Ayone run 2 batteries in a C5??
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 2,437
Likes: 59
From: Bay Area (Danville) CA
Ayone run 2 batteries in a C5??
Has anyone done this?
I have a Red Top Optima that sucks for starting the car but I was wondering if It would be beneficial for my stereo?
I have one Zapco 1000 watt amp powering a 15" audiobahn sub and my lights go dim, and running the radio for more than 1 minute with the car off will completely drain my battery(regular and optima).
Would running the amp off the optima in conjustion with my regualr battery help me at all??
Thanks.
I have a Red Top Optima that sucks for starting the car but I was wondering if It would be beneficial for my stereo?
I have one Zapco 1000 watt amp powering a 15" audiobahn sub and my lights go dim, and running the radio for more than 1 minute with the car off will completely drain my battery(regular and optima).
Would running the amp off the optima in conjustion with my regualr battery help me at all??
Thanks.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 8,718
Likes: 20
From: Dyer IN
Cruise-In IX Veteran
something is wrong if playin ur stereo for a minute kills your batter. My sub amp its 1400+ wrms and my 4 chanel is 100X4 I have a generic autozone battery and have played my stereo for over 30 min more then once and played it hard and my car starts fine
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 2,437
Likes: 59
From: Bay Area (Danville) CA
Well i went to the link about the big 3 and the pics don't show up so I have no clue what it's in reference to.
I am running 4 gauge power wire and 4 gauge ground(off the bolt to the passenger seat).
I assume my ground is pretty good, i sanded the metal a little before I put the ground on it and it's only about 2 feet long.
I am running 4 gauge power wire and 4 gauge ground(off the bolt to the passenger seat).
I assume my ground is pretty good, i sanded the metal a little before I put the ground on it and it's only about 2 feet long.
Former Vendor
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 8,995
Likes: 2
From: Spring Texas
St. Jude Donor '08
i think it would be more effective to get a high output alternator. I dont' even know where you'd put a second battery. Even a second battery wouldn't do much to power a mammoth system for more than a few minutes. Then you have to worry about shortening the life of your battery.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 8,718
Likes: 20
From: Dyer IN
Cruise-In IX Veteran
big 3 basically is upgrading the factory underhood wiring by running either 4ga or 0ga from the battery positive to the alternator. and then doing the ground as well. Most go from the alternator mounting bolt to the frame to the battery or something along those lines. This helps with 95% of dimming, dont waste your money on a cap
Former Vendor
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 8,995
Likes: 2
From: Spring Texas
St. Jude Donor '08
Installing a cap to deal with dimming (a symptom of an inferior charging system) is like putting a band-aid on a broken leg.
The amperage needed in a new alternator depends on the needs of your system. Add up the total fuse ratings of all your amps and this will give you the peak output of your system.
From what i understand, a C5 will require between 60-80amps under normal driving conditions. Of the 2 types of alternators (the french 110 amp and the mexican 140 amp) neither model leaves very much left over for a high powered system.
Theoretically you could run a decent system on a mexican 140amp model (say around a 600-700Watt system) without many problems....so long as you don't max out the system.
My system however requires a great deal more ( ~60-100 amps) so i'm going with a H-O alternator. My problem has been finding a company that will build a model that bolts to the stock brackets. I found out the hard way that some companies will sell you a CS 144 (aka truck alternator) and try to pass it as a corvette part.
Vette H-O alternators are quite a bit more expensive because of the mounting design. The company i'm dealing with now has built several for C5 applications. They're charging me $475 and that's the best i could find.
The amperage needed in a new alternator depends on the needs of your system. Add up the total fuse ratings of all your amps and this will give you the peak output of your system.
From what i understand, a C5 will require between 60-80amps under normal driving conditions. Of the 2 types of alternators (the french 110 amp and the mexican 140 amp) neither model leaves very much left over for a high powered system.
Theoretically you could run a decent system on a mexican 140amp model (say around a 600-700Watt system) without many problems....so long as you don't max out the system.
My system however requires a great deal more ( ~60-100 amps) so i'm going with a H-O alternator. My problem has been finding a company that will build a model that bolts to the stock brackets. I found out the hard way that some companies will sell you a CS 144 (aka truck alternator) and try to pass it as a corvette part.
Vette H-O alternators are quite a bit more expensive because of the mounting design. The company i'm dealing with now has built several for C5 applications. They're charging me $475 and that's the best i could find.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 8,718
Likes: 20
From: Dyer IN
Cruise-In IX Veteran
With everyone talkin about HO alternators I dont think its necessary for 95% of people. A small amount of light dimming isnt hurting anything. Big 3 cures most theres problems like I said. On a car I did in the summer we put 2 JL amps in that combined at full tilt pull between 80-90 amps we did the big3 only a slight voltage fluctuation when ran hard with heavy bass with the lights on and the car idling, otherwise nothing.
