Connie

iTrader: (3)

I searched for places and types of external batteries but I only found some calle dred tops and yellow tops in the stock place. I was wondering if anybody had thier system wired to an external battery so as to not make my headlights flicker when I am bumpping, or would you just suggest a cap? I kinda wanted the extra power to my system personally, please post type of battery and place you would put it, thanks.

LudlamTheory

second battery would add more as a resistor and wouldnt really help as much.

if you want a crappy solution, try a cap, all its good for is dimming, you want a REAL solution, go buy a bigger alternator

EternalVTEC

iTrader: (3)

i just got a second battery installed, i have it wired through an isolator switch so the alternator isnt trying to charge 2 batteries at once, its mounted infront of the drivers tail light, id post pics but my computer wont let me.

WhiteRabbit

batteries and capacitors dont make power. ever. at all.

the only thing that makes power is an alternator. and that is the only solution *for a weak electrical system*

if you want extra power, the only way is an alternator.

if you want to bump wth the car off and still be able to start teh car long later, get a battery

if you want to try to fix dimming, a capacitor could help, also an extra battery might help too. a battery for sure should make them dim *less* as the ones you are talkign about, red and yellowtops generally operate at a higher voltage. less voltage drop, less dimming.

Mox

I have been looking at a extra battery setup as well but am not sure how to wire it up. My setup would mainly be for running lights while the car is off and possibly the system as well, but mainly lights(strobes, neons) Anyone know how to wire it up so that the alternator would charge it back up after it's used up.

CiViCrAcEr2003

I'm trying to figure out if it would be better for me to replace my stock battery with a optmia battery or if i should leave the stock battery where it's at and put the optima battery in the trunk?

WhiteRabbit

mox, you can get a 200 amp relay from any car part suppplier. you hook yrou relay into it and to the ignition, then rewire the entire stereo to the second battery.

now, when you turn teh car off, the relay clicks off, isolating the battery entirely from every other part of yrou car. its own system entirely which you run yoru stereo and lights off of.

then when you turn teh car on, the ignition fires the relay, and its hooked in parrallel to your stock battery, so the alternator runs teh entire car, 2 batteries, accessories, lights, steroe, everything.

mohawkboom

iTrader: (1)

Also a clarification.. Isolators do not stop 2 batteries from charging at once.. they prevent 2 batteries with different ESR's from discharging themselves. that's it..both still remain a constant draw on the alternator

Connie

iTrader: (3)

Thatnx everybody, now I am off to find a nice alternator and how much this is going to kill me price wise....

LudlamTheory

between 250 and 700, by the way, i wrote up a thread on every aftermarket alternator available a few months back, go find it.

EternalVTEC

iTrader: (3)

Lud, Mo, or WR, in your experience, what is the best H.O. alternator youve seen, and what is the best value, if different from the first answer, and where can i find info in it/them

thanks

WhiteRabbit

depends on yrou use.

to answer yoru question to the letter, ive never seen a HO alternator on a 7th gen civic.

to answer yoru question using theory, what is the best subwoofer youve ever seen? id max? w7? stroker? or are there different subwoofers for different functions?

so it is with alternators, too. there exist really inexpensive 200 amp alternators. perfect!

....... wait, whats the catch!

well, it DOES put out 200 amps, but maybe at like 3500 rpm..... no good for competition! but tahts PERFECT when you got a daily driver that you listen to at 70 mph on teh freeway at full volume!

but that 200 amp alternator might not put out 50 amps at idle, youd be DOWNGRADING for competition!

on the otherhand, that 120 amp alternator that might be a little more expensive then the last 200 amp alternator puts out 120 from 1000 rpm up! now THATS perfect for competition. but it only puts out 120 for freeway driving as well!

so first determine WHY you are buying a high output alternator, then determine how yrou gonna be using it.... THEN you can start searching for models

Mox

WhiteRabbit,
A few questions for you...You said that you hook the relay up to the starter, what elce do you hook it up to...directly to the other battery? I am not familiar with relays, do you need to run any other type of power wires from the original battery or will the flow through the relay cover it all. My second question is: You said that when the Ignition is turned on, the alternator is charging both batteries...correct? Won't that put alot of strain on the alternator?
Finally, I realy don't know a whole lot about electronics so If you could give me some more detail as to how to hook up the second battey, I would appriciate it. Like how exactly to hook up wires/gauge of wires to use and so on. Thanks alot buddy!!

LudlamTheory

go here, theres an explanation on adding batteries and the different methods, pro's, cons, etc.
http://www.eatel.net/~amptech/elecdisc/caraudio.htm

WhiteRabbit

yes hooking a second battery to yrou system is a larger strain on teh alternator.

so is adding a capacitor.

so is installing an amplifier.

so is installing AC (if you dont have it)

so is installing an electric fuel pump

so is installing neon lights... see where im going?


too hook up the relay, you have 4 posts on the relay. one is the switch, one is the coil that turns the switch on or off.

the two that turn teh switch on or off, you ground one, and hook the other to yrou acccessory line. you will know you did it right becuase there will be a massive click when you put the key in teh ignition.

the other posts (which should be considerably larger) you will hook one to the alternator, and the other to the positive feed of the battery itself.

fairly simple in concept.

alex053

iTrader: (9)

this is what hes talking about

http://www.lightningaudio.com/2003/p...tID.asp?id=304

WhiteRabbit

yup, thats exactly right. you can get generic ones at autozone