Archive for the ‘hardware’ tag
Batteries 12v
How do you wire 2 car batteries together in a 12v system to increase amperage and should you use an isolator?
I am installing a car audio system very soon and I am purchasing items as I go. When it came to adding another battery due to the wattage of the system that I am installing I forgot how they should be wired. I have done this before and since I dont have the batteries in front of me at the moment I thought that I would post this. In other words should they be wired in series or parallel and what is the real purpose of the isolator in a dual battery system.
Running a second battery is never a good idea as it's
just an added strain on the alternator. A cap is only
good so far as the audio system isn't trying to pull
too much from the electrical system.
I know a cap can be beneficial as I'm running one and
I measured a definite change in my electrical systems
response curve to big bass hits with an oscilloscope,
however, this won't be the case for ALL vehicles.
If your total system power is more than 1000 watts RMS
you will need to:
1. Upgrade the alternator to a high output alternator
2. Upgrade to a heavy duty Deep Cycle Battery
3. Upgrade the "Big 3" - that is to replace the power wire between the battery and alternator, the ground from the battery to the chassis and the ground strap from the engine/tranny to the chassis with at least 1/0 AWG wire.
Failure to do this will result in you replacing them
anyway as the alternator will eventually fail.
Here is a guide that will calculate what size
alternator and power wires you need
http://www.datafilehost.com/download.php?file=6d26c621
You'll need Microsft Excel to use it.
See my site for more info http://spkrbox1.spaces.live.com