Alternator and Optima Battery, please read! Options

[JonCars17]

this is the system I'm getting:

CD Player:
Alpine CDA-9856
Price: $200
RMS Watts: 18 Watts, Peak Power 50 x 4 channels

Component Speakers:
Alpine Type-X SPX-177R
Price: $450
RMS Watts: 75, Peak Power: 300

Speakers:
Alpine Type-R SPR-17LP
Price: $150
RMS Watts: 50, Peak Power: 250

Sub:
Alpine SWR-1242D
Price: $200
RMS Watts: 500, Peak Power: 1500

1st Amp:
Alpine MRV-F545
Price: $650
100 watts RMS x 4 at 4 ohms (150 watts RMS x 4 at 2 ohms), 300 watts RMS x 2 bridged output at 4 ohms (4-ohm stable in bridged mode)

2nd Amp:
Alpine MRD-M1005
Price: $550
RMS Watts: 700 x 1 at 4 ohms/1000 x 1 at 2 ohms

^^ That is the system I'm currently buying, but i need to know what alternator and battery will be best for my car with out doing harm. I was told that a battery can be too hard on the starter and damage it. I'm a n00b to cars so any and all info can help. Too be honest I don't even know what a alternator even looks like -_-, but I'm gonna have mine professionally installed. I just want to have all the parts there for them to do there thing with out keeping my car too long.

If there is another way to hook it up then please to tell.

This post has been edited by JonCars17: Mar 21, 2006 - 8:22 PM

[Jeremiah]

A big battery won't kill your system... the starter will draw whatever power it needs. The battery won't "force" more power down the line than a component needs.

[ShadowFX]

Yep, exactly like Jeremiah said. A bigger battery will allow more current flow, if the alternator needs it, if not, the altenator just draws what it needs.

[madmods]

Honestly, Im running 2000 watts on a regular battery and alternator. I am using 2 caps though. You can
always get a better battery, there are a bunch of new ones out that outperform the yellow optima and you
can find the alternator doing a google search or even a search on here. Holla if you have any more ???s

[JonCars17]

if I got a yellow optima, should I have dual batteries or just one? I heard that there is a problem with having just one battery, even if it is a more powerful battery.

[pure_dx]

dual batteries?? you mean two yellow optima under your car? uhh.....i've never heard of that, you should be fine with one yellow optima, those are expensive already as it is, and since you are running a lot of electrics, the yellow optima is ideal for that

[pandakid]

what the size of the optima battery?

[JonCars17]

I donno the size, that would have been my next question -_-. That is if you were asking me.

[Kadett]

This is the Yellow Top i am using. With the next setup

SoundStream VGA 500.4 Amp 1000watt.
Focal 165K2P Compo Set 400 watt total
MTX 4000 Thunder 12" Subwoofer 500 watt total

When playing on high volume no problems with dimming lights whatsoever. I have the stock (3S-GE) 70A/H alternator.

About the starter having a hard time. Well when you first start the car your like "WTF!!! My starter has been Turboed " But its not something to be concerned of. Using this for about 1 year and starting the car 3-4 times a day with no problems till now.

[Niskyspy]

Here's a thing, first of all you dont need a battery if you are not competeing in SPL or SQ. If this is just for normal listening than cap's will do the job. Another thing is your alternator, if you put another battery in your car you will overload the alternator which will be trying to charge the two batteries. Another thing is if you planing on using that much current (2 batteries is a lot of current) you should be running at least a 0 gauge wire and another alternator because our stock once only go up to 85amp's and if you go over that they will just fry, the wires in the alternator will just melt and you might have a little fire under the hood. So why dont you go and research a lot more before putting a battery into your car.
my .02 cents

[Jeremiah]

Get the yellow cap - you'll need it if you want to listen to tunes with the motor off. It's a perfect battery for pulling that much juice.

Considerbuying a cap - it'll help your amp a LOT. It's one of the more over looked accessories, but it's SO important for when the car goes BOOM.


~J~

[JonCars17]

What should I look for when choosing a Capacitor? I never heard of one until this week.

[pandakid]

i want a red one cuz it would look nice with other things in the motor? is the red one any good?

[dustinkemp]

i have a second battery (stinger) running 2400 watts and im not having any problems.

[swerve]

One thing I know from playing with an Electric Supercharger is car power requirements. STAY AWAY FROM THE OPTIMA.

There are a heap of batteries out there that leave the optima for dead. It is like buying a BMW when you can get a heap more value from a celica with the same $$$ you are going to spend on a BMW.

I highly recommend the Deka Intimidator. I was running a setup of 3 in a battery box in the boot of my car with a backup AGM motorcylce sized battery. So if you can imagine, an total of almost 2000CCA (cold cranking amps). That is a heap of power with no problems on the standard celica wiring setup (well ok I am running 0 guage cable from from the front to the back and vice versa).

The Deka batteries, unlike the Optima are hand produced to meet "exact" specifications. The Optima is mass produced to "within tollerable specs". The Deka has a much faster charge rate and holds almost 50% more charge than the Optima for the same $$$.

Although there are a couple of post above saying not to go with 2 batts, if you have the $$$ it is very worthwhile. You are better off spending your $$$ on another battery than a cap.

Oh and one other thing. If you are going to run 2 batteries, think about getting your alternator rewound. You can get someone to re-wind for to 120A/H constant for around $100 (the celica is around 40A/H constant with an 80 peak i believe). The unfortunate thing is that due to the bonnet shape / engine location, you can't get another larger type in.

Just my 2c worth.

This post has been edited by swerve: Mar 28, 2006 - 6:37 AM

[Niskyspy]

if you gonna compete then yes you should get a battery and an alternator. But if you are making this system just for listening then dont get a battery but still get an alternator because stock one only produces 80A which is really crappy (but its engough for my system with JBLBP1200.1 + JBLP80.4 + Eclipse deck to run at pretty high volume with crazy bass. So just get an alternator and 1.5Farad cap, that will do the job if you are not competing.
And about the cap its all up to you, I'd recomend to get a good brand cap (Stinger/Menphys) or something in that nature. What I did is I bought a cheap ass cap when I was just starting with the whole audio thing and it works really good, I've never seen my lights dim (at all/ I mean never, never) and my system eats up a lot of power ( I can actually see the voltage on the gauge drop down to like 12.3V from 14.3V which is normal beause its in good range

This post has been edited by Niskyspy: Mar 28, 2006 - 1:32 PM

[Jaws4God]

So which Optima's are you all getting? How much did you pay and from where?

Thanks!

This post has been edited by Jaws4God: Nov 23, 2006 - 5:29 PM

[Starcraftjunkie]

Ya, I might end up getting an optima too, but more for the CCA.. It gets to < -40 (Celcius) out here in the winters and I hate calling for a boost.

[tim86]

my advice would be to not spend that much money on a setup without even knowing the basics of car audio... you will run into problems, and you will probably do something stupid trying to fix/adjust things... atleast read up on the basics... to answer your question though, go with the yellow top/cap and upgrade your alternator down the road

[Alex-UKSC]

Optima Yellow top is what i use on a split charge & an uprated alternator (costs next to nothing). This has been fail safe & i have used this for nearly a decade of DB Drag & other ice comps & middle class installs.

Better to be safe than sorry