Got my system in :D
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 51,077
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From: B.C., Canada
Rep Power: 786 
Got my system in :D
I just thought I'd let y'all know that I got my system in today and it SLAMS! I had it on very low power from my amp and it hurt to listen to. I have barely even scratched the surface yet in terms of waht I will be doing with this system, right now I am using stock alternator wiring, stock alternator and stock battery. Alternator isn't gonna be for a while, but I can't wait to hear the difference once I get a battery and upgraded wiring installed.
BTW, I am running a Rockford 1001BD on 2 Phoenix Gold Ti 10's.
Pics will be up soon
BTW, I am running a Rockford 1001BD on 2 Phoenix Gold Ti 10's.
Pics will be up soon
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 51,077
Likes: 4
From: B.C., Canada
Rep Power: 786 Yeah but I want 4 awg from my alternator to eliminate the bottleneck.
The upgraded wiring IS necessary, ask any expert or professional and they will back me up on this.
And mystic, not that I would necessarily hear a distinct difference by upgrading my wires, but the power getting to the amplifier would be cleaner and more plentiful.
The upgraded wiring IS necessary, ask any expert or professional and they will back me up on this.
And mystic, not that I would necessarily hear a distinct difference by upgrading my wires, but the power getting to the amplifier would be cleaner and more plentiful.
Yup, i'm an A$$hole.
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 4,277
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From: Florida
Rep Power: 328 We have plenty of experts on here that are most likely going to tell you the same thing Havok and I just did. You have an amp that puts out 1000 watts at it's best, and will probably put out around 600 most of the time. Amperage draw is also not a big enough load to stress the electricals. People are running 2k+ watts with STOCK electrical systems. Don't listen to what a shop tells you, of course they will say to upgrade your wiring, because it brings them money if you buy from them.
I didnt say you wouldnt hear a distinct difference, I said you wouldnt hear ANY, and you wont. Unless you plan on doing some major stereo additions later down the road, you would be perfectly fine leaving your wiring as is. Ask any expert or professional, and they will back me up on this.
I didnt say you wouldnt hear a distinct difference, I said you wouldnt hear ANY, and you wont. Unless you plan on doing some major stereo additions later down the road, you would be perfectly fine leaving your wiring as is. Ask any expert or professional, and they will back me up on this.
Yup, i'm an A$$hole.
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 4,277
Likes: 0
From: Florida
Rep Power: 328 The theory behind it would make sense if the amp was constantly drawing it's 80 amp max or whatever that thing draws, and putting out 1000 watts, however no amplifier will ever do that unless you are in SPL competition burping one note for x amount of seconds, and even then it may not. I have 1500 watts with nothing but a deep cycle starting battery and I dont have any problems.
Not to mention, 4 guage wire is all that amp needs...upgrading wont do anything. The 8 guage lines coming from the alternator wont be creating a bottle neck going into the battery.
Not to mention, 4 guage wire is all that amp needs...upgrading wont do anything. The 8 guage lines coming from the alternator wont be creating a bottle neck going into the battery.
Yup, i'm an A$$hole.
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 4,277
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From: Florida
Rep Power: 328 Oh absolutely, i'm not saying it's a bad thing to do, it won't hurt anything (unless you do it wrong) but it's totally not needed unless you are doing major upgrades to your system down the road.
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 51,077
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From: B.C., Canada
Rep Power: 786 Well my theory is this
I have a single 8awg wire from my alt to my battery from the factory.
I appear to have an 8 awg wire going from my battery to the fuse box, right? Now that creates a "straight line" (for lack of better terminology) of power.
Now I throw this extra 4 awg in that will create some heavy amperage draw. This poor 8awg on my alternator now has to supply juice to the 8 awg and the 4 awg, creating the bottleneck.
Make sense? Intrigue me with your reply
Not that I am doubting you, I just want to pick your brain enough that I begin to accept your theories, but don't worry I am getting there.
I have a single 8awg wire from my alt to my battery from the factory.
I appear to have an 8 awg wire going from my battery to the fuse box, right? Now that creates a "straight line" (for lack of better terminology) of power.
Now I throw this extra 4 awg in that will create some heavy amperage draw. This poor 8awg on my alternator now has to supply juice to the 8 awg and the 4 awg, creating the bottleneck.
Make sense? Intrigue me with your reply
Not that I am doubting you, I just want to pick your brain enough that I begin to accept your theories, but don't worry I am getting there.
Yup, i'm an A$$hole.
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 4,277
Likes: 0
From: Florida
Rep Power: 328 OK,
According to rockford, the typical current draw on your amplifier is 50 amps with music. This is the number we are paying attention to, as it will be the most your going to pull, and that is not a continuous pull. Average is going to be about half that...around 20/25/30 amps.
Now, an 8 AWG wire can carry 50 amps of current up to 50 feet without starting to warm the insulation, depending on insulation materials, they wont heat up untill it carries 70, 75, or 100 amps.
At max output your alternator will crank 75 amps. So, that 8 AWG wire under your hood is sufficient, because the alternator isnt always at 75 amps.
Also, your battery is what supplies the power to your stereo, think of the battery as a lake, your alternator as a rain cloud, and your amp as a stream feeding from the lake. Your stream is taking water from the lake anywhere from 20-50 amps at a time, but the rain cloud at the other end of the lake is supplying water at 50-75 amps at a time...that means you arent going to drain the lake anytime soon, and even if you spike your amp to pull its max of 75 amps (which is rated with pink noise, something I doubt you will ever play in your car), that will only be for a milisecond or so, which will not drain your lake.
So, you really don't have a bottleneck because the 8 AWG is capable of sending the maximum power out of your alternator to the battery.
Make sense now?
According to rockford, the typical current draw on your amplifier is 50 amps with music. This is the number we are paying attention to, as it will be the most your going to pull, and that is not a continuous pull. Average is going to be about half that...around 20/25/30 amps.
Now, an 8 AWG wire can carry 50 amps of current up to 50 feet without starting to warm the insulation, depending on insulation materials, they wont heat up untill it carries 70, 75, or 100 amps.
At max output your alternator will crank 75 amps. So, that 8 AWG wire under your hood is sufficient, because the alternator isnt always at 75 amps.
Also, your battery is what supplies the power to your stereo, think of the battery as a lake, your alternator as a rain cloud, and your amp as a stream feeding from the lake. Your stream is taking water from the lake anywhere from 20-50 amps at a time, but the rain cloud at the other end of the lake is supplying water at 50-75 amps at a time...that means you arent going to drain the lake anytime soon, and even if you spike your amp to pull its max of 75 amps (which is rated with pink noise, something I doubt you will ever play in your car), that will only be for a milisecond or so, which will not drain your lake.
So, you really don't have a bottleneck because the 8 AWG is capable of sending the maximum power out of your alternator to the battery.
Make sense now?
Last edited by Mystic3030; May 4, 2004 at 09:33 AM.
Yup, i'm an A$$hole.
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 4,277
Likes: 0
From: Florida
Rep Power: 328 lol, the knowledge/theory is stuff that i've learned from others, or learned by research, however, I did write it myself instead of copy/pasting from some random source. 
Last edited by Mystic3030; May 4, 2004 at 09:53 PM.
Yup, i'm an A$$hole.
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 4,277
Likes: 0
From: Florida
Rep Power: 328 Yeah, it's easy enough to find wire amperage ability, it's in books, on the internet, etc. Then you just learn how the electrical system works and how your amp uses power.
And no, I did not go to MIT...i'm a chef.
And no, I did not go to MIT...i'm a chef.
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