How much is too much??
|
Silver Member Username: GoatinU.S.A Post Number: 110 Registered: Jan-06 | What is the most amount of regular 12 Volt batteries that you can add to a cars electrical system without frying it?And what is the largest practical amount of batteries? |
|
Silver Member Username: N2audioLawrence, Ks USA Post Number: 452 Registered: Mar-04 | no amount of batteries will fry your electrical system, but a stock alternator won't be able to charge many extras. Beyond that you'd have to have an isolator which means your alternator wouldn't be charging them. Periodically you'd have to connect them to an external charger. IMO only one is practical, but as long as your alt is strong enough to charge them you can add as many as you want. When it comes down to it - all your battery (or batteries) do is start the car, and power the electronics when the engine isn't running. Everything else is up to the alternator. |
|
Silver Member Username: B101Queen City, NC USA Post Number: 790 Registered: Sep-05 | when you put any power source in parallel the voltage stays the same, so u can have an unlimited amount of batteries like Optidriven said they will all be 12volts in parallel. But all those batts, need to charge. A HO alternator is what you need to charge them. The more batts, the more chargin pwr to charge them. Im soon going to have 3 batteries in my car. With no isolator being used, but I have HO 200a. |
|
Silver Member Username: FandimReno, Nevada United State... Post Number: 665 Registered: Jun-05 | I disagree with all batteries are for is to start the car, or power electronics when it's off.. at over 3 kilowatts RMS, even a 200 amp alternator is not sufficient on heavy bass songs, ESPECIALLY not at a stop light. Having extra battery power, prevents me the embarassment of my entire system shutting down, due to lack of voltage... |
|
Silver Member Username: FandimReno, Nevada United State... Post Number: 666 Registered: Jun-05 | Oh - and also. Optidriven Isolators let the alternator charge the battery...that's the whole point of an isolator.  Or else, you wouldnt even need any sort of connection to the cars electrical system with the 2nd battery, if you were going to use soley external chargers... |
|
Silver Member Username: N2audioLawrence, Ks USA Post Number: 463 Registered: Mar-04 | even at 3k rms one battery is more than enough to provide current beyond the alts capability, that is assuming the alt is of sufficient size. Even a small battery can provide 400-500A for a second at a time. my bad on the isolator comment - not sure what I was thinking on that. |
|
Bronze Member Username: Safe_crackerChicago, IL US Post Number: 26 Registered: Jan-06 | Just remember, it all has to do with charge rates. Even at the highest amperage a battery will only charge so fast. Polo... |
|
Silver Member Username: FandimReno, Nevada United State... Post Number: 669 Registered: Jun-05 | What you need to remember, about this, however, is batteries provide like a 12v charge.. Many amps list their RMS numbers at 14.4 volts, and they're significantly less at 12. Think about a hifonics brutus 1500.. at 14.4 volts they're like 1380 watts, at 13 volts, it's already dropped to like in the 900's..and they dont list what they're at, at 12 volts. |
|
Silver Member Username: FandimReno, Nevada United State... Post Number: 670 Registered: Jun-05 | So multiple batteries, will hold at 12v for a longer period of time, than a single battery. This is especially true in the case of like an optima yellow top, which maintains a 12 volt currently for a large portion of it's discharge time. Getting even lower than 12 volts, amps lose even more wattage output.. So by putting more than one in parallel, I'm at least able to hold a 12v charge for short periods of time, etc. |
|
Bronze Member Username: Safe_crackerChicago, IL US Post Number: 28 Registered: Jan-06 | Seth, I will be greatly improving my elec sys, 300A alt + either red or yellow top bat. I was looking at the batteries and noticed the red top puts more amperage out then the yellow but the yellow has more recovery from dead (350) VS (50) for the red. Is this really necessary as most of us don't run there suystems to they die, well at least I don't. So should it be crytical that I go with a yellow or can I go red also and gain amperage? thanks...Polo.. |
|
Silver Member Username: B101Queen City, NC USA Post Number: 829 Registered: Sep-05 | Get Yellow not Red. But Seth is totaly correct. The more batts the better!! Period!! I know im not the only person crushing at the lights Seth =D |
|
Silver Member Username: N2audioLawrence, Ks USA Post Number: 478 Registered: Mar-04 | A battery is made up of 6 2.1v cells totaling 12.6v with a healthy charge. Plus - the 14+V an alternator charges at will allow a battery to "float" at around 13v while the engine is running. You can test this very easily - drive your car for a while so you know your battery is completely topped off -- park, turn off the engine and immediately check the voltage at the battery -- I typically see 13-13.2v in my car - ~1200w w/a 110A alt and OLD wal-mart battery. As for the bx1500D - it's over-rated, yeah. The infamous birthsheet listed it at 1360w@14v and 980w@13v. However, the 1360 was at 10% thd and the 980 was at .66%. Equalizing the thd to 1% you'd end up with about 1000w at 13v and 1200 or so at 14v which amounts to no audible difference. That's the type of fluctuation that can be expected for most every high power system, and it's far from a problem. I'm all for electrical upgrades, and if you've got the money there's no reason not to go the extra mile. I just think a lot of the time there's a BIG difference between what is "required" for acceptable performance and what is done. |
|
Silver Member Username: FandimReno, Nevada United State... Post Number: 675 Registered: Jun-05 | definately go for yellow not red, true. I killed a red top in only a couple of months, as dropping a battery below like 11v is considered discharging it, and the red top cant take very much of this. Also, the whole 1360, and 980 RMS being no difference audibly.. well, very slight, MOST people cant tell the difference, but remember while doubling your power = 3 dB.. each dB is harder to get than the last, so in effect, this means 150% power, does not = only half of the 3db, it's a little more. Now, again using the hifonis example.. at 1360 @ 14.4v, 980@13v... What do you think it's really going to put out at 12v? probably 700ish. And the 700ish is a big difference than the 1360, so you could be losing almost 3dB. As well, what if it drops to 11v? Even worse. and worse. and worse. So by adding more batteries, you're at least going to hold that 12.6v charge longer, because while small incriments dont matter, the difference between what you'll be peaking at, and what you'll be at after putting strain on your electrical system, ends up being a lot more than a small incriment. Seth |
|
Bronze Member Username: Safe_crackerChicago, IL US Post Number: 41 Registered: Jan-06 | Now I noticed they offer a Blue top Marine version which has an even greater level of deep cycling, any feedback on that one? Oh by the way thansk for the replies!Polo..;) |
Main Forums
Today's Posts- Home Audio Forum
- Home Video Forum
- Home Theater Forum
- Car Audio Forum
- Accessories Forum
- All Forum Topics