12 volt/ 16 volt system

[BigDaddy13440 3]

After reading through a bunch of threads at a truck forum I'm on, someone asked about running a 16v system separately to power their system. I know some of the trailer-queen competitors use unregulated amps and they can crank their voltages up to 16+, but is it possible to do it in a daily-driver? Does anyone make a high-output alternator that would sufficiently charge a 16V battery (like the Kinetic KHC16V), and still be OK for daily use? Would the Kinetic last if being used daily?

OR, would it be more beneficial to use a bunch of 12V batteries, dual or triple alts, and stay with regulated amps?

Edited January 25, 2011 by BigDaddy13440

[MalibuOn22s 37]

good Q...

I am sure some1 can shine some light on this though

[Sencheezy 689]

Very good Q, I was wondering the exact same thing. Going through this forum, I have read that some people will have one HO Alt for their car itself. And then the other two or one HO Alt will be tuned with the 16v system. I think some people could benefit from this system has it would give the amps more wattage output if they can handle that many Volt. (I think) Hopefully someone will chime in.

[CrazyKenKid 64]

After reading through a bunch of threads at a truck forum I'm on, someone asked about running a 16v system separately to power their system. I know some of the trailer-queen competitors use unregulated amps and they can crank their voltages up to 16+, but is it possible to do it in a daily-driver? Does anyone make a high-output alternator that would sufficiently charge a 16V battery (like the Kinetic KHC16V), and still be OK for daily use? Would the Kinetic last if being used daily?

OR, would it be more beneficial to use a bunch of 12V batteries, dual or triple alts, and stay with regulated amps?

if you go to 16v your thd goes up i believe i read once. if your amp is unregulated like a sundown amp the 16volt will yield more output from the amp. 16v is more geared towards burps, as for daily it is do-able just not a lot of people do it because it is expensive and 12v is already there and it is easier to do.

as for an alt contact DC alts on this forum (DC Rob i think his user name is) regarding 16v i am 99% positive he can hook you up on this.

most ppl who run 16v have to have a separate charging system aka 1 alt for 12v and 1 for 16v as your car runs on 12v's right and 16v would blow stuff. now you could just use a step up transformer that way you wouldn't need 2 charging systems in your car.

make sense?

[CrazyKenKid 64]

o and never stay with regulated amps! well i never would regulated is a joke in my opinion!

[ulrisa 26]

For high power systems, higher voltages are desirable. I say this because on at 12v system a 5000 watt amplifier at 1 ohm requires more current to produce 5000 watts rms than a 16v system would due to the bump up in voltage. You do not want your car to be at these high voltages however, because a 16 v system needs to be charging at around 18v. The computers in my car would fry (most likely), as I assume most other newer cars would. Like others have said, either dual alts or a step down transformer are required in order to have a 16v system for your audio. If you are doing a daily setup with a crazy amount of power I would go the 16v route, but make sure to do it properly.

[Julian 641]

Two main options, get step-downs to step-down the voltage to all of your 12v accessories, or run a stock and externally regulated output alternator, as said above since your running at a higher voltage there is less current pulled and more watts produced. In most cAses lArger amplifiers like the saz- series from sundown will run to 18v BUT most normal multichannel amps are around 15v max.

[Sir-Lancelot 216]

The only way I would run 16v is if I was VERY serious about competition in the higher SPL classes. Then it's pretty much a necessity because you will get your ass spanked on a 12v system.

On a daily system that maybe goes to some shows, not even worth doing it IMO.

[Julian 641]

The only way I would run 16v is if I was VERY serious about competition in the higher SPL classes. Then it's pretty much a necessity because you will get your ass spanked on a 12v system.

On a daily system that maybe goes to some shows, not even worth doing it IMO.

Or space issues as you can use smaller 16v batteries as the current draw will be much lower... It's something that takes a lot of planning.. And some know how.

[Impious 1,476]

The only way I would run 16v is if I was VERY serious about competition in the higher SPL classes. Then it's pretty much a necessity because you will get your ass spanked on a 12v system.

On a daily system that maybe goes to some shows, not even worth doing it IMO.

Or space issues as you can use smaller 16v batteries as the current draw will be much lower... It's something that takes a lot of planning.. And some know how.

By the time you factor in the increase in power as a result of bumping the voltage up to 16V, current draw would probably equal or exceed that of the same amplifier running at 13.8V-14.4V. Even excluding an increase in power, if we leave power constant the difference in current draw between 14.4V and 16V is going to be ~10%. And the increase in power would be 100% inaudible. Not worth the time or expense to try to do anything like this for a daily driver system. You're better off focusing on maintaining a proper "normal" voltage than trying to increase the voltage up to 16V+.

For competition it can make sense. For daily driver systems, it's complete waste.

[Julian 641]

The only way I would run 16v is if I was VERY serious about competition in the higher SPL classes. Then it's pretty much a necessity because you will get your ass spanked on a 12v system.

On a daily system that maybe goes to some shows, not even worth doing it IMO.

Or space issues as you can use smaller 16v batteries as the current draw will be much lower... It's something that takes a lot of planning.. And some know how.

By the time you factor in the increase in power as a result of bumping the voltage up to 16V, current draw would probably equal or exceed that of the same amplifier running at 13.8V-14.4V. Even excluding an increase in power, if we leave power constant the difference in current draw between 14.4V and 16V is going to be ~10%. And the increase in power would be 100% inaudible. Not worth the time or expense to try to do anything like this for a daily driver system. You're better off focusing on maintaining a proper "normal" voltage than trying to increase the voltage up to 16V+.

For competition it can make sense. For daily driver systems, it's complete waste.

Agreed very true, not really ideal for a daily scenario.. I was just attempting to rationalize a reason for a daily scenario Brad

[Impious 1,476]

o and never stay with regulated amps! well i never would regulated is a joke in my opinion!

There are advantages and disadvantages to both. To call one better than the other, or to call one a joke is, well.......a joke.

[Impious 1,476]

Agreed very true, not really ideal for a daily scenario.. I was just attempting to rationalize a reason for a daily scenario Brad

Some things have no rationalization

[CrazyKenKid 64]

i

o and never stay with regulated amps! well i never would regulated is a joke in my opinion!

There are advantages and disadvantages to both. To call one better than the other, or to call one a joke is, well.......a joke.

understandable I stand or rather sit corrected lol thanks for pointing that out

[BigDaddy13440 3]

As the OP, I remember that in the mid-80's, GM used a 24 volt electrical system on a bunch of the military Blazers and Diesels. There was a shop in Syracuse that did up a competition system in one of these, and used some modded PPI amps that were capable of running at 24 volts, powered by multiple 12v batteries in a series/parallel configuration.

IF it were possible to find one of these vehicles, THEORETICALLY would there be any advantage to run a 24V setup vs a 12V?

[BigDaddy13440 3]

As the OP, I remember that in the mid-80's, GM used a 24 volt electrical system on a bunch of the military Blazers and Diesels. There was a shop in Syracuse that did up a competition system in one of these, and used some modded PPI amps that were capable of running at 24 volts, powered by multiple 12v batteries in a series/parallel configuration.

IF it were possible to find one of these vehicles, THEORETICALLY would there be any advantage to run a 24V setup vs a 12V?

[Julian 641]

More wattage..

(volts)(amps)=wattage

So lets say you would have a theoretical draw of 200 amps... 200 amps x 24v = 4800w

Now times that by lets say... .75 accounting for efficiency at one ohm for a normal class d amp.

so that would give you 3600 watts from a smaller amplifier than a much larger one at 12v.

but not realistic... as one company i know of that makes 20v amplifiers is Stetsom.