Tony Nelson

I will be soon upgrading some components in my system. I have a new SAZ-1500d v.2 that will be paired up with an Xcon 12. I will also be getting a DC Power 180 amp alternator and will do the Big 3 also. I just have some questions. I haven't ever worked on a system dealing with this much power, and just want to make sure I have everything that I need. First, my current setup is a dual amp setup using Rockford 1000-1bd amp and alpine pdx-4.100. I used a 1 Farad capacitor (Ya, I know ) basically as a distrubution block for those amps. Electrical is stock. The capacitor will go away when I upgrade, so I have been looking at distribution blocks. I know I will need an inline fuse for the new sundown amp. Close to 160 amp, but 150 Amp is readily available. I'm just not sure if I should get fused distibution block and fuse the amps that way? Or get a non-fused block and just run an inline fuse to the sundown amp? The alpine has built in fuses on it, so I don't think another fuse is necessary? Also, if I do go with a fused block, will I need an inline fuse next to battery? I also read that people run fuses between alternator and battery. Is that necessary? I just don't want to skimp out on anything with this new install. I will do it right, just need a little instruction. Thanks guys, Tony Nelson

I was just assuming mostly. My current system has some decent voltage drop, my lights dim pretty bad. Although I haven't done the Big 3 yet, so that may help some. I just don't see how a 115 amp alternator can support the upgrades, just adding up the numbers. For most of my listening it should be fine, but once in a while I let things go and just want to try to keep the voltage drop low. When I get back to school (xmas break), I will hook my car up in buddies shop to see what I'm pulling now at full tilt and go from there.

Am I even close?

Thanks for the replys. Total amperage that both amps would need max would be 220 amps. 160 for the sundown, and 60 for the alpine. If I only did one run of 0 guage wire from the battery, I would need to fuse that line at whatever the max draw of the amps would be right? So figure I would need to fuse rating of 220 amps. Also, an inline fuse rating of 150 amp should be fine for the sundown amp too right? I know they are rated for 160 but I'm positive I will never even get close to that with daily music liistening habbits. At least I hope I don't even come close to the max amp draw. Also, just need an estimate of amp draw I will be experiencing from the setup. I am only using 2 channels of the four channel amp, so I think I would be able to knock the 60 amp in half to 30. Then music power would roughly half that again right? So around 15 amp draw from the alpine amp for everyday music listening? Same thing for the sundown. Probably around 80 amp draw for daily listening, hopefully less. Unless I have read false information or really misunderstood it, I think that is how it works right? I am just trying to make sure the H.O. alternator (DC Power 180 amp) I am about to buy will be enough for daily driving to power this setup? The stock alternator on my car is 115 amp, and my current setup does pretty well on it. I will be upgrading the battery under the hood also, so I'm hoping that and the HO alternator will be enough so I do not need a secondary battery, as I don't really want to run a second one. Thanks again for the help on this, I appreciate it. Tony Nelson

My buddy wants a cheap system installed in his car. He already has a deck and speakers, just wants a little amp and a little bit of bass. His HU in an intro line Pioneer, bout a year old. It doesn't have a seperate sub out, but only has one pair of outputs. I know he wont have subwoofer control, but could you hook up the one pair of line outs (front) to the sub amp? I don't really see any reason why not, I've just never had to think about it before. Always had 3 sets of outputs. I know its probably a stupid question, but any help would be appreciated. Thanks

Damn!! Take it all off (Whats on the shelf behind it in the first pic )

its called an alternator pigtail. If I were you I would just go ahead and call DC Power and tell them your price range and vehicle. That is by far the easiest way. Think of it this way. Wouldnt you rather spend alittle more on a quality built alternator rather than cheap out and have to go through a couple alts before getting the product you want. do the right thing. Call DC I will definiately wait for DC to respond before making any decision. I want the most reliable piece I can get, and it sounds like that choice would be DC power. Thanks for all the help/information on this so far guys. I really do appreciate it.

I haven't yet looked into mechman, but I will. I have also noticed that alot of the HO alternators are "self exciting." It says you do not need to hook up any wires except the power out to the battery. How does this effect the ECU in a car? It just seems like you would need to hook the car computer up to the alternator. Maybe I am wrong? Just alot of concerns as this will be in my daily driving car and I don't need anything to crap out on me.

