I'm going thru the process of building the system for my tl and got to the point of caps. My question is, is it more efficent to run two batteries or just one 2 or 3 farad cap? Thanks in advance.

 

You don't need farad caps. You don't even really need another batt. What would do you the most good is to beef up your Alternator.

 

i would say screw the cap and put a second battery in and upgrade your alternator in order to charge two batteries

 

just upgrade the alt. and a deep cycle battery wouldn't hurt either

 

The answer to the question depends on several things. As for which is more efficient a cap is a negligable load. So a cap would be more "efficient", a second battery is a significant load on the alternator. Adding a second battery reduces the available output of your alternator. But I know that is not what you are trying to ask. You want to know the best setup for your car. No one can answer that without knowing the system you have in your car, your present alternators capabilities, your wiring, an what exactly your trying to do.

If you are trying to eliminate your lights from flicker as you drive down the street. A properly sized cap might help with that. If your into SPL and don't care about your lights invest in as many batteries as you can stuff in your car nothing beats the storage capacity of batteries no matter how large the alternator.

Really depends on what your doing.

 

this man just jizzed on all of our answers...but well put.

 

I just want a nice size system with enough power to make everything run properly. I already have a red top deep cycle. I was planning on getting two soundstream trantula amps for my bass and highs. Where can i find a altenator that puts out more output then my stock one?

 

Would be easier for me to just do the big 3 up front, have the two redtops and still run a 2 farad cap?

 

how many watts do you plan on running..do you run your system close o peak all the time?

 

Well the bass amp is rated at 2000watts max rms so I guessing half that. I don't run at the peak a lot but when I do, I don't want any lit dimming and I want to get the most out of my system.

 

what size power wire are you gonna be running from your power source to the amp? it shouldn't be under 1/0 gauge with the watts you would be carrying. and you should be fine with a deep cycle battery and factory alt.

 

I was going to run 0 guage from the front battery to the rear battery and 4 guage from the rear battery to the amps. I should be fine with the two deep cycles and the and the stock alt?

 

With that much wattage I would do all 3, upgrade the alt.... http://www.ohiogen.com/ add the 2nd batt. that is isolated from the main batt.... http://redarc.com.au/news/.....-reda...ttery-isolator add a 1-2 farad cap to each amp.

1/0 is probably overkill but it can't hurt, a short run of 4ga, [8' or less] from batt. to amp will work just fine, use ANL fuses, 350A on the 1/0ga and 150A on the 4ga.

Ground both amps to the same point, [not at the batt.] run a 1/0ga ground from the second batt. to chassis, add a 1/0ga ground from the main batt. to chassis.

You should have no problems of any kind. 94

 

FCM i was waiting for you to chime in. Thanks so much. Thanks everyone for your help guys.

 

Can you explain the isolating of the second battery a little more please.

 

The isolator will prevent the amps from drawing power from the main batt. when ign. switch is off, that way no matter how long you play the system without the engine running you will still be able to start the car. 94

 

Alright, but would the amps remain on after the radio turns off or would the turn off with the amps since the remote wire would be off? Thanks again.

 

I also notice that there are different amperages with isolators, 80amps to as high as 500amps. Is bigger always better when it comes to isolators?

 

nah man. when the radio is on the amps will be on. and vice versa.

 

What kind of system do you have?

 

what amps are you using?

h/o alt's are overkill imo

I'm still using the stock 120amp alt in my tl on close to 4k and i get no dimming. I do have 2 batts, though.

 

I've had two batteries in my 98 accord 4cyl for years, nearly 8 and still have the factory alternator, at 193k. If you don't plan on a huge amount of power or a lot of key off listening you'll be fine with an upgraded battery, maybe two. Most batteries are killed when they are discharged and aren't properly recharged.

 

cough cough bs cough cough. There is no way in hell you have 4k watts or close to it on a 120 amp alternator. It would take atleast 277 amps to provide the amps with enough current to produce there output of 4k. Your sound sytem does not beat ohms law. What you have is a big amp playing at half power.

Op, fcm and nsxxtreme have given you sound advice, please list everything you plan on using. The soundstream amps that your talking about are power hungry. I know. I am a soundstreme dealer.

A well planed system will out play and out sub a car with big amps and big subs that do not match the cars electrical system.

 

Alright. I plan on using Soundstream Tx1.2000d for the bass amp, Soundstream Tx4.560 for my highs, MB Quarts 6.5 components front and rear speakers, Dual optima yellow tops, ohio gen 200 amp altenator. When i spoke to the guy from ohio gen. he said i would be fine running the dual batteries, doing the big 3, and the h/o altenator with no caps or isolators. Sounds good coming from a professional, what are your guys thoughts? Also im fond of kickers subs, is running kicker solobaric sl'7s better then alpine type-r or type-x's or are is there better out there.

 

There is way better subs out than kicker and for the same price. I would look into Fi audio, SSA, and DC sound labs to name a few.