Okay, I just replaced my alternator because it stopped charging my battery. I have a regular Duralast battery from AutoZone. My audio set-up includes: Eclipse 3000, Pioneer interior speakers, Profile 310Watt amp, and an Atlas 15. I've had this set-up for about a year.

I noticed after I replaced my alternator that my system hardly clips anymore. It hits a little harder and without the clipping. I can put it at a higher volume without distortion. I don't want my alternator to screw up again, even though I have a lifetime warranty. Would a capacitor help my situation? What would you guys do? I hope my system isn't hurting my alternator.

 

I know my setup is a bit more then yours but I has to replace my alt. about once every six months or so....good thing for the lifetime warrenty, LOL.

I true high quality high output alt. from someone like Ohio generater is about $400 for out maximas.

I good cap will help a little but I am not talking a 1-2 farad type but a cardon based cap. Without going into a huge long tech discription the normal round type of cap has more drawback then they are wearth. New cardon based caps do actually work quit well and can be found pretty cheap on Ebay and else where.

Keep in mind though that there is no such thing as free power. Once any cap discharged to the battery voltage it must then recharge and where do you think it gets that charge from. What it will do is on music with high but short peak levels the cap will help smooth out the peak draw from the alt. Now if you are into more bass type music were the highest peaks are over a long period of time a cap of any type will only help for a fraction of a second of the long bass note before the cap discharges to the same level as the battery now making it just another load in the system. If the peak is to long or there is not enough time between peaks for the cap to recharge the cap will actually be loading the system.....course we are talking fractions of a second here.

If this confuses you please let me know and I will see if I can clean it you....I dont know your knowledge in this area. There are just a TON of misconceptions area caps but once the common sense of then is explained you can make a better choice.

 

Well first off I highly doubt your profile amp is putting out anywere even close to 300 watts, yet alone it doing a number on your alternator. Most likley a coincidence. Ive been running probably 5-10 times that power RMS without any electical problems for about 2yrs now. Dont have a capacitor either. Just get yourself a better battery, do the big 3 upgrades and you'll be fine.

 

i ran ~1500 watts or so in my 3rd gen for awhile and the alternator was fine. yours was probably on its way out. running the same amps in my 6th gen without any issues as well.

 

Nowhere in this thread does it mention what size power wiring you are using.

 

SQMaxima - Thanks for the reply. I kind of follow what you are saying. I don't know too much about car audio though. I know that the big guy PearlMax on the board doesn't think capacitors do anything.

HitManSE - I don't really like my Profile amp. It's okay for now though. The thing that scares me is that I put a grounding kit on my engine two days before my alternator crapped out. How much is one of those Optima batteries and where can I get one?

AscendantMax - Thank you for your input!

djfrestyl - 4 gauge wire.

Thanks for all the help guys. Anything else you can tell me?

 

Optima batts run somewhere around $130. You can get em at walmart, pep boys, autozone, etc etc.

 

Looks like I will be using my battery for a while. And I'm glad I have that lifetime warranty on the alternator.

 

The ground kit is one thing, dont forget to add atleast a 4awg wire from your alternator to your battery positive (+)
Just make sure you have loom on it were it comes into contact with the body of the car. Use several zip ties, you dont want that wire to get worn and contact the body.

 

And for extra precaution, put a fuse on it.

 

you can find red tops at costco for $102 plus tax.

 

BlackMaxima if the alternator was stock, its possible that it was one of the alternators that was recalled by nissan and the extra strain of the amps are what did it in. Thats what happened to mine a couple of years ago when I put my first system in. The bad thing is that you may have missed out on getting a free alt. The good thing is that you probably wont have to worry about your alt. Upgrading the big 3 will most likely take care of any dimming or other issues, IMO/experiences caps are nice paper weights.

 

That too

 

an Ohio gen alt was roughly 6-700 dollars when i priced one out. i went with a 215 amp can-am motors alt. i had quite so trouble wiht it in the beggining then they epoxied the leads so they wouldnt come apart any more, now im runnin awesome about 2500 watts of raw power with my optima im good to go.

 

My car was not made within the recall dates. So no free alternator for me...

 

I don't see what the problem is. His system sounds better after the alternator replacement. System does not slip anymore. Sounds like the previous alternator was bad. /thread.

 

that sub is stupid underpowered

 

that 15 doesnt need much more than 400 watts.

 

Atlas 15 FTW

 

Um, it needs that minimum.
This is aprofile amp rated @ 310. He has ****ty electric.
It needs 2x what he's giving, at my estimate.

 

Where the fawk is this guy comming from?

 

I dunno but I need to cop the drugs he's on. Unless he has spoken with Chad Kuypers himself, I think I know how much power that sub needs, especially ported in your case. I never said you don't need a better amp, but the power is just fine.

 

where is your reasoning behind this?

 

Damn i didnt know that....got mine at autozone for 130 Could have saved thirty bucks

 

My alternator was smoking today. Clouds of smoke were comming from it. Good thing I got a lifetime warranty through AutoZone. Anyone know what could of cause this?