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I have an amp that draws 150 Amps, and a 110 Amp alternator. What do I need?

Discussion in 'Audio & Video' started by ZMan2k2, Oct 12, 2013.

  1. Oct 12, 2013 at 11:00 AM
    #1
    ZMan2k2

    ZMan2k2 [OP] “Hold my beer and watch this!”

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    I've done the big three with 1/0 guage wire, I have an Optima RedTop battery with 750 CCA, and I still get timeswhrer the audio cuts out. By that, I mean everything shuts off and then restarts. All connections are solid, ground is good, sanded to bare metal. What am I needing to get over this and enjoy my music without having it cut out? I should mention this happens only when idleing at a red light or the like. In normal driving things seem to be okay.
     
  2. Oct 12, 2013 at 11:02 AM
    #2
    El Tano

    El Tano i am the one who knocks

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    40 more amps :p.
     
  3. Oct 12, 2013 at 11:03 AM
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    Justus

    Justus fucks not given

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    Capacitor ?
     
  4. Oct 12, 2013 at 1:43 PM
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    Riverdog

    Riverdog Well-Known Member

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    Just to rule some things out, here's a barrage of questions.

    Does your head unit restart as well?
    Does your amp go into protect mode?
    Does anything else in your truck non-audio related restart (AC/heater, headlights, etc.)?
    Have any fuses ever been blown by this cutting out/restarting?
    Approximately how long is the ground wire going from the amp to the ground location?
    Does this happen at various volume levels? Or only within a certain volume range?

    If everything is restarting on its own, I'm inclined to think there's a loose connection or a "kind of bad" ground somewhere. I've seen systems where someone has grounded to bare sheet metal (like the back wall of a Tacoma) and it ends up not being good enough for some reason. Then they move it to another bare metal spot and it works. But it is a bit odd, if its a loose connection or poor ground, that it would only do it while idling.
     
  5. Oct 12, 2013 at 1:54 PM
    #5
    ZMan2k2

    ZMan2k2 [OP] “Hold my beer and watch this!”

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    Answers in red.
     
  6. Oct 12, 2013 at 2:30 PM
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    Riverdog

    Riverdog Well-Known Member

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    If you're getting a reading of 11 volts at idle then its time to get a new battery. Your battery should be up around 13 or 14 volts. If its a new battery, or too new to already need replacing, then you might think about upgrading the alternator again.

    This may be nothing new to you but...
    Even though your amplifier draws 150 amps, it doesn't draw that all the time. It draws 150 amps with the volume is all the way up, so its "okay" that your alternator is only 110 volts. But here's where you might run into a problem with that amp-alternation combination. If you're really pushing your sound system and drawing around 60 to 70 amps, that leaves 40 to 50 amps for everything else in your car. That 40 to 50 amps may or may not be enough to adequately power everything without wearing out the alternator quicker than normal. If you're regularly drawing near the max of your alternator, your alternator will wear out quicker along with your battery. In addition, if your battery isn't putting out enough power, that puts even more strain on your alternator.

    The only thing I can't explain is why it would only do it while idling. Hopefully someone else with more knowledge than me will chime in and help out. It could be a loose connection I suppose, but it sounds like you need to replace your battery replaced anyway.
     
    Last edited: Oct 12, 2013
  7. Oct 12, 2013 at 2:56 PM
    #7
    NorCalTRD

    NorCalTRD Well-Known Member

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    You can do the big three upgrade from what Ive heard.
    Mainly a high output alternator and really good grounds would be a good idea.
     
  8. Oct 12, 2013 at 3:02 PM
    #8
    wrmathis

    wrmathis Dark Lord of the Sith

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    i have a hard time believing your amplifier is drawing 150 amps. most typical car amplifiers only draw around 15-50 amps. think about the fuses u have on your amp. are they rated for over 150 amps? i doubt it
     
    Last edited: Oct 12, 2013
  9. Oct 12, 2013 at 4:41 PM
    #9
    ZMan2k2

    ZMan2k2 [OP] “Hold my beer and watch this!”

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    There are no fuses on the amp. In the owners' manual, it specifies 150A fuse 12-18 inches from the battery. I have mine at 12 inches. I can take a pic of the specs page if you want. But that's what it reads.
     