I dont know if you said this earlier in your thread but what does the alt do at idle? When buying an HO alt, you want an alt that puts out a decent amount of power at low rpms. That is a good price, even though i have never owned one of there products. Have you tried contacting DC power for a quote? Nathan from Excessive said at idling it would be 120+. I have contacted DC power and am waiting patiently for a return. The more I read into all these differant companies the more I see that most HO alternators might not last for the long run? I guess I don't really see the point in spending good money for something that quits working in a year or so. Stock alternators last years in most cases, so maybe it is just a design? Also noticed alot of the companies just modify existing alternators and "beef them up" to be HO alternators. Doesn't sound reliable to me, but then again this is a topic I do not know much about.

Excessive Amperage quoted me $330 for a 200 amp alternator that would be made to fit my car. Is that a good price? Should I look elsewhere?

yeah there CS isnt bad when they are trying to move there products. But when customers try to ship there products back because they dont fit the right vehicle, thats when they try to add on more costs good point

Their customer support hasn't been bad so far. I contacted DC Power and Excessive Amperage and will wait to see what they say.

I was looking at this Alternator. It states 110Amps at idle and full output at 1200 RPM. I drive a 2008 Dodge Avenger and spoke with Mike at that website and he said that would fit my car without much fab work. I figured I would check here first though to see what people thought of it.

Thanks. My buddy ordered one last night and I might pick up another for myself. Thanks for the info

I didn't realized these were still up on the sight for sale. I notice that it says they are the old school X's, does that mean the same ones that were for sale last year during black friday? I would love to get another 12 to match the one I bought last year, even though I have no need for it.

No one knows?

Just looking for opinions on these components. I have searched all over and can't really find any reviews. Just checking on here to see if anyone has heard a pair. I'm sure they have decent mid-bass just by looking by the design.

I was just wondering as they could be had for about $280. Are there better offerings in that price range? I have read that the tweeter is laid back so that is a plus to me. My current alpine Type-R's just scream. I have them turned down all the way on XO and EQ'd down on my deck and they still seem too loud. Tons, but depends on needs and mounting locations. I'd never pay that for those. Currently the woofers are mounted in the stock door location and the tweeters on the dash. I probably wouldn't change from those locations as I do not want to modify the doors or cut any holes elsewhere.

I was just wondering as they could be had for about $280. Are there better offerings in that price range? I have read that the tweeter is laid back so that is a plus to me. My current alpine Type-R's just scream. I have them turned down all the way on XO and EQ'd down on my deck and they still seem too loud.

Ok. Well I found some box dimensions that will work for me. The only thing I need feedback on is wether or not I will lose much output or any at all by switching to the two 10's?

I have been running my IA Death Row 12 for about 4 months now. It is in a 2.1 cu ft box tuned to about 30 hz. I like how it sounds and like its output. I recently took a trip home (7 hrs) with my car loaded and thought what if I had to change a tire. I wouldn't be able to get my spare out without taking the box out. My backseat was also full of stuff and would have had to set the box out in the snow. I have been thinking about running two tens that work really well in small boxes. I have heard the Dayton subs and really like how they sound. Very clean and detailed bass. My only thing is that I do not want to lose much output by removing my Death Row for something else. I would try to do a ported box with the new tens, as I am now a ported box lover. Would I lose any output by switching to the Dayton RSS265HO-4's? They would be seeing the same amount of power, about 800 watts. I know that two tens have more cone area then one 12. Just never ran tens before and never switched to smaller drivers before. Any info, help, or ideas would be appreciated. Thanks, Tony Nelson

Here are the specs to the woofers: My link Dimensions are a little flexible. I want to try to keep it no deeper then 10 inches. Height cannot be greater then 14 inches due to trunk restrictions. This will be in a 2008 dodge avenger. I would only use internal ports. I listen to rock/rap mainly.

I have read that people are running them in as small as boxes as 0.5 cu ft - 0.7 cu ft. So in the middle would be about 1.2 cu ft plus port and woofer displacement. The width of the box I could get away with being the same. I would also be able to make the box shallower then my current box is. I realize that the port would have to be longer in a smaller box, but one could get creative with a port. If I can't fit them in a small enough box, I could run them sealed or do a completely differant subwoofer in a sealed box. I went from sealed to my ported DR and really do not want to go back to a sealed enclosure.

What about Incriminators 187 series? Looks like another decent entry/budget sub. A little cheaper then the dcon. Both would be nice I would think.