Amp install w/second battery
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run differint lines to ur amp from your battery i cant tell u where cause i didnt install mine best buy did and dont hook them up to a power source in ur car that was originaly there cause if the amp goes ur entire main fuse goes...its good to make a fuse in the cable u connect to the battery also so if a short happens it wont fry the amp just the wire going to the battery......i find that eaeier to replace than sitting in the back of my trunk for an hour trying to reach itty bitty screws with a philips when i need a normal one........
hope this helps
hope this helps
...im sure i can figure it out, it'll pry just take me a while
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1,237 Posts
Why do you want to install a second battery for an amp? The battery is only good for running the amp when the car is off. I ran 4 gauge wire from the battery to the trunk for my two amps, wasn't that bad at all.
check here for all your car audio questions
http://pub51.ezboard.com/bcaraudioknowledge
you have to join the ez board but its worth it, these guys really know their shiznit and can be qui8te the bit of help.
Hope that helps ya some
check here for all your car audio questions
http://pub51.ezboard.com/bcaraudioknowledge
you have to join the ez board but its worth it, these guys really know their shiznit and can be qui8te the bit of help.
Hope that helps ya some
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8,109 Posts
Well as of now i have 8 GA (i think) ran from the battery to the trunk, and my alternator is stuggling to charge the battery and it starts REALLY hard...when i disconnect my amp power wire my car starts like normal (after the alt. has charged the battery that is)...i heard a second battery is a good way to go. I thought about using caps but ive heard they dont work very well for what you pay for them.
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1,237 Posts
OK, lets start here. What size alt do you have. What brand model amp do you have. Are you trying to start your car with the radio on? Caps are werthless, you are better off improving your wiring. Where do you have your amp grounded to now?
A second battery will only put more of a strain on your alt since it will have to power your amp AND charge a second battery. Remember the battery is only for starting the car and for use when the car is off. To me it sounds like your alt is too small. You can check around for a place that will rewind your alt for more amps, is usually cheaper then getting a new alt.
A second battery will only put more of a strain on your alt since it will have to power your amp AND charge a second battery. Remember the battery is only for starting the car and for use when the car is off. To me it sounds like your alt is too small. You can check around for a place that will rewind your alt for more amps, is usually cheaper then getting a new alt.
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8,109 Posts
oh, and its grounded to some piece of metal in the trunk, i cant remember where. And a second battery wouldnt put more strain on the alt., cuz i would use an isolator. If you dont know what that is it goes back and forth charging the 2 batteries instead of trying to charge them both at the same time.
[ December 09, 2001: Message edited by: pimped3point3 ]
[ December 09, 2001: Message edited by: pimped3point3 ]
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1,237 Posts
So, charging two batteries at different times with the same alt is not putting more of a strain on your alt? Dude, if yer alt cant charge one battery, why do you think it could charge two batteries just because it's not doing it at the exact same time? Sounds like you would be in werse shape, you would have two 1/4 charged batteries instead of one 1/2 charged battery. Get a bigger alt and bring your power wiring up to 4awg, the 8 is too small for running two amps. The 4awg will allow the electricity to flow easier causing less amp draw. You might wanna check your alt to be sure its werkin right. I'm running about 800w total and have no problems with a 120amp alt. The main problem seems that the alt is not big enough and your amps are having to pull the needed electricity from the battery. When you drive with your headlights on they probly dim when the bass hits. Check yer alt.
BE SURE YOU FUSE YOUR AMP POWER LEAD AS CLOSE TO THE BATTERY AS POSSIBLE!!!!
Sounds like you may be in danger of melting your amp power wire and causing a fire in your car. Does the 8awg feel hot when your running your system? Bigger wire and bigger alt will solve your problem. Check the wires from the alt to battery also, you want some good 4awg here also, same as your ground. The ground wires, be it for battery or amp, must be at least as big as the power wire. Make sure your grounds are tight and to BARE metal, take some sand paper to the metal if needed.
BE SURE YOU FUSE YOUR AMP POWER LEAD AS CLOSE TO THE BATTERY AS POSSIBLE!!!!
Sounds like you may be in danger of melting your amp power wire and causing a fire in your car. Does the 8awg feel hot when your running your system? Bigger wire and bigger alt will solve your problem. Check the wires from the alt to battery also, you want some good 4awg here also, same as your ground. The ground wires, be it for battery or amp, must be at least as big as the power wire. Make sure your grounds are tight and to BARE metal, take some sand paper to the metal if needed.
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