how can i hook up a system up in my car without killing the battary?

Question

ok so i have 2 kenwood 12' subs and a 1000 watt amp and every time i hook it up it kills the battary. so im not sure if i need a upgrade on my battery even though it is a new battary of do i need a new altonator? my friend suggested a battery cap. would that work?

Answer 1

well from your describtion it sounds like the altinator, but a power cap would help. I would double check your hook up and make sure everything is clean. and that their is nothing pulling or staying on when the car is off. and if that doesnt help then I would replace your altinator and that should fix your prob.. good luck.

Answer 2

If your system is drawing so much power that it prevents the battery from charging, then adding a capacitor WILL NOT help the situation. A capacitor will NEVER do any good in a system that's seriously underpowered by the charging system.

Please be more specific with what's happening: is the battery draining while the system is off, or is it failing to charge while you're driving?

If the battery isn't charging while the engine is running, then your problem is the alternator, not necessarily the battery (though you may need to change the battery too by now). Have your charging system checked to make sure it's working properly. If it checks out okay, then your alternator might not have the capacity to provide system power and keep the battery charged. In that case you'll need to buy a new alternator with more current capacity.

If the battery is draining while the car is off, then either the amp is defective or (more likely) the amp wasn't installed correctly.

Answer 3

If it's drawing power constantly, you have something wired wrong. I would suspect the remote wire is not hooked up correctly, and therefore is leaving you amp on all the time. If that is the case a battery won't last very long without the car running.

Make sure that the remote wire (usually the blue wire) is connected at the back of the radio (head unit) and to the remote hookup on the amp.

That should take care of it.

If not get a bigger alternator and maybe add an extra battery. But a 1000 watt amp should drain your battery at all even with a stock alternator. As long as it's all hooked up correctley.

Answer 4

I had a friend with that problem so i told him what im gonna tell you... sometimes high wattage cant be supported by a normal car battery, go out and get an optima yellow top battery that will be enough juice to power 2 cars with systems in both. only bad part is they are like $150 -$200 depends on where you go. hope this answers you problem man. alternator has nothing to do with it. battery cap just prevents unwanted interference with its attached components thats just plain dumb. get an optima yellow top.

Answer 5

before you spend money, try disconnecting your amp and use your car normally.

if your battery dies, it's probably your alternator (or something else and not your amp).

a battery cap won't help because it could only store power for few miliseconds during high power draws by the amps when playing loud and hard bass

i also have 1000 watt system but fortunately i havn't experienced any battery problem. no caps and just stock alternator

Answer 6

using a capacitor will help to alleviate some of the stress you are putting on your charging system. If the problem is that your battery isn't charging you probably need a new altenator. If replacing your battery go for a deep cycle marine battery, much better for high watt audio applications

Answer 7

A pheonix gold alternator is very reputible and yes a cap will help as well but be carefull with the cap they pack alot of current should only be installed by professional risk of electrocution.

Answer 8

hook it all up with the negetive terminal off the battery, then put the negetive back on, You might be grounding out the battery too, so look for broken fuses.

Answer 9

you could try hooking it up though your fuse panel, or hooking up a new panel to handle the added juice needed.