High Output Alternator

n_o_s_21 · Post by **n_o_s_21** » February 3rd, 2005, 9:03 pm

A 1.0farad or 1.5farad stiffening capacitor would be the way to go, it is like a super fast charging battery, that will keep your alternator running cool. They range in price from below $100(like the legacy one I have) to upwards of $500. it is a good idea to have a cap that can handle the load, so if you are running a 1000w max system, you should have at least a .75 farad cap. Like I said before. This is the best & cheapest way to go

Will

92GS_STL_MO · Post by **92GS_STL_MO** » February 3rd, 2005, 11:33 pm

and if one capacitor isn't enough to handle the load (or you upgrade parts add on) you can bridge capacitor together to make a "capacitor bank" to handle the larger loads. You should also watch out with just gettin an HO alternator and replacing your stock one with it. I had a friend who learned the hardway about incorrect voltage levels and the dangers involved (Burned out the ecu and some other components, in the wiring of his firebird) Not to mention be sure you are careful with capacitors the can give you a mild bite, to a fatal shock if improperly handled, but are perfectly safe if installed properly (not hard basic dc electrical knowledge)

MX-SLICK · Post by **MX-SLICK** » February 4th, 2005, 12:58 am

Is it hard to find theese altenators? Because i plan to install my system in my mx3 this weekend, however my amp is an ORION 2500D (YES, thats 2500 watts RMS @ 1 ohm) so it sucks ALOT of power...too much for the stock alt to handle considering it has 150A fuse in the amp! To top it off i am running an orion 4 channel for the speakers. My subs are 2 alpine type X 12's in a vented box, but i need a new box to fit in my mx3. When i had this system in my geo storm, (which has a 160A denso altenator) it could make your ears bleed! but at the same time stunning sound quality at low volumes. I hope to get the mx3 poundin hard soon. But with such a high current system it makes it hard.

Nd4SpdSe · Post by **Nd4SpdSe** » February 4th, 2005, 7:40 pm

An easy upgrade is to get a 110a millenia alternator, that may not be as high as what your probably looking for.

Caps actually put more of a load on the alternator since it's another devices that requires power. A cap is more of a power conditioner than a battery, storing a charge for when there's an instant demand of high-draw power, releaving the battery/alternator from experiencing this insta-draw, so your light's won't flicker, but you need to recharge the cap somehow, and that's from the alternator. So essetially, your lights won't flicker on a, ie: bass-hit, since the cap is releasing that energy, but the alternator still needs to put out power to recharge it, it just get's to do it slower since it just doesn't have the same demand in how fast it needs the power, but it still needs to recharge, and what went out needs to do back in.

MX-SLICK · Post by **MX-SLICK** » February 5th, 2005, 1:09 am

yep, caps are only good when your altenator can keep up with your current system, (makes the power to the amp more consistant so you get tighter bass) But if you dont have enough power a cap is not a miracle device to give you more power. Many guys i used to install for would wonder why they fried their altenators after addingd a second battery or a cap. Because they dont make power, they store it. Altenators MAKE power, so that is the only upgrade worth sinking your $ into.

93SOHC · Post by **93SOHC** » February 5th, 2005, 1:56 am

I guess I will stop posting in this section as it seems I don't know that im talking about. I have used the same cap in 4 cars over the past 2 years and never had alternator problem. I guess speaking from expierence is nothing if you dont have knowledge. I 'd rather not confuse anyone. I have been doing installs for 7 years, but I guess I don't know what I thought I did.

MX-SLICK · Post by **MX-SLICK** » February 5th, 2005, 12:51 pm

Thats because you have one of those "1400 watt" boss amps. Whats the fuse rating on that amp?

n_o_s_21 · Post by **n_o_s_21** » February 5th, 2005, 1:07 pm

I guess I will stop posting in this section as it seems I don't know that im talking about. I have used the same cap in 4 cars over the past 2 years and never had alternator problem. I guess speaking from expierence is nothing if you dont have knowledge. I 'd rather not confuse anyone. I have been doing installs for 7 years, but I guess I don't know what I thought I did.

ditto 4 me

93SOHC · Post by **93SOHC** » February 5th, 2005, 5:06 pm

not sure what my fuse rating is, all I know is that it pushes my power acoustic FUBR-12 extremely well with no distortion. I am done here

jbruynson · Post by **jbruynson** » February 7th, 2005, 1:01 am

does anyone know where you can get ho alts for mx-3s?

