MJM97MAXSE

Hey I was wondering, I just installed a four channel amp in my 97 Maxima.... (For those interested Clarion 4 channel amp running 2 MB Quart 6x9's and a Kicker 12)

Anyway, I was wondering if an Amp affects you Gas Mileage. I know it seems stupid but it seems like my car doesn't have as much pick up and it seems like it doesnt get as many MPG. Maybe just a thought cause it's only been installed a day... but just wondering.

Let me know.... Thanks

- Mike

Oh yeah, I was kinda proud of myself. I did it myself... And I'll tell ya, what a b**** to install a line converter.

CharlieT

That's completely baloney! I don't think the electronic has anything to do with your mechanical. I got 2 amps: a 4 channel and a 2 channel RF and nothing on my MPG. Sometime it even better depend on the way i drive If you concern then get the capacitor.

DARTHSWAN

I agree. CharlieT, do you have a cap? I have to RF amps and no problem at all. Loving my gas mileage. No the weight on the other hand, will have some effect.

K

MJM97MAXSE

Hey, Thanks for the info... I didn't think so but was just wondering...

- Mike

Daniel B. Martin

Design News is a respected publication, a trade journal which is distributed to engineers. The March 12, 2001 issue has an article about the industry-wide conversion of automotive electrical systems to 42 volts, expected to occur in 2004 - 2006.

The article quotes Michael Matouka, staff development engineer for General Motors' Electrical Center. Matouka points out that "power is not free" and says every additional 350 watts used by the vehicle results in a loss of about one MPG of fuel economy.

You may read the full text of this article at http://www.manufacturing.net/magazin.../feature3.html

Daniel B. Martin

The alternator is an energy conversion device which converts mechanical energy into electrical energy. If you want more electrical energy to come out you must put more mechanical energy in.

Every bit of energy your car uses came from one place: the fuel tank. If you do anything to use more energy (faster acceleration, brighter headlights, louder audio, etc.) the energy to do that came from burning more gasoline.

MegaMax

If you have ever seen a LOUD system you can see when they Hit a LOW note. ALL the lights DIMM. For this reason people get two Amps and CAPs.

It takes allot of power to hit those LOUD LOW notes. Most Amps when they do this take away from the high notes, so that is why some get 2 amps ONE just for the LOWs...

Where does this power come from? ALT
What powers your ALT? Motor
What Powers your Motor? GAS

How much very MINIMAL but yes it is linked together..!

DARTHSWAN

Question for the ones who know.

What would cause the lights not to dim, under high power?

My total system is putting out close to 1000 watts, between 2 amps. I don't have any problems at all with dimming. A lot of my friends get ****ed, because it looks like their car is winking at people.

MegaMax

What Kind of AMPS do they have?
If they have PPI Amps they will make any car DIMM. They are BIG on power. In order to make the Subs hit the Low note at High Volumes that takes allot of power. Best bet is a 1 Farad Capacitor or a Second Battery for the trunk.

DARTHSWAN

I have a RF Punch 200 (95' model) and Punch 240 (96' model). The Punch 200 is on the subs. I get more than enough bass from that amp, and I still have room to go higher on the gains. I guess it has a lot to do with the current draw.

K

sinewave

from my little conversion program:
1 kilowatt = 1.341022 horsepower
1 kilowatt = 3415.179 BTU/hour
1 gal. gasoline = 119,800 BTU

So, at 25 mpg, you consume 4792 BTU/mile.

So, if you have 2-500watt amps (100w or 1KW) you consume 3415 BTU's or .71 mpg. With losses due to electrical resistance, energy conversion, friction, etc. you could probably double that.

DARTHSWAN

Just out of curiosity, where did you obtain those numbers, they look familiar. But I have some conflicting numbers, I have an old car audio mag that 1 hp = about 742 watts. Who's right?

sinewave

Those figures are from a little shareware program called "Convert" ver. 4.02. Unfortunately, the link in the help file doesn't work.

Your number is pretty close to mine; the invert of 1.341022hp is 0.745699921 KW or 745.7 watts.

DARTHSWAN

Sinewave,

Pay me no mind, I did my conversion and saw that. Long day at work, time to go home.

chris j vurnis

temperature variances and automatic transmissions probably have more to do with power and mileage losses than big stereos --

But big power does have an effect --
A 750watt class A amp is about 20-25% efficient --

So therefore it takes about 4-5HP to drive it assuming the power amp supply is not being continuously "assisted" by a large capacitor -- but it is still at least a few continuous HP worth of energy --

The lower your RPMs, the more torque is required to make that horsepower to drive your accessories --

If you assume you need about 30HP to maintain a constant cruise at 55MPH, you can start to see how much that 2HP
starts to make a bigger difference in economy

CharlieT

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Murphy_TX_Mike
[B]

Probably a myth, but it could prove to be true.
If the alternator has to work longer to keep the battery charged, regardless of a capacitor or not, then the mileage will be reduced. How much, probably not much.

True...true...I agree as well but the main point I was trying to make is the quantity of it which is not much. That's why the lights of some car go dimm everytime the system it low note. It better to have a CAP a maybe a stronger battery.