Former Vendor
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 8,995
Likes: 2
From: Spring Texas
St. Jude Donor '08
this is true. most systems will do fine (especially on the 140 amp alternator) My little 110 just isn't going to cut it (especially with all the other electronic crap I usually run:
Stereo (80-100 amps)
foglights (additional 15 amps)
MSD ignition (to come another 20-30amps)
tesla coil (300,000 amps)
...you see where this is going....
Stereo (80-100 amps)
foglights (additional 15 amps)
MSD ignition (to come another 20-30amps)
tesla coil (300,000 amps)
...you see where this is going....
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,506
Likes: 5
From: Milpitas CA
this is true. most systems will do fine (especially on the 140 amp alternator) My little 110 just isn't going to cut it (especially with all the other electronic crap I usually run:
Stereo (80-100 amps)
foglights (additional 15 amps)
MSD ignition (to come another 20-30amps)
tesla coil (300,000 amps)
...you see where this is going....
Stereo (80-100 amps)
foglights (additional 15 amps)
MSD ignition (to come another 20-30amps)
tesla coil (300,000 amps)
...you see where this is going....
euro headlights highbeam(130Wx2@13v) = 20 amps
low beam with Piaa fogs(100Wx2 + 55Wx2@13v) = 24 amps
That's about a quarter of total stock output just to power the headlights. Headlights are a constant draw just like running the rest of the car. The battery is supposed to cover high transitional draws, but some people have found it may not meet the total onboard needs at full voltage. Hence, high output alternators, capacitors, and additional or high tech batteries.
What do you think?
Dog
Last edited by meldog21; Jan 30, 2007 at 07:34 AM.
Former Vendor
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 8,995
Likes: 2
From: Spring Texas
St. Jude Donor '08
Capacitors are designed to fill 3 functions:
a) provide instantanious power during short periods of high drain volumes (say a climactic bass hit) somthing of usually just a few seconds. (most batteries can't discharge large amounts of power as quickly as needed and your music suffers)
b) Maintain power levels throughout the previously discribed scenario. When your amps need instant power, the battery will often discharge late resulting in a voltage drop for the rest of your electronics. (this can be avoided by running a power system that can easily support your sound system
c) (i like this one) some claim that capacitors act as a filter for alternator noise. i have yet to hear one work in this fashion, but I haven't tried it either yet.
If you're battery is supplying many tensional draws, it will eventually fail. the amount and severity of tensional draws will be a major deciding factor in your batteries lifespan.
Do you have the 140 amp alternator?
a) provide instantanious power during short periods of high drain volumes (say a climactic bass hit) somthing of usually just a few seconds. (most batteries can't discharge large amounts of power as quickly as needed and your music suffers)
b) Maintain power levels throughout the previously discribed scenario. When your amps need instant power, the battery will often discharge late resulting in a voltage drop for the rest of your electronics. (this can be avoided by running a power system that can easily support your sound system
c) (i like this one) some claim that capacitors act as a filter for alternator noise. i have yet to hear one work in this fashion, but I haven't tried it either yet.
If you're battery is supplying many tensional draws, it will eventually fail. the amount and severity of tensional draws will be a major deciding factor in your batteries lifespan.
Do you have the 140 amp alternator?
Race Director
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 12,597
Likes: 237
From: Bartlett Illinois
After my vette going through its share of Alternators (CS-130) I went to a CS-144. IF I recall right, the CS-130 was a 100A or 110A, my CS-144 is 140A so I think I should be good for a while..
Now if they sell it as a C5 Corvette Alt, then they are in the wrong
Former Vendor
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 8,995
Likes: 2
From: Spring Texas
St. Jude Donor '08
yea, they tried to pass it off as a direct bolt-on replacement. The owner of "quick start alternators" told me the CS144 could be use in a C5 with special adapters, but given the cost of the adapter plates, i figured it would be better to just buy one that's the correct size.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 8,718
Likes: 20
From: Dyer IN
Cruise-In IX Veteran
yeah the pics have been gone for a long time. someone recently posted some pics though. Basically here is how I do them I run a lead from the positive on the alternator straight to positive on the battery, then from the bolt that mounts the alternator to the engine I run to a frame ground or straight to the battery. And then I run a frame ground to the battery.
Former Vendor
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 8,995
Likes: 2
From: Spring Texas
St. Jude Donor '08
here's the thread:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1608551
i'm probably going to go back and re-do the ground...I'm pondering drilling new holes for the grounds but that's still up in the air.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1608551
i'm probably going to go back and re-do the ground...I'm pondering drilling new holes for the grounds but that's still up in the air.