Seperate Battery?

[90_ACCORD]

Im sure there is a simple answer to this and im pretty sure i know how to do this but i just want to make sure of it.

How would i go about running my amp off of a seperate battery from the one used for the car?

If there is already a thread on this could someone please direct me to it. I added more audio stuff to my car and i need to run my amp from a different source.

Also is there any way to run my headunit off the other battery to or would that cause it to never turn off even when the car is off?

thanks for any help.

[90_ACCORD]

no one knows?

[Nubz]

no. you failure



jk buddy

[90_ACCORD]

no. you failure



jk buddy

no johns the failure cuz he likes to keep everything on in the car and let it die and not let me know till its to late

[redgst97]

The hard part is not running things off a secondary battery, the hard(er) part is charging the secondary battery.

You can easily add a second battery, and connect things to it as you would the main battery. You will, however, have to find a why to charge the new battery. It has to get connected to the alternator somehow. Battery isolator or solenoid is a good way to do it.

Make sure your alternator is up to par also....

[slimm]

dont do a battery. get a "power cell." it installs like a cap, but charges like a battery. call adrenaline tuning to get more info. heres a link to their forum on here.

http://www.importatlanta.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=270

[DynamicSound]

My first question would be why do you need to run it off another battery...what are you all running?

[TSiFTW]

High output alternator, battery isolator so the alternator will switch back and forth, 0 guage power and ground to your secondary and rewire your original battery, then wire your system up like normal. But the question is why would you want to go through all this. Are you trying to set up a db car or all out competition car or something. If not just upgrade your alternator and install as usual.:2cents: Many less problems and cash in the long run.

[DynamicSound]

This is what I am waiting on to hear. Majority of people go a little overboard when it comes to beefing up their electrical system when they do not need it. I had 1 guy not too long ago wanting to upgrade his battery, alternator, and add a capacitor for a 500rms system. And this was on a newer vehicle.

[BanginJimmy]

Unless your system draws more than 100 amps you only need to upgrade your electrical system.

Big 3, better battery, then HO alternator. If you still have charging issues then you need to think about a second battery.

Unless you are like me. I had an extra battery already and decided to put it in to make wiring easier.

[Barefoot]

no johns the failure cuz he likes to keep everything on in the car and let it die and not let me know till its to lateyall are thinking about it for 1 reason he is think about it for a completly different reason.
This is what I am waiting on to hear. Majority of people go a little overboard when it comes to beefing up their electrical system when they do not need it. I had 1 guy not too long ago wanting to upgrade his battery, alternator, and add a capacitor for a 500rms system. And this was on a newer vehicle.
Unless your system draws more than 100 amps you only need to upgrade your electrical system.

Big 3, better battery, then HO alternator. If you still have charging issues then you need to think about a second battery.

Unless you are like me. I had an extra battery already and decided to put it in to make wiring easier.

[slimm]

Unless your system draws more than 100 amps you only need to upgrade your electrical system.

Big 3, better battery, then HO alternator. If you still have charging issues then you need to think about a second battery.

Unless you are like me. I had an extra battery already and decided to put it in to make wiring easier.
it would be cheaper to simply get a powercell. ho alternator would cost the around the same as a powercell. a better battery might not solve the problem. a powercell would solve any issues you might have...unless you're pushing like 6 12s or someshin like that

[BanginJimmy]

it would be cheaper to simply get a powercell. ho alternator would cost the around the same as a powercell. a better battery might not solve the problem. a powercell would solve any issues you might have...unless you're pushing like 6 12s or someshin like that


Actually you couldnt be more wrong. Unless you are adding more charging capability, you are just adding something else to charge, therefore making your charging system worse, not better.

A lot of times, a better battery will help on a smaller system. Most have larger reserve capacity and are more efficient.

ALL times a big 3 upgrade will help more than anything short of a HO alternator and should be a requirement for anyone with a system, no matter how big or small. It should also be the first step in improving your electrical system.

The next step is a HO alternator. A stock alternator, especially on an small car, is too small and provide maybe 100 amps max, more likely around 75 at speed and closer to 60 at idle. You simply need to add more charging capability which means more amperage, which means a HO alt, not just a rewound.

NOTE: Big 3 MUST be completed first

Next is a second battery. More capacity is just that, some large systems need that.

The final step, dedicated charging system for the audio system. This includes a second alternator that charges anywhere from 14v to 24v and is completely separate from the vehicle charging system. Also included is at least 1 dedicated battery, usually multiple batteries in these applications.

[BanginJimmy]

no johns the failure cuz he likes to keep everything on in the car and let it die and not let me know till its to late

Leave everything on as in the system? If that is the case then you need to correctly wire the system up, not add another battery. Hook up your remote wires so the amps turn off when the car is off. All other electronics should be hooked into the accessory so they also shut off automatically when the vehicle is turned off.

[DynamicSound]

Yep...adding more equipment that charges from the battery/alternator is putting the electrical system under more strain. Even though, visually it may help in dimming lights...actuality is it is hurting it. I would add the first step as getting a deep cycle battery to replace your stock battery. This will help out tons alone and is a quick and easy replacement.

