Old friend with new questions: alternator, another battery, new amp...

[FitzMatt]

Hey guys, heres what I got goin right now....

1 12" Audiobahn aw1208x 1500W RMS sub
a 4-channel Alpine v-12 series amp (240W x 2)
and a 1 farad cap.
i also have a pioneer HU.

So Im only running half of this amp for the sub....
I've been having eletrical difficulties, specifically when my lights are on and I'm trying to moderately "bump it."

I think a beefier alternator is in question, can anyone point me in the right direction as to what's a good buy? Is this a probable factor to my power problem (dimming lights, lack of voltage)?

I've also thought the amp isnt pushing enough, it cant handle what im asking out of it.

How bout another battery back there?


Whats most likely my problem and whats the best fix?

Hope you're still out there in the forum LeenJen, haven't visited in a good couple months. Hope all is well, thanks as always for helping out fellow explorers.


Matt

 

[DeagleDave]

what is the alternator that is in your truck rated at?? i would upgrade to a 130 or a 200 amp alternator. with the set up you have wouldn't worry about another battery quite yet.

 

[leenjen]

Mr. Alternator
$225 for a 200 amp alternator. they also do powder coating or chrome.

 

[MountainsTew]

that alternator sounds like a super deal! to the original poster, i think that a beefier amp would be a great idea. You are probably pushing that amp beyond its efficient limits if your gains are high, and therefore your signal is clipped. Try and find a Class D amp for your bass. These amps are much more efficient and wont pull as hard on your electrical system. I have a stock alt. on my '97 5.0L and a 500 Watt JL Audio Class D amp and have VERY little problems with voltage drop. First try a beefier Class D amp, and then maybe a HO alternator. I'll probably be upgrading my alt. when I get the 2nd amp for my mids/highs installed

stu

 

[BruceWayne]

I run a 1500watt class D and have no dimming at all...

First before spending any money do the follow

Take the cap out and see if you have dimming.
Check the ohm you have your amp running at
I had a friend that had a alpine v12 running at 2ohm mono for a while (which it wasnt stable at).. this thing got super hot all the time and cause massive dimming even with a cap even tho it was only 300 watts. I knew something wasnt right...
Upgrade the wiring from the alt to the battery..

then upgrade battery to something like a optima yellow top and lastly I would upgrade the alt...

A small a/b 4 channel should not be causing dimming.

 

[davesexplorer]

how do you have your amp wired to the sub, I thought the '08X series are dual 1 ohm voice coils, I think your alpine amp is stable to 2 ohms in regular 4 channel mode not bridged, as you probably have it. Look for an amp that puts out 1k-2k watts at either 2 ohms, or .5 ohms, best bet would be a class D or X, maybe even T amps for best efficiency. Basically the amp you have should be runnin your door speaks, rather than that BIG sub.

 

[leenjen]

Originally posted by davesexplorer
I thought the '08X series are dual 1 ohm voice coils

1008X and 1208X had dual 4 ohm coils. 1508X had dual 2 ohm coils

 

[davesexplorer]

"1008X and 1208X had dual 4 ohm coils. 1508X had dual 2 ohm coils"

um except here:
http://audiobahninc.com/prod/woofers/AW1008.htm
http://audiobahninc.com/prod/woofers/AW1208.htm
http://audiobahninc.com/prod/woofers/AW1508.htm

it says dual 1 ohm,
I think you were thinkin of the current '08Q series, That all have dual 2 ohm coils

I think im right in thinkin his amp is all wrong for this application too.
-Go for one of my aforementioned choices of amps X,D, ot T , but there aren't many that run at 1/2 ohm,
-Alternators always a good idea with that much wattage anyways, but thats a $200 hole in yer wallet.

