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Hey everyone, my 01' civic has a pretty nice system in it that I installed consisting of one JL AUdio 12w3v2 running of an Alpine M300 600Watt (300RMS) amplifier. In the front I have a JL Audio XR Component set running off a HiFonics ZX6000 2Ch 300W (150RMS) amplifier. In the rear I have my stock 6x9s for fill being run off my Alpine CDA-7893. This is basically my dream system, atleast what I can afford. Heres my question. Usually when im haning out with friends at my fraternity house or im at home detailing my car, I use my battery to power my amplifiers. Before I could usually go around 15 minutes or so before I turned on my car to be safe and charge my battery up. Yesterday when I got back and I was working on my car, the battery only lasted 5 minutes before the battery went dead. I think it may be going bad or something. If I get a yellow top battery, will I be able to run my stereo off the battery alot longer? Are these yellow tops really reliable and worth the money? Thanks.

 
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if u are using only 1 battery then u want to use a red top cuz they are better for starting.

EDIT: U can get away with a yellow top since u are in texas and u have no cold winter starts.

 
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i'd still say go with a red top, has more cold cranking amps than the yellow. and being as it sounds this will be a primary battery, it'll be better for you, plus its generally a tad cheaper than the yellow top. i wouldn't run the radio without the car started till it dies though, its bad for the battery.

 
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thats where a yellow top comes into play.

what you really want is a new stock starting battery, which you can get for dirt at walmart or sears or wherever, and get a yellow top or an equivalent sealed deep cycle to put in the trunk.

what this allows you to do is to always be able to start your car with NO problems, then turn off your car and play the radio for as long as you want without risking any damage to the battery in the trunk.

 
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Ludlam, care to explain battery isolators?

 
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isolators are dangerous, i always used relays

 
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isolators are not dangerous but there is a 0.7 volt drop accross them because they are large diodes allowing current to flow in only one direction. i would go with a solenoid that is a big relay. no voltage drop and does the same thing. it is closed when the key is off so that the rear battery is not connected to your starting battery. this allows for safe key off play and you can still start your car.

http://www.sounddomain.com/shop/item.pl?sku=LITS200

 
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lol. Should have just called you Alex.

 
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people have no respect for me around here..lol

 
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i said to use a relay

 
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yes you did ....i just wanted to explain the voltage drop and the benefits of using the relay

 
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i call them both isolators because they isolate the battery.

im still curious as to why you say theyre dangerous