[TSiFTW]

Yep...adding more equipment that charges from the battery/alternator is putting the electrical system under more strain. Even though, visually it may help in dimming lights...actuality is it is hurting it. I would add the first step as getting a deep cycle battery to replace your stock battery. This will help out tons alone and is a quick and easy replacement.

This = truth. That is what I should have told you earlier. Try the deep cycle battery first then if absolutely necessary upgrade your alternator. Don't do it though unless you are going through alternators like underwear though. Keep in mind that when you go fooling with your electrical system you really NEED to know exactly what you are doing, because a screw up in your electrical system can affect more than just your stereo system and your lights. Seek a professional installer if you must do those upgrades.

[BanginJimmy]

This = truth. That is what I should have told you earlier. Try the deep cycle battery first then if absolutely necessary upgrade your alternator. Don't do it though unless you are going through alternators like underwear though. Keep in mind that when you go fooling with your electrical system you really NEED to know exactly what you are doing, because a screw up in your electrical system can affect more than just your stereo system and your lights. Seek a professional installer if you must do those upgrades.


Go back and read my post. Upgraded battery and alt are steps 2 and 3. Step 1 should ALWAYS be a big 3 upgrade.


If you dont know what the Big 3 are.

1. Alternator to battery Pos wire.
2. Battery to engine frame ground
3. Block to frame ground.

until those 3 are upgraded you will only see minimal gains from an upgraded battery as your alt will not be any more efficient.

[90_ACCORD]

Leave everything on as in the system? If that is the case then you need to correctly wire the system up, not add another battery. Hook up your remote wires so the amps turn off when the car is off. All other electronics should be hooked into the accessory so they also shut off automatically when the vehicle is turned off.

no i mean every single thing that could get turned on. he had the key in the ignition and it was turned so stuff would come on but the car was not started

[oneSLOWex]

no i mean every single thing that could get turned on. he had the key in the ignition and it was turned so stuff would come on but the car was not started

thats normal with every car made pretty much....

[TSiFTW]

Go back and read my post. Upgraded battery and alt are steps 2 and 3. Step 1 should ALWAYS be a big 3 upgrade.


If you dont know what the Big 3 are.

1. Alternator to battery Pos wire.
2. Battery to engine frame ground
3. Block to frame ground.

until those 3 are upgraded you will only see minimal gains from an upgraded battery as your alt will not be any more efficient.

I know what big 3 is. It all goes hand in hand though. If the system is working correctly in the first place then even with a 50-60 amp draw from an aftermarket stereo system the big 3 alone will do ALMOST nothing. Notice I didn't say it will do nothing. What it will do is allow more current which in turn will just put more strain on a stock battery and alternator. You WILL eventually wear out a stock alternator. A deep cycle battery will hold a charge better therefore put less strain on the alternator when the stereo system is drawing more than the alternator can put out.

[DynamicSound]

I know what big 3 is. It all goes hand in hand though. If the system is working correctly in the first place then even with a 50-60 amp draw from an aftermarket stereo system the big 3 alone will do ALMOST nothing. Notice I didn't say it will do nothing. What it will do is allow more current which in turn will just put more strain on a stock battery and alternator. You WILL eventually wear out a stock alternator. A deep cycle battery will hold a charge better therefore put less strain on the alternator when the stereo system is drawing more than the alternator can put out.

I am with you. A battery upgrade comes before a wire upgrade. The deep cycle battery creates a less strain on the alternator without changing any wires. If you do a wire upgrade on a stock system, it is not going to do anything because the stock wiring is good for the stock system. Even in my Accord I had dimming lights with a 1200rms amp. I simply installed a Optima Yellow top battery and fixed the problem. So here is how should go...

1) Battery Upgrade - Reduces stress from alternator. Adding a battery does not increase the voltage or power. So you wouldn't need to upgrade the wiring because NOTHING EXTRA IS GOING THROUGH THE WIRES. Think of it being more efficient. It is not putting out anything extra. It just reduces the strain on the alternator which will help the alternator move power to other places.

2) Big 3 - This will not do much for the upgraded battery, but will be needed to upgrade your alternator.

3) High Output Alternator - The reason you need to upgrade the wiring prior to the alternator is because the smaller wires can prevent too much of a change in output from the alternator. So upgrading it by itself might not do much. So you ready the new alternator by upgrading the wires BECAUSE IT WILL BE PUTTING OUT MORE POWER.

[BanginJimmy]

I know what big 3 is. It all goes hand in hand though. If the system is working correctly in the first place then even with a 50-60 amp draw from an aftermarket stereo system the big 3 alone will do ALMOST nothing. Notice I didn't say it will do nothing. What it will do is allow more current which in turn will just put more strain on a stock battery and alternator. You WILL eventually wear out a stock alternator. A deep cycle battery will hold a charge better therefore put less strain on the alternator when the stereo system is drawing more than the alternator can put out.

You are wrong though. The Big 3 will make your entire charging system more efficient.

You dont put more strain on anything by making the charging the system more efficient. If anything you will take strain off the alternator by lowering internal resistance.