 

[zedsdead]

rockford.....

im biased, get a rockford 1000bd amp, its mono, itll push more than you need and wont break a sweat...with that set up im sure you dont even need the cap, rip it out check if it still dimms and then upgrade you power and ground wiring. ground the negative on the battery to the chassis too, all w/ 4awg wire...)

even if you dont get that amp, try a 500bd, go to www.hookedontronics.com and check out what they got. roughly 300- 400 us.

 

[FitzMatt]

The alternator I have is just the stock one...

So Im gonna buy a new alt, and ask for an amp for x-mas...I am gonna get another aw1208x, so what would you guys recommend to push those 2 subs? And yes they are dual 1-ohm vcs.

Also, those Q-logic kick panels look pretty cool, what do you guys think?

Matt

 

[davesexplorer]

might I suggest this:
run both subs at .5 ohm, or bridge @ 1 ohm off of this big mamma....
a MA audio 4002, for somewhere around $400
like this:

Dead Link Removed

 

[Bmxboy]

Re: rockford.....

Originally posted by zedsdead
im biased, get a rockford 1000bd amp, its mono, itll push more than you need and wont break a sweat...with that set up im sure you dont even need the cap, rip it out check if it still dimms and then upgrade you power and ground wiring. ground the negative on the battery to the chassis too, all w/ 4awg wire...)

even if you dont get that amp, try a 500bd, go to www.hookedontronics.com and check out what they got. roughly 300- 400 us.

Im biased to I would say either get a bd1000a1 or a Jl 1000/1 (Jl is more expensive,i know...i just love JL! what can i say).

Hence...they are rated at least 100 watts over their 1000 watt recomended rating, sure i know that doesen't mean they push that out RMS, but they are beafy amps, and to anyone that ever said their fosgte amps got to hot to touch...mine NEVER have...they get warm, like every other amp, but mine have never gotten so hot i couldn't touch it....

I had the 200 amp alt. and a new battery up front with 1/0 wiring, and at about 1 grand - 1.1 grand RPMS, the alt got enough juice that the lights didn't dim at all (with 2000 watts).

Carleton

 

[FitzMatt]

What do you guys think?? Check out the JBL BP1200.1 and the Audiobahn A2300HCQ...


AMPS

They are on this page under "special prices," 2nd row down.

MAtt

 

[zedsdead]

hey bmxboy, i saw your setup, man thats crazy, even the vid of the 'excursion' was a cool touch.....

rockford rules, those amps are beefy...your right!

man thats alotta neon! cops give you a hard time?

 

[Bmxboy]

Originally posted by zedsdead
hey bmxboy, i saw your setup, man thats crazy, even the vid of the 'excursion' was a cool touch.....

rockford rules, those amps are beefy...your right!

man thats alotta neon! cops give you a hard time?

Thanks for the compliments man!

The cops did give me a hard time...at first. Then they just started to come up and look at my truck...only got 2 tickets the entire time

Carleton

 

[FitzMatt]

I'm thinkin about the JBL BP1200.1amp, its a $275 class D amp that pushes 1200W at 2 ohms (which is perfect).

Sounds like a good deal???

Thanks,
MAtt

 

[FitzMatt]

Come Xmas I am going to get that $225 200amp alternator from Mr. alternator.com like you guys said...but i have a couple questions about the alternator and putting it in.

does it fit in with no mods?
is there anything i should be aware of or prepared for, or should it pretty much be a straight shot??

thank you
MAtt



It also looks like Im gonna get that amp, I'm stoked to have some more power going to that sub.

 

[Van I.]

Sorry to jump in your post but I was looking at those JBL amps too. Anyone have any experience with the jbl amps? Lots of power for little $.

I was looking to get the bp600.1 to run a jl12w6v2.

Thanks

 

[FitzMatt]

Ya Van, I've read tons of reviews on that series of JBL amps and haven't heard anything bad... Like you said, lots of power for little $$. But then again I've never actually heard one pushing a sub...

 

[leenjen]

Originally posted by FitzMatt

does it fit in with no mods?

it fits just like the stock alternator