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daffydak
GenIII
 
3/30/2004
02:34:08
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 Subject: bigger alt. or cap?????
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Message:
my question is. should i get a bigger alternator or capiciter?
my system consists of an mtx 6500d amp with a 1/2 farad cap pushing a solo baric L7 10 (wired at one ohm) And when i crank it, the lights still kinda draw dim. and the volt meter on the power cap dips into the low 12 volt range. My battery is fairly new (3 months old) and is higher capicity than stock, so no prob there.
it boils down to needing a bigger cap or more than likely a bigger alt.....
thanks in advance
Dan
mopar=mopower
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spitz
Dodge Dakota
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3/30/2004
02:48:48
|  RE: bigger alt. or cap?????
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you already have the cap so i would go ahead with the higher amp alternator. the towing package included the 136 amp alt and would be better than the stock 117 amp alt. intense99dak used to have a website that said he upgraded to this and 1/0 guage wiring between the alt and battery and had no problems with headlights idiling with the a/c on and he has a stick.
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Hk
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
3/30/2004
12:47:21
| RE: bigger alt. or cap?????
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Alt or optima Bat
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daffydak
GenIII
3/30/2004
20:48:47
| RE: bigger alt. or cap?????
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Message:
thanks for the help. now its time to save up for an alternator.....maybe i could tri a 1 farad (or bigger) cap instead of the alt........
Dan
mopar=mopower
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daffydak
GenIII
4/03/2004
01:55:34
|  RE: bigger alt. or cap?????
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i def. think i need a bigger alt. today i really cranked it and when the bass hit it MADE MY RPMS DROP!! wtf??? i don't get it, if i keep that up il burn up my battery and stock alt for sure......
Dan
mopar=mopower
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daffydak
GenIII
4/03/2004
11:34:49
| RE: bigger alt. or cap?????
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Message:
i found a 165A alt on ebay. it says
"Positive Battery Cable to Alternator must be Upgraded to Heavier Gauge Wire(4 Gauge Recommended)"
how exactly do i do this? i have no real clue on the electrical system of my dak. do they sell a 4ga cable for the alt, or do i have to make one?
Dan
mopar=mopower
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joe_himself
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
4/04/2004
20:07:35
| RE: bigger alt. or cap?????
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Just go to a stereo shop and buy about 10 ft of 4 gu wire and then make your postive and negative 4gu wires, will help out,
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daffydak
GenIII
4/05/2004
00:44:42
| RE: bigger alt. or cap?????
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ok i have some 4ga laying around from a previous install. i just need connectors. i am thinking about trying a bigger power cap first instead of a new alt. i have a 1 farad now and was thinking about getting a 2.... any thoughts?
Dan
mopar=mopower
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stiinc
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
4/07/2004
20:57:23
| RE: bigger alt. or cap?????
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IMO I don't think another cap would do anything for you, A 1/2 farad cap is good to 500w (roughly) and a 1 farad is good to 1000w so I think a bigger alt. is in order here. I cooked 2 batt's and an alternator in my cavalier and 1 batt in my Dak before I realized I needed a cap
(My alt is on it's last legs now) BTW I'm running
2 jl 10's into 2 ohm's bridged off a Phoenix Gold
ms275 (The amp is a tank, no abuse will kill it!!!)
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timmi
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
4/07/2004
22:20:23
| RE: bigger alt. or cap?????
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Message:
you dont need a bigger alternator, not just yet.
upgrade the three main wires first before doing anything else
caps are junk, if you want, i will sell you my 1.5 farad digital cap for cheap, i bought it when i first started and didnt know anything.. its been colecting dust for years....
come visit us at http://audioforum.termpro.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi if you want to continue this discussion, in the alternator/battery/interconnects section
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daffydak
GenIII
4/08/2004
01:13:40
|  RE: bigger alt. or cap?????
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If I go to a custom audio shop, will they upgrade my wires? I have no clue on the wires that come out of my alt. I don't know what connectors I need etc. I have about 15 ft of 4ga from a prev install that I could use. I just need to get some basic steps on what to buy and where to start.... I didn’t think that the wires are at fault, as when its really cranked my lights draw dim and my rpms drop with the hardest hits of bass :-(
Not to mention that my volt gauge on my dash dips down to around 12, and the meter on the cap dips down to the high 11 volt range. Its ok if i don't crank it, but whats the fun in having a decent sounding setup if i can't enjoy it...
Dan
mopar=mopower
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johnny
Dodge Dakota
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4/08/2004
21:29:57
|  RE: bigger alt. or cap?????
