All of the sudden I'm having problems getting my amps some decent voltage. I'm running 2 gauge to the trunk, distributed to 4 gauge out to 2 JL Audio 500/1's and 1 300/4. For grounding I'm using 2ga and also ran another length of 2ga from the battery to the frame. It slowly started a few weeks ago, on certain songs with some good bass notes the subs would not really cut out but loose their punch. I removed my Alumapro CAP5 from the line thinking it may be history, but it still did it.

Today I put a volt meter on the battery, with the lights on, car idling, audio on but no volume and I was reading 11.2 volts. But when I turned up the volume and checked I was reading 10.8 volts

I have an optima yellow top, its about 2 years old.... Think it's toast ? or is it my alternator ?

Jim

 

the battery doesnt matter, if the alt is doing it's job you will be at 14v. if your reading 11, the alt isn't putting out.

 

One,


This morning I go to start and the battery is dead....What kind of problems will I have if I take it to the dealer (01 with 30k-still under warranty), will they take care of the alternator with my system staring them in the face ?

Jim

 

it "shouldn't" matter, BUT it can matter. if they do the numbers, they wil see that two 500's and a 300 will overload the alt. you have really been putting a strain on it. if you can get them out, i'd pull the trunk equiptment and if they ask, tell them you have a jensen 200 watt amp in there a few months back but took it out.

 

Are they REALLY that smart at the dealer??? I think not. Sounds like you may have had a shorted, or partially shorted, cell in your battery. I'd try charging the battery out of the car to see if it takes a charge and what the voltage is first.
If it does wind up being the alternator, tell the dealer the capacitor supplies most of the power and there's no strain on the alternator, and that the amps are low-current (can they refute this? they don't have the data or materials to do the homework here). If you want to go even further, remove one of the remote turn-on leads from one of your 500/1's if you're worried about them measuring current. Besides the fact that any dealer I've ever known, when faced with stuff they don't know, will fix the thing once with few questions. If you take it back again for the same problem though, then you'd be pushing your luck. No way I'd pull the equipment and go thru all that work though, unless it was really easy.

 

Thanks for the reply's, I'm taking her in this afternoon for some testing. I'll let you know the outcome...



Jim

 

It was the alternator, WOW what a difference !! My subs now hit like they never have before. I bought my GS used with 22k on it, the alt must have been on its last leg.... Anyway, glad to report that Sterling McCall got me taken care of. In fact I called them this morning, had a 1:30pm appointment, and was out of there in 1 hour and 5 minutes !! Now that's some service....


Jim

 

good to hear!! next time your pulling below 13.8 volts you'll know your alt isnt putting out

great to hear everything went well