hot).

[MyFirst4G]

Originally posted by delsolsi
Your battery puts out 12 volts, your alternator puts out 14.4 volts. So when the engine is off your getting 12 volts, when your engine is running your getting 14.4 volts.

Yea, this guy is 100% correct, oh, and to measure this, what i did was Buy a Digital Farad Cap and put it in my car, this also helps not to drain your battery and it wont make your ALT whine, and it will stop your headlights from dimming...

[PaulD]

unfortunately, the digital stuff on the top of the cap raises it's ESR to the point where it is useless for the intended purpose, caps do not prevent alternator whine, and they only work on some cars for preventing the lights from dimming.

[guysohigh]

I bought a Digital 1.5 Farad Cap to stop my lights from dimming, didn't work. Caps aren't guaranteed to do anything but look good beside your amp.