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I have a 3 10w3v2 with a hifonics bx1500 pushing them on 1/2 gain, also 1 farad dig.cap and my volts are around 13.5 all day long even with crazy bass..... I have a 136 amp alt. .. I would say get a bigger alt before you by a new cap.. just my $0.02.....
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uh
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
4/09/2004
23:39:24
| RE: bigger alt. or cap?????
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if you are dropping below 12 volts you sure as hell do have e problem. 13.6 is the actual voltage your truck runs at, you are drawing more poer then the alternator and battery together can put out. you best get a totaly separate battery and a 150 or even higher alternater just to power that thing. sooner or later that much load is gonna catch your truck on fire.
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daffydak
GenIII
4/10/2004
02:33:34
| RE: bigger alt. or cap?????
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Message:
yeah, I def think i need a bigger alt. my 117 amp isnt doing the job... I saw a few on ebay for my truck, i'l check into it. most of them say that I need to upgrade the wires? i dont have a clue on how to even start on that
Dan
mopar=mopower
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Alec
Dodge Dakota
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6/09/2004
21:13:51
| RE: bigger alt. or cap?????
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Me either dude......any help
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casedeez
Dodge Dakota
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6/10/2004
00:49:03
| RE: bigger alt. or cap?????
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Message:
The truth is anyone who upgrades there vehicles audio system is in need of a new alternator. Just think of it as a part of your system. If you put undo stress on your electrical system like you do when making your alt divy out power, your going to wear ish down faster. BUY A NEW ALT. A capacitor wont do anything for you if you have a weak electrical system. In fact all your cap will do is help sustain peak output levels for a short period of time, which it will immediatly ask your alt to give it more juice AGAIN. So listen, just get a new alt. If you got the cash and have the system for it, you could byu a batt as well, but do your research first, know if you need a seperate battery. In your cse I dont think so. Just a bit heavier of a alt would do you fine.
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daffydak
GenIII
6/10/2004
00:52:21
| RE: bigger alt. or cap?????
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i traded that dakota away a while back (3.9L)..... i miss it a lil still :-(
anyways, i never did fix the light dimming problem. the alt. on my 4.7L has no problem keeping up with my amp now..... I had the solo baric in my new dak for a little bit, and it hardly made the lights flicker at all. now that my amp sees a 4 ohm load (2 15" kicker comp vr subs) it dosent even flinch.....
i dont think i was really any help, but i tried...
Dan
MOPAR=More Power!!
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Brandon K
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
6/24/2004
19:51:10
| RE: bigger alt. or cap?????
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Message:
Here the deal man, a cap needs to "refill" the instant the current is used out of it, so on the "battery" side of the cap IE your Kota's electrical system there is still a large load, on the amp side things may be quite different. 12V isn't bad for an amp thats drawing mad juice ya know. if your dakota is anything like mine it's only makeing about 13.5 volts or so max, so thats 1.5V of drop. not terrible. However if you want this thing to quit dimming the lights consider this, upgrade the ground wire from the battery to the chasis, those electrons have to make the full circle, so resistance there is not good. You can check the voltage drop across this wire with an Ohm meter, also consider an alternator upgrade or a diode block and a seperate battery, this will allow the "stereo battery" to charge withough draining the vehicle's battery. good luck with it man, but you'll prob have some drop if you have a large amp.
Let me know what you think.
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daffydak
GenIII
6/25/2004
01:01:17
| RE: bigger alt. or cap?????
IP: Logged
Message:
thanks brandon K, but i have another truck now.... the amp is seeing 4 oms instead of 1 now (2 15" kicker comp vr subs) so its no problem now
thanks anyways. the lights dont even slightly dim now :-)
Dan
MOPAR=More Power!!
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Brandon K
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
6/25/2004
01:43:52
| RE: bigger alt. or cap?????
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Yea, loading your amp at 4 OHM is a lot easier too since your not drawing as much current, give you better damping factor and lets the thing run cooler. Sorry I was late ;)
and your right...
Mopar = Mopower!
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daffydak
GenIII
6/25/2004
13:52:47
|  RE: bigger alt. or cap?????
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Message:
thanks again, i have another person to direct audio ?s to now :-)
one of my buddies at work, has an audiobahn flameQ 18 in his 94 explorer!! WOW that thing kicks! he can pull up beside me, and just drown me out :-P (if i had a bigger cab like a durango for instance, my 15s would sound a LOT better. ) i just dont have the cab space to let the bass develop :-( but i know i could beat him in a race, probably not even trying LOL! 8 - )
Dan
MOPAR=More Power!!
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