Advice on hook up....

Cadillac_DTS02

I just bought two 12" SR124DVC's, I'm going to run it off a JL 1000/1, I've got two power caps hooked up another if i need it, I'm putting it in a caddy dts, the alternator is 140 amps, and my amp takes 100amps, should i have another alternator or a battery or something? I'm getting it installed at a shop but I'm wondering if I'm going to need to get a battery or an alternator.

TrappedUnder Ice

Ditch the caps and have a second battery installed.

down the road if you want too run more- might look at getting a new alternator.

again...Ditch the caps= sell them and use that for a secodn battery

[Deleted User]

Why does he need a second battery? More drain on the alternator? Unless you plan on sitting in a parking lot with the radio on and engine off, you don't need another battery. Invest in an upgraded alternator, if anything, and you'll be fine.

Toxis

I'm with Josh. Nailed it. I might even leave one cap there for some noise suppression. Just make sure your battery under the hood is a quality one and be done with it.

PoweredByDodge

actually --- given a 140 A alternator, and assuming nominal load for the head unit, highs, and ignition, he's probably fine where he is.

if you're coming up short, then i would go with a second battery first, before i jumped for an alternator. when you're on the fringe like that, it may be that over the course of an hour, your alternator's output is sufficient for your AVERAGE load but not your instantaneous load. in such a case, a second battery is a cheaper and ultimately better investment than an alternator.

FYI... 137 A alternator... two 81000D's, a BTP 502, and a BTP 754... and I'm pulling somewhere around 250+ amps (instantaneous load, not average load) just for the audio, that doesn't include the 20 to 30 that is being sucked up by ignition, heater blower motor, etc. Two BCI group 65 batteries at 165 minutes reserve each (about 65 AH @ 2 hour rate or 85 @ 20 hour rate, each) seem to do the job just fine. My only gripe is when I play it with the key off for a few hours... the 10 or 15 times I've run the batteries completely dead has taken its toll on them, but they've still lasted 4+ years.

I am literally running double the load that you're trying to run -- and I haven't had any problems. I have four 1 farad capacitors to stiffen voltage ( I still see voltage dips, but not quite as severe, and they're not audible [change in sound] or visible [headlights don't dim]).