Do I have enough power for my amp and sub

[Harley McIntyre]

Just installed a 10in sub with a 1100w amp (850 rms) the sub is 400w Max and I'm on my stock alternator, also have an aftermarket headunit which I believe pulls 180w max. Can my alternator handle it? Or should I look into getting a high amperage one.

 

[Harley McIntyre]

I have a 2006 eb v8 with 182k

 

[bobditts]

no you dont need a high output alternator.

 

[Cowboytrukr]

Ditto on the no. The power ratings are misleading. If you cranked the sound to half power, you’d be approaching ear bleed sound. Yes, I like a good thumping amp like the next guy, but let’s be real. We don’t drive our Explo’s wide open throttle for very long on any given day. You’ll be fine.

 

[ThunderbirdSport]

I've got a 12" in a box and a 750 watt amp...with the windows up, air on...the bass is right there. Doesn't take too much to be painful. As in...the SPL hurts your head...feel it in your chest. It's not even at power levels where I feel there's strain on the alt.

It's enough for me.

 

[shucker1]

Wouldn't hurt you to get a capacitor to go with you sub amp though.

Takes care of the extra voltage surge needed when the bass hits hard.

I'm running a Rockford Fosgate RFC-10HB against and old Memphis Audio ST-1000D with no problems.

 

[CDW6212R]

This cannot be answered with the wattage ratings of the amps etc.

What matters is only the current pulled by the amps, total current, look at the required fuse for each amp.

Amps are over rated versus actual amperage. I own several old 80's amps that a couple of them would suck a stock alternator dry, and they are all under 350watts each. Old good amps(I don't know if they make any as good now) for example pulled 30 amps for a 350w output. So it would take two or three to tax an OEM alternator. These newer amps bragging 1500 watts may not actually use 30 amps or so, somebody's math is fuzzy(advertising).

 

[bobditts]

Wouldn't hurt you to get a capacitor to go with you sub amp though.

Takes care of the extra voltage surge needed when the bass hits hard.

I'm running a Rockford Fosgate RFC-10HB against and old Memphis Audio ST-1000D with no problems.

It actually can hurt in situations to add a capacitor. If a charging system is struggling to keep up with the demand and showing symptoms (ex. dimming headlights, draining battery, etc), then adding a capacitor is just another item the charging system has to try and keep up with and maintain. Attacking the problem is going to be the real fix (larger alternator, additional alternator, better/new battery, etc).

 

[Somerset Frisby]

Just installed a 10in sub with a 1100w amp (850 rms) the sub is 400w Max and I'm on my stock alternator, also have an aftermarket headunit which I believe pulls 180w max. Can my alternator handle it? Or should I look into getting a high amperage one.

You might need a higher output model. Amazon has a great one for @ $120. However, it depends on how much your present alternator puts out. You may already be getting the amps you need. When I upgraded my system I also installed a Sony amp and was planning on purchasing the higher amp model alternator from Amazon, thinking I would certainly need it, but waited to see how the stock alternator performed. It's been almost three years and no new amp needed so far. If you have a competent mechanic you trust he can test your system for draw and output and advise you on what you need to do based on his findings.

 

[J_C]

Do you "need" 850W RMS? No. Would it make you go deaf? Yes.

Is the amp really capable of 850W RMS? Not if it's fused for less than ~ 65amps.

Do you need an upgraded alternator for 65A? Yes.

If you just want to listen at sane volume levels, no you don't need an upgraded alternator.

 

[MotorCityFats13]

only way stab a wild guess into this question is to add up all of your fuses on the amps and the headunit will eat maybe 5 amps and your stock alt is a 135 amp but that is not idle output, the ratings on the amp only means something if it says cea2006 and even then that is only a 4 ohm cert..... watts alone cant tell you anything since that would imply the equipment is 100% efficient so you would need a clamp meter to answer this question

if you add up the fuses on an amp and multiply them by 14 and its less than what the amp claims as rms then you already know its a lie and never look at max figures because they mean nothing