My friends say that if you install subs and an amp in your car, your alternator will die. Is that true?

Question

subs=subwoofers
amp=amplifier
If it will mess up my alternator, what can I do to prevent it from happening? Some say you need to change your alternator and get a new one before you install a stereo system. I have no idea what to do. I don't want to install a stereo system if it will mess up my car, but I want my car to have a lot of bass. Please give some great advice.

Answer 1

Do your friends tell u B.S. often? what everyone else has said is pretty much true. unless ur goin big time, ur alt will be okay. now go find thoes friends and punch them in their stomachs. damn liars.

Answer 2

Make sure if you're running a big amp, or multiple amps, get a capacitor.
This definition will be in its simplest form. You will see audio capacitors referred to as Stiffening Capacitors. A capacitor is a devise that stores electrical energy. Well, you say that’s what a battery does. Well yes it does, but the difference is the ability and speed that this electrical energy is able to be discharged.

Batteries are designed to store electrical energy for long periods of time. A battery also discharges slowly. A capacitor charges and discharges very rapidly. The reason behind this is due to the internal resistance of both devices. A battery has a high resistance that allows for long-term energy storage and a slow discharge. The capacitor has virtually no internal resistance, which allows for rapid charges and discharges.

An amplifier requires current as music signal passes through it. This creates transient signals in the amplifier. The problem occurs when many of these signal come in rapid succession in a short period of time. The time we are talking about are very small fractions of a second (milliseconds). If your electrical system is unable to react to this it causes a sagging effect in the audio output.

As the current goes up, so must the voltage. Since you can’t increase the voltage as the current requirement increases we get a decrease in voltage and this decrease in voltage causes a sagging power supply. Amplifiers work best at 14.5 volts and can easily overcome a factory installed alternator current output capacity. When the engine is turned off, the system requirements are supplied by the battery increasing the problem of supplying the transient requirements. You could add 10 or 20 more batteries and it wouldn’t help. Remember, as explained above batteries can’t supply energy quickly enough to supply the transient needs of the amplifier. Please note that these transients may be 100 amps. They occur so fast that your fuse will not be effected, remember this takes place in milliseconds.

By adding a large stiffening capacitor to your amplifier input power line you should be able to meet these transient requirements. Remember as explained above, a capacitor can store energy very fast and discharge energy very fast. This should solve the transient current requirement to the amplifier.

The voltage of the capacitor can only be the same as the alternator output or if the engine is off, to the level of the battery. So, as you can see a capacitor doesn’t maintain battery levels. If you are still having energy shortages to operate your system you may need to look into a high output alternator

Answer 3

Something to consider...this is an example...

To calculate the current draw of an amplifier, multiply the number of channels by the RMS watts per channel (a 2 channel amp rated at 2000 watts RMS per channel would be 4000 watts). Double it to account for amplifier inefficiency (4000 watts X 2 = 8000 watts), then divide by the average output voltage of an alternator, 13.8 volts (8000 divided by 13.8 = 579 amps). Since the average music signal requires about 1/3rd of the average power in a test tone, divide by 3 (579 amps divided by 3 = 193 amps).

This is an average approximation of current draw and can go higher. So I would gather between 194 and 289 amperes for this example.

The alternator of a:

compact car is about 35 amps
mid-sized car is about 65-75 amps
SUV is about 145 amps

Calculate 40% of the amperes of the alternator you have now. This is the average current the car uses when running. Add this number to the approximate average current draw of the amps, and you will come up with the actual size of alternator you need.

If the number you come up with is the same as what your alternator supplies, you need to take no action.

Answer 4

There are two things that a strong amplifier and sub may affect. One is the battery and the other is the alternator. High end car audio installers usually sell high power batteries that can handle the drain from a high power sound system. Along with that, you need to be able to be able to keep the battery charged to the level necessary to run the system.

If you have several hundred RMS watts in your system, you might want to have your alternator/battery tested when you have your audio system at a level you listen, and throw in the A/C, too. See if your system is able to keep the battery charged. You may need to upgrade either the battery or the alternator...or both.

Answer 5

no, but you have to make sure that your alternator can recharge the battery and run the amp at the same time. because if your alternator is not putting out enough amperage to charge the battery and is being over drawn by the amp therefor not properly charging the battery. this scenario will in fact damage/burn out your alternator.
Note: if you plan on adding a stereo system, upgrade your alternator. this is necessary to power an amp of at least 1000 watts which will give you plenty of bass. but again your alternator needs to put out enough amperage to recharge the battery plus compensate for the power your drawing from it. if you have a high powered system and it is drawing the power from the battery faster than your alternator can recharge it, your battery will die, plus ruin your alternator.

Answer 6

no, it all bullshit. Unless you are going to put in like 8, 1000watt amps, you should be fine. There is a way to power the amps from an other battery source, or there is like a power distributor/converter to solve this problem. But if you just want bass, a simple (name brand) 10' sub, with a (name brand) 300-600 watt amp will give you more bass than you need. And it will NOT kill your altenator.

Answer 7

You are gonna need a power cap not a new battery or alternator not if your car is running normal like you say it is after you take your amp battery gauge out. You need a POWER CAP nothing else. Hope this helps and you listen to my advice cause im trying to save you money here and not have to buy useless stuff like another battery or alternator.

Answer 8

Subs And Amp

Answer 9

you don't have to get a new one if you aren't going to have vary high power any thing over 300rms i would get a cap any thing over 500rms an alternator that can put out more power.1000+rms a second battery with all of the stuff listed(cap,alternator)
hope this helps

Answer 10

that is most certainly not definitley true. if you just have some subs and an amp and a decent 65 amp alternator youre fine

Answer 11

it all depends on the size of your equipment,the bigger the amps,more power is needed to run them. so if u want to install the big system,get a higher powered alt.