GT_Ichiroku

Okay, so, I'm sure this is about the millionth topic on this in these forums, so I'll immediately cut to the chase.

I have a 2011 Civic LX-S, completely stock. I've been trying for about a day to find the stock alt amp output with little to no success, but I'm pretty positive it's 80A.

Details: I recently acquired a pair of Pioneer Premier TS-W2502SPL 10" (from a friend, quite nice, they used to be in his car and sound pretty fantastic. They're a bit older but hey I'm a poor education major, so)

The subs themselves are 2500w max, 800w nominal/RMS/whatever you want to call it. So for the pair, looking about 1600w RMS. DVC, ~2 ohm apiece (they're reading a bit more than 4), they'll be wired in parallel so 2 ohms.

I've bought a Kenwood KAC-9106D, 1000w RMS @2 ohms, 2000w peak, 4ga wiring, etc etc.

My main question is this: As everything is stock, will the stock alt be alright/handle the load? I don't typically listen to music very loudly. Not trying to blow anyone's ears off, just want to enjoy the bass. I know that on extended hits, it can pull a pretty decent amount of juice at high volumes.

If the stock alt isn't going to be enough, what are my options? Grab a HO, add a cap (I've heard they're pretty much useless except on really high powered systems), or.... ?

Thanks in advance!

GIGANTIC EDIT:

Apparently I'm a massive idiot and the subs are actually, in fact, 2 ohm DVC. So I can run them at 2 ohm final. The shop I took them to measured their ohm how they're hooked up currently, which is for a two-channel amp at 4 ohms on each channel. So I need to swap the wiring for a mono and we're all set.

MotoCARR

Sounds like you've done your research, bravo! You'll be fine on the stock alternator. If you notice dimming, skip the cap, and do the big 3. If you still have dimming and it's unbearable, time to upgrade the alternator as a capacitor still won't fix the problem.

Toss an extra 10 gauge or larger wire on the following
1. Amp + to battery +
2. Battery to chassis ground
3. Engine block to chassis

GT_Ichiroku

Oh my god you are the man! Finally an actual answer.

Yeah, for the past coulple days I've been trawling through crap trying to get as much info as possible. Guitar amps, stage audio, and building computers are the things I know, car audio is a completely new venture that I have zero knowledge in haha

That being said, I'm actually not going to be installing it myself. Is the battery wiring like something that you're supposed to do anyway, or is that something that I need to ask them to do?

EDIT: I plan on doing the B3 pretty soon as it sits, that's great news, my bad, I misread.

Yeah, I still don't get why everyone tries to sell everyone on caps, especially on a dimming issue. No cap is going to solve dimming, it's not going to just make extra power for your car. That's why I asked, because I thought maybe I was missing something. Besides that's just another load on the alt anyway which kinda defeats the purpose. Circuits, how do they work?

It's funny, because if my electrical eng. classes had all been practical application instead of theory I probably would still be in the program, because this is the part I always liked.

EDIT2: That wiring is hella neat and organized and that makes me incredibly happy. Nothing like organized wiring to get the blood moving.

MotoCARR

Think of a capacitor as an added power "resivoir" between your alternator/battery and amplifier. if you're jamming our to a rock song, large bass hits for the most part are spaced out in the song. Switch to rap/hip hop/dubstep, etc where large bass hits are more frequent and you are putting more of a strain on the electrical system. This is where the cap comes in. When this happens, in theory, power is pulled from the "cap" first, and then if the cap is depleted, then you start pulling from the alternator.(And where lights start to dim)

An over simplification, but you get the point .

If you're having a shop do the install, they are just going to run the power wire from the battery to the amp, run RCA and remote turn on from the radio back to the amp, and then ground the amp. The big three wiring would be "extra" and above and beyond the typical amp install charge.

MotoCARR

Just wait, soon you'll be needing 3 alternators and 4 batteries like my boy's Subruban At the time he was running 4 Rockford 15s, but this was three or four setups ago. Now he's up to 4 18s and moved the wall up to behind the rear seats.

MotoCARR

The now:

GT_Ichiroku

Jeeeeeeeesus that's absolutely insane

That cannot be comfortable when it's kicking haha

Actually, no, it's probably a great back massage.

I'd love to hear some triphop/Nujabes/Fat John through that thing.

MotoCARR

"Gucci Mane - Burr Burr"

Song of choice when giving demos..........it's insane.

edzy

FYI, you cannot wire 2 dual 4's to 2 ohms

Only 1 or 4. 4 is your only option with that kenwood amp.

GT_Ichiroku

Why, exactly? If they're wired in parallel wouldn't that make the total load to the amp 2?

EDIT: Oh, because they're DVC?

Well ****. The one thing I forgot.

If that's the case do I need to get a different amp now, or can I still use it?

EIDT2: I suppose I could just use one of the coils, no? For a total of two

edzy

Just wire to them to 4 ohms

Should still have enough output to fill that cabin

The amp and your electrical system will be happier, also.

GT_Ichiroku

True. I just worry a bit because at 4 the amp does 500 RMS which would only leave the subs getting 250 a piece, when they're rated for 800. Is that enough to drive them? Well, for the amp at least? Assuming the gain isn't cranked on it.

Again, sorry, car audio is a completely new world for me.

edzy

RMS is nothing more than a guideline

As long as things are set up properly, you're fine.

GT_Ichiroku

Okay so I added it to the OP but I'm going to put it as a reply as well.

GIGANTIC EDIT:

Apparently I'm a massive idiot and the subs are actually, in fact, 2 ohm DVC. So I can run them at 2 ohm final. The shop I took them to measured their resistance how they're hooked up currently, which is for a two-channel amp at 4 ohms on each channel. So I need to swap the wiring for a mono and we're all set.

I completely forgot that they were attached to a two channel amp, when I was writing the post, and that they were wired to be 4 ohm on each channel, so I screwed it up in the OP and subsequently in my replies to you guys, so apologies.

It was bothering me so I decided to look at them again, and then the dots connected and I looked at the specs sheet again, and boom, there it was.

doson208

Back to your original question, will your alt handle the load? Yes and no.
I used to work at Premier Autosound in VA and we had a formula.
RMS x 1.5 = AP (average power). AP / 13.5 = Amperage draw (load).

So in your case assuming your output voltage stays are 13.5 peak load will be 148A, this only happens on hard bass notes with volume maxed. If you believe what most do and go off RMS you're looking at 74A which is within your alt. Our rule was RMS x 1.5 to make up for different music and listening habits.

Now you must take into account other loads on your alt i.e blower, fans, lights, etc. and the fact that at idle your 80A alt isn't producing 80A of power. It's just not possible. Now at cruising speed say 2-3000 rpm yea maybe your throwing out 70A ish. On top of that almost every alt is rated 20% over capacity.

So with the science done look at your options. A cap will bandaid the problem but its not a fix. I highly recommend a Big 3 upgrade, however with massive power draws and a stock alt it doesn't help as much as people think.

Best solution 130A alt, they're not that expensive. I'm running 130A alt with 2 batts in parallel in my trunk. Overall RMS I'm running about 1750w. I have no dimming lights no problems whatsoever.

Even still tho taking a long drive at high volumes isn't good. My dad boiled 4 batteries and caught his 400A alt on fire in his semi. Granted a semi pulls more power with accessories but regardless that alot of damn power.

MotoCARR

That's a good formula.....I think I'm going to steal it lol.