Extra battery or Replace Battery (need help)

[ROBERTOcritser]

I have a JL Audio 1000/1 v1 amp powering a 12W7 in H.O. Box. I am getting a lot of voltage drop on my dash meter which of course makes my lights dim and is expected with such a large amp. I need to stop this voltage drop for 2 reasons. Stop lights dimming and my amp gets hot quickly. My local car audio store suggests a 2nd battery to power the amp with a relay but many people I talk to who have car stereo systems say I should just get a yellow top optima to replace my main battery.... What should I do and why? I also plan on putting another amp in for my high's (JL 300/2) The store I go to wants to sell me a Stinger SP1000 DryCell Battery. but I know there are other good batteries but if I buy their stuff they are more likely to help if something goes wrong.

Stinger SP1000 with relay from car audio store = $380 or so

Yellow Top Optima from local auto parts stores ~$210

What should I do? If you have any other questions about my system please ask.

 

[Eagle]

turn the gain down, turn the bass boost down (ie more gain) and turn the bss eq (ie another gain) down.

with the stock alternator you should not be having any issues with such a small amp.

maybe try using a DMM to check that your gains are at least ball park?

edit: you have an 02, that one has the smaller alternator right?

might be a good time to upgrade the ALTERNATOR, since yours might be on its way out anyway.

Amps run on the alternator... NOT the battery. Battery has practically nothing to do with the 'stereo', so I am unsure where the whole internet "dimming = spend $300 on batteries and capacitors" thing came from, but it is wrong.
It's kinda like saying, "I can't lift this heavy object, so instead of getting someone stronger to do it, I'll put on a pair of Nike Air 360".

 

[ROBERTOcritser]

I've talked to the guys at the audio store and they've seen my setup before and they turned all my boosts off and my gain is at half and it still pulls like a mother and there is no way I'm turnin my gain down b/c what's the point if it's not as loud as I want it to be? what do you mean by DMM?

 

[Eagle]

digital multimeter.
http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=359551


but if you aren;t willing to turn the gain down then there is no reason to check it.
just saying a little nearly inaudible extra increment on the gain can actually increase power usage by 35-50% if it starts to drive the amp into clipping.

how's the alternator?

 

[ROBERTOcritser]

my alternator is the 130 or 135 amp. im not sure exactly but im sure you know which one it is. It doesnt appear to be in bad shape. If I did want another alternator for higher output, where can I get one?

 

[lazyd]

http://www.dcpowerinc.com/alternators/gm.html?cat=14 a bigger alternator would prob help but an extra battery wouldnt hurt either

 

[Eagle]

an extra battery is jsut an additional load, and would only
a: EXTEND key off playing time, or
B: be a reserve STARTING battery.

Neither does ANYTHING about dimming or pulsing lights.

a 130 amp alternator is PLENTY for a 1000/1.

1000/ 14.4 = 70 amps... at maximum output.
you are probably averaging less than 35 on music.

I htink you are looking at this from the wrong perspective///


I know you said your gain is at half, but *WHY* is it at 1/2?

I've known some that needed the gain as low as 1/4 or less to make rated output.
in these situations most common complaints were:

1: caused a lot of wasted power consumption ie dimming/pulsing problems
2: caused overheating problems
3: not really made it all that much louder

Do 1 and 2 sound familiar?

if you turn it down 2-3 numbers, (or just enough to be barely noticeable), do the problems go away?
t all depends on the input voltage you provide the amp, the gain is there to match the amp to the input voltage, not to control the volume/loudness of it.
you can use gain to make something quieter, but you can NOT use gain control to make it louder.

 

[ROBERTOcritser]

(I just feel like I need to say this) The "gain" on JL's are actualy called input sensitivity and there are no clicks on them just a flat head turn knob with no individual points. but I know its the same thing. Ok Eagle you make a good point and YES on number 2 it gets hot too quickly for my taste but it has never shut off. Ill try start turnin my gain down and see where it stops makin my lights dim.

---------- Post added at 07:23 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:35 PM ----------

ok i just went for a lil test drive and I was turnin the gain up and down and the only time it didnt dim my lights at all was when it was practically all the way down but I did not see a big difference when turning it down just a lil bit. It was basically even - as I turned down the gain, the lights would dim less. as the gain increases, the lights dim with it but there was no spike in how much the lights dimmed.

 

[tahoe02]

i have the same problem with my 3 earthquake 12"s, i was told to install a second alternator and that would solve my problem. Does that sound correct to everyone ?

 

[G35 2007]

i have the same problem with my 3 earthquake 12"s, i was told to install a second alternator and that would solve my problem. Does that sound correct to everyone ?

that's weird I used to run 2 L7's with a capacitor and a reg battery and a 1500 amp way more then I needed to but I never had any dimming problems.