voltage dropping when bass hits

[buddy guy]

i used to work in radio, with a lot of smart electronics engineers. They all chuckle when they see the car stereos with the big caps. They say with modern stereos and the computerized systems, that stuff is old school and isn't needed anymore. Damned if I know, but they work around high current and 100,000 watt transmitters all the time that make my hair stand on end from 3 feet away, so I believe them if they say so

 

[Graygoose]

Alma Gates had a sweet system in her bronco, not sure if she still has it or not?

Alma and Patrick were great friends and family. She was a wonderful woman.
The Bronco now resides in NM.

 

[Damion]

Alma and Patrick were great friends and family. She was a wonderful woman.
The Bronco now resides in NM.

Pretty sure I just dated myself with that quote. Having never met her, the people I've talked to that have, all said the same thing about her. I remember reading a full spread about her in a car audio mag way back when, shortly after she went with kicker gear.

 

[Graygoose]

Yes, our team did the install, that's when I met her. Wonderful woman.

 

[autokraftgt]

Battery is not the first step. The battery starts the motor, that's it...the alternator should be providing all voltage to the entire truck once the motor is running.

 

[Whitd5]

People just want to make symptoms go away and not actually solve the underlying problem. Why change your diet when you can take this pill and keep eating horrible....

 

[Damion]

Battery is not the first step. The battery starts the motor, that's it...the alternator should be providing all voltage to the entire truck once the motor is running.

This is partly true but with high draw systems the alternator can’t supply the current needed to keep up. If the truck has let’s say a 150 amp alternator, start the truck, now your blower fan is on, lights are on, stereo is on, have to replenish the battery after start etc..... do the math and once it’s all said and done there is it much left to supply power to an amp drawing 50+ amps on hard hits.

 

[CPTII]

So funny thing with engineers, buddy guy, is they always think they know even when they don’t, lol.

Domonic what are the ohms reading. If the ohms are too low for the amp it will make it scorching hot and send it into protect mode.

As far as the voltage change, put caps on it. Helps to regulate power flow and keep it steady. That is science

 

[Domonic J McGrath]

I am wired at 2 ohms and my amp is stable at 2 ohms


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[Graygoose]

Caps wont help.

When the bass is hitting, what's voltage AT the amp during peak volume?

 

[Domonic J McGrath]

High 12's

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[Graygoose]

that's low, but not terribly low.
Do Big 3
Then if still does get alt
Then a better battery if you feel like you need more

 

[Domonic J McGrath]

I have changed the battery and I believe that the big 3 has been done or at least let me say I paid for it when the radio shop Installed my first system but it would not shock me to find otherwise they had flying splices behind the head unit only found cause I went looking for reason for repetitive short

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[Graygoose]

https://www.mechman.com/alternators/ram-trucks/1500-pickup/5-7l/2011-2016/

 

[Ecofx86]

600 bucks.......let the voltage drop !!!

 

[TomB 1269]

Batteries store a charge and try to maintain it, so additional batteries more current. Caps store a charge and discharge when as there is a change in voltage potential. In short, a cap is a on shot rifle, where a battery is a machine gun. However, even machine guns run out, so there for more bullets are needed, i.e. bigger alternator. Its all in the amount of power and how often it's being pulled. The there is also voltage drop on cables, the more power you require the bigger the cable required, you can only get so much water thru a 1/2 inch pipe, if you need more water then you need a bigger pipe, i.e. the big 3 mod, but you also need to make sure you are using large enough gage wire to feed the need. If you are running 2 amps on the same power feed then you need to double the size of the wire called for.

 

[Domonic J McGrath]

I am running zero gauge from battery to in line fuse to distribution block and each amp has an individual ground

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[DriftMachine]

I put a second battery tray on the passenger side in the engine compartment, and added a second battery. I did this several years ago for the same reason. It made my issues go away, and my amps sound way cleaner.

I ran the power wire direct to the alternator. I routed the power wire along the firewall and ran between the head and the intake manifold with the rest of the wires to the alternator. Then found a good spot to add the ground. Looks professional. No issues whatsoever. It's a lot cheaper than the Big 3 Audio upgrade. Also better than a capacitor. Got the battery tray from the junkyard and was creative on how to fit it since there were no diesels to get one from. That was probably the hardest part. I used the fattest wire possible.

Hope this is useful.

 

[sparkygreen]

I was running a JL HD 750/1 on a JL 12W7AE and JL XD600/6V2 on 6 speakers (4 6x9's and 2 3.5's) in my 2014 Ram 1500. Never did the big three upgrade. I did install a new AGM (Gel style) battery at the time of install just in case since the OEM battery had some age on it.

Running good quality true OFC 1/0 wire to the back distributed to 4Ga. 1/0 Ground to the frame, distributed to 4ga.


I could run at full volume, with lights and AC and get very very minimal voltage drop on the gauge, and a slight dimming of the headlights (although it could have been my eyes shaking!), but only at full volume. Under average to slightly above average listening levels I had no voltage drop at all.

After this experience I was quite impressed with the OEM charging system. While the JL HD amp is supposed to be very efficient, Im surprised you are seeing the type of drop you describe with only 700-800W of total amp power.

I agree with everyone else though, if I were having problems I would start with big three, followed by upgraded alternator, followed by second battery using OEM tray on passenger side.

Good luck!