n_o_s_21 · Post by **n_o_s_21** » February 7th, 2005, 1:30 am

L

k for one at a parts store, wrecker, ebay, anywhere. heres an idea.....TRY THE BUY AND SELL SECTION!!!!!!!. don't take my advice though. I don't know anything apparantly

jbruynson · Post by **jbruynson** » February 9th, 2005, 2:39 am

don't be an a--hole, theres many sites with ho alts, but i haven't really found what im looking for.

you obviously don't know that much like you say, a cap isn't gonna help you if your alt can't keep up, its not a bandaid solution

MX-SLICK · Post by **MX-SLICK** » February 9th, 2005, 8:19 pm

Well, the only 1400 watt amp boss sells is the boss riot, which retails locally for 100 bucks. It says "250 watts x2 rms" and conviniantly does not include the rated distortion levels. (im guessing high distortion, considering you really dont hear distortion in bass, until it melts your subs) Im not saying your wrong, its just that you dont have enough power to really experience true charging system overdraw. It gets pretty ugly when you trying to suck 120 amps + out of a 90 amp altenator. Yes, a cap will help, for about 10 seconds. Then it too gets overdrawn, considering the charging rate to it is not high enough (like mentioned, what goes out must go back in) So you end up with a cap not fully charged, a battery starting to get low, and an altenator burning up trying to not only charge the battery, but its also trying to keep up to the cap and the amplifer. So your music is still cranked but you gave less and less power making it to your amps, and the amp looses headroom, and begins to clip (distort) , many cases you keep listening and dont even know it. The amps get so distorted, that they fry the subs. This can also happen if you are using too small of an amp to power big subs (they distort) A cap will help YOU, considering you are not overdrawing the system, so your amp will always have full power and the cap will always be charged. But with any kins of real power (class D monoblocks) Caps become your enemy. By the way, i have been a certified mobil installer working for 5 years now, been into stereo systems most of my life. I have seen every circimstance of people trying to get miracle power from caps, batteries and trying their hardest not to upgrade the altenators. If your fuse rating it greater then the altenators output, you need a bigger altenator. If you just heave a headlight dimming problem, a cap can help you out.

93SOHC · Post by **93SOHC** » February 10th, 2005, 3:26 am

MX-SLICK wrote:Well, the only 1400 watt amp boss sells is the boss riot, which retails locally for 100 bucks. It says "250 watts x2 rms" and conviniantly does not include the rated distortion levels. (im guessing high distortion, considering you really dont hear distortion in bass, until it melts your subs) Im not saying your wrong, its just that you dont have enough power to really experience true charging system overdraw. It gets pretty ugly when you trying to suck 120 amps + out of a 90 amp altenator. Yes, a cap will help, for about 10 seconds. Then it too gets overdrawn, considering the charging rate to it is not high enough (like mentioned, what goes out must go back in) So you end up with a cap not fully charged, a battery starting to get low, and an altenator burning up trying to not only charge the battery, but its also trying to keep up to the cap and the amplifer. So your music is still cranked but you gave less and less power making it to your amps, and the amp looses headroom, and begins to clip (distort) , many cases you keep listening and dont even know it. The amps get so distorted, that they fry the subs. This can also happen if you are using too small of an amp to power big subs (they distort) A cap will help YOU, considering you are not overdrawing the system, so your amp will always have full power and the cap will always be charged. But with any kins of real power (class D monoblocks) Caps become your enemy. By the way, i have been a certified mobil installer working for 5 years now, been into stereo systems most of my life. I have seen every circimstance of people trying to get miracle power from caps, batteries and trying their hardest not to upgrade the altenators. If your fuse rating it greater then the altenators output, you need a bigger altenator. If you just heave a headlight dimming problem, a cap can help you out.

If Yer callin me a liar, I can post a pic of my amp or email it to you if ya like. FYI the amp is a few years old and was bought at a Pawn shop for 260 bucks...again I can send pics if ya like. As far as caps go, I guess the guys at the audio shop lied to me.

MX-SLICK · Post by **MX-SLICK** » February 10th, 2005, 3:19 pm

The amp is a bassmaker, not a spl amp. Not saying its a bad amp (i own a few very low powered soundstorm amps (made by boss) and they kick 2 10's just fine) Just saying its not gonna suck enough power to cause overdraw on your charging system. Alot of people say that boss is crap, but for under 300 bucks they are not that bad of an amp. their subs can pound hard too.

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High Output Alternator

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