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jtmccann81

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Joined
Jul 4, 2005
Messages
30
Location
alabama
Does anyone know if our stock charging system can handle 2 batteries? I am looking to add a second battery for the new audio system going into my car. I am looking to accomidate the larger power draw that running the lights headlights and fogs, The stereo and 2 high powered amps will be needing. Can someone please help me?
 
im running 2 jl amps, im not saying they are high power but i have an original battery and alternator and my lights dont even dim, not even a little. im running a 250/1-300/4 and a 10w7. i dont see it being a big problem as long as you run an isolation relay, (at least 200 amp) i put 2 stinger 1700's in the back of one of my other cars in adition to the factory 650 cca. just gotta have that relay. unless you plan to compete with it, in that case run it strait through and disconect the back batterys when not competing. good luck
 
Some people downplay capacitors, some swear by them, I just know that when I had my cheap 5 farad MAAudio cap, my lights did not dim as much when the bass hit, compared to having it not installed, my lights would dim harshly. Just throwing the cap idea out there if you dont want the pain of extra wiring.
 
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I want to add 2 amps to the car one for the regular speakers and then one for the (2x 500w) subs I have. my lights dim when the heat is on or ac is on and the radio is on I want to keep my lights bright as possible I have a set of fogs, and 4 silver star headlights the brightest ones that will fit our car. I do a lot of night diving.

I have no problem with wiring up a second battery into the system or putting in anything extra if it will help the systems run well.
 
I wonder how you would tie the 2nd Battery in? I thought that the battery is only used for starting the vehicle, after that load is on the alternator, maybe im wrong and battery helps isolate the current in a way, and if you have 2 of em well, HELLO JUICY! Im not sure, Ive always wondered about this fact/fiction anyway? I think that to maintain good voltage, that it would have to be tied in to the Amplifier? But Im probly wrong. Im just another stray cattle prodding the field so I do like everyone else and do the cap thing. But, I think those Pro's do the 2nd battery thing? hell 3rd battery 4th battery....you could do like 2 lil batteries instead of one big one too! or somethin'
 
I am planning to add a 5 farad stiffining cap for the audio amps but the lights still dim when the radio hits the bass I am looking to add to the availible power to run the lights and the radio equipment and still have enough power left over for more auxilery gear.
 
i use a single battery by kinetic .it runs 2 amps,air ride and i get no light dim at all. but they are pricy but well worth the cost!
 
yeah, there should be no real reason to need a second battery. upgrade your wiring and go from there.

batteries essentially act like big caps (or do caps act like little batteries?). they store energy until it's needed, then release when the alt cannot keep up.
 
The number one reason to add additional batteries is to increase the amount of time you can listen to your system with the engine off.

The number 2 (and far behind number 1 in terms of relevance) reason is to provide additional power if the demand of all electrical equipment in the car causes the the voltage to drop to about 12.6 volts from the normal 14.4 (values approximate... ymmv). At that point the batteries stop being a load on the alternator as they charge and begin to discharge themselves to meet the demand. They are not particularly efficient at this compared to a good-sized capacitor with a low internal resistance, but they will work.

Essentially, if you are not interested in engine off listening time and you will not be drawing well in excess of 250 amps to do an spl burp on a regular basis, I see no need for the additional battery.
 
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