  10. Oct 12, 2013 at 4:46 PM
    #10
    KodiakToyTRD

    KodiakToyTRD Well-Known Member

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    Almost every amp that I've encountered or installed has fuse on the amp itself.
     
  11. Oct 12, 2013 at 4:47 PM
    #11
    KodiakToyTRD

    KodiakToyTRD Well-Known Member

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    What kind of amp do you have?
     
  12. Oct 12, 2013 at 4:56 PM
    #12
    SordidSlayer

    SordidSlayer Member

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    Defintly sounds like a loose connection somewhere, most like the other gents said a loose ground, but you may be getting a short. Check your wires and see if they get warm after a trip. Also +1 about getting a capacitor, that will prolong and save your battery and alternator from voltage spikes when at high volumes.
     
  13. Oct 12, 2013 at 5:21 PM
    #13
    ZMan2k2

    ZMan2k2 [OP] “Hold my beer and watch this!”

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    Almost. This one doesn't. It specifies in the owners' manual that you have a 150A fuse 12-18" from the battery. I have mine 12" from the battery

    It's a Sundown Audio SAZ-1500D monoblock 1500w amp. I'm running it at 1-ohm with two dual 4ohm VC Sundown Audio SD-2 10" subs. This particular amp was recommended by the guys at Sundown audio, and when the power is up in the vehicle, the bass really hits.
     
  14. Oct 12, 2013 at 5:26 PM
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    Large Red

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    Your amp won't pull 150 amps, but if you don't have a tow package I would upgrade to an alternator from a TRD model.
     
  15. Oct 12, 2013 at 5:29 PM
    #15
    ZMan2k2

    ZMan2k2 [OP] “Hold my beer and watch this!”

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  16. Oct 12, 2013 at 5:32 PM
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    KodiakToyTRD

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    Yea every audio install is supposed to have a fuse 12 to 18 in from the battery, and on the amp itself there is a fuse.

    Maybe you should go with 0-4 gauge power wire along with bare metal grounds and connections.

    I would venture to say that if your system is shutting down fully and restarting, its not your amperage or anything cuz your fuse would be blowing at the battery if the system was drawing too much.
     
  17. Oct 12, 2013 at 5:34 PM
    #17
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    Large Red

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    I'm not sure about DC circuits but I would go ahead and use at least a #2, 150A is a lot but I still don't think the amp will ever pull 150A...
     
  18. Oct 13, 2013 at 7:01 AM
    #18
    ZMan2k2

    ZMan2k2 [OP] “Hold my beer and watch this!”

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    I've already run it with 1/0 cable. Ive checked my wiring for possible shorts, and it all looks fine. The battery voltage without the truck running is 12.4 volts and ive replaced the factory connectors with beefier ones. Like I said earlier, when at idle, ive seen the voltage go to 11 volts before, and the whole system shuts down. When it reboots, the volume is set lower by the deck automatically, and there are no blown fuses. Im thinking a larger alternator, like 250amps would solve the issue, but im wondering what others think.
     
  19. Oct 13, 2013 at 8:37 AM
    #19
    SordidSlayer

    SordidSlayer Member

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    After looking around some versions of that amp have fuses and some don't, looks like different versions. The one i keep seeing has 4x40amp fuses. Thats at peak 160 amps which makes sense that they told you to instal the 150amp fuse. The trucks amp/battery setup is designed to run the truck +10% for efficiency or so when they get older. The amp you have is not correctly being powered and can cause damage with under powering it. I would be more concerned about the power that the truck needs, when you drop voltage like that your your effecting the spark going to each cylinder for example. You best thing to do would be to defiantly upgrade the alternator, step one. Second the capacitor would be a great addition but adding a second battery would be more advisable with the amps that you draw. When you have a second battery your not going to deprive the power from the vehicle, also your audio will be more efficient and sound much better with adequate power.
     
  20. Oct 14, 2013 at 5:51 PM
    #20
    FLTrucks

    FLTrucks Well-Known Member

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    How old is the battery?
    What size alt? Is it factory?
    What kinda deck?
    What type of Amp wire kit?
    Who did the install?
     

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