Thinking of getting a amp that does 1000w@1ohm but at 17v. Really dont want a cap or Optima. Could it be possible to get a RV or similar battery with 1000 or more CCA that would be just a efficient? Stock alt. is 130..........

 

What is the make and model of the amp?

 

MA Audio, either HK1998 or HK1000D.........

 

My question is...why would you want an amp that needs 17 volts to do it's rated power?

 

I agree. If that is the amp you go with, just use the 14 volt ratings. The difference will be minimal in the big picture and you do not have to worry about the odd voltage.

 

It has two sets of RMS. At 14v its 800w@1ohm an 1000w@1ohm at 17v........

 

Your truck will only put out ~14.4v at full output when the alternator is running. I personally haven't seen any manufactures who have posted specs at 17v, but even if they do, your amp will never hit those marks since it will only see 14v.

To tell you the truth I wouldn't use a cap as it would just be an extra drain on the system. A good battery will only cover the spots where your alternator cannot produce the required amount of power, and for running your system with the vehicle off. Any deep cycle battery (like the optima yellow top) has the capability to be drained completely and recharged with little damage to the battery. If you plan on running the system with your vehicle off alot I would suggest getting a deep cycle battery. The best advice I can give you would be to upgrade your system with he big 3 (upgrade the wiring from the alternator to battery, battery to chasis and chasis to engine block) and then run your truck and see if you have any problems with voltage loss before making any further changes.

 

14.4V to 17V = transformer

you can get one from electrical supply companies (the ones that cater to professional market, not radio shack)


Think "how can it be done?", not just "here's all the reasons you can't"

Note, when using a step-up xformer, as voltage rises, output amperage is reduced by a proportional amount. For all the accessories I use in my truck, I run a dual battery set-up... plow trucks have been doing it for years.

 

I still would not worry about getting the 1,000 watts RMS. The difference in 800 watts and 1,000 watts is going to be maybe 1 db. In my opinion, not worth the hassle of trying to achieve 17 volts.

 

Im not looking to run system with truck off. So basicly if I would just get a bigger battery it still would not help? Auto Zone told me my alternator is 130 and I could not go bigger.

 

TX, the battery won't help with dimming and amperage problems in the truck (if you have any). A high output alternator would help with dimming and voltage drops if your having problems. What class of amp are you looking at running? (AB, D etc) This denotes the efficency of the amp. I ran a Cadence A7HC (class D) 1200 w RMS in my blazer and didn't have any problems with dimming. If I remember right the blazer had a stock 100 amp alternator in it. I checked a couple of the aftermarket alternator makers that I know of, but didn't find anything for a late model Ford yet. What year is your truck, and do you have the 4.6L or 5.4L engine? I'll poke around a little bit more and see if I can find anything in case you have problems. My guess is that you won't have too many problems running one 800-1000 watt amp in your truck.

 

I am suprised by the comments about using transformers to raise the voltage to 17V. Transformers work with alternating current (AC) systems but not so well with DC systems.

Mount your cap next to the amplifier. Say you are averging 300 watts on the amplifier, pulling some 21 amps and then hit a big loud bass thump. Your amplifier output jumps up to 800 watts and tries to pull 57 amps (assuming 14V battery). With a bit of internal resistance on the battery and resistance in the wire from the battery to the amplifier the voltage at the amplifier can drop quite a bit. Assuming 0.05 ohms in the wire and battery, at 57 amps you would be looking at dropping from 14V at the battery to 11.1V (V=IR) at the amplifier. The output power of the amplifier will drop when the power supply voltage drops. The capacitor can help supply that short term power and minimize the low voltage spikes at the amplifier.

 

Explain to me what's wrong with DC transformers? TXhustla is trying to achieve 17v to reach the rating on the amp. Your not going to do this with a cap. A cap will keep the voltage curve up but it's not going to give him 17v. Why would someone make a 17v rated amp? I don't understand that.

 

The amp is mono. My truck is 4.2 V6 (STX). Actually I dont have the amp yet so I cant hook it up. I know that my 400w mono now slighty dims my lights but does not drop voltage though. How long would it take for voltage to drop? What type of battery did you have in Blazer????

 

You're partially right in that transformers use induction, which require
relative motion to xfer power between the coils. This relative motion can be created by alternating current, or rubbing a baloon back and forth across your hair, or by spinning them around really close to each other (like in a motor). However, there are DC transformers which actually turn 12VDC to 12VAC, then step up or down the the desired voltage, then rectify it back to DC. I bought a 28VDC to 14.4VDC stepdown xformer to use automotive accessories in an aircraft... cost my about $45.