Electrical upgrade question

[theo111 0]

Hey I just made an all new setup in my car. I have 2 skar audip vvx 12s in a 3.7 ft box tuned to 34 hz running off a crescendo bc2k. I have a 100 amp alt not sure if its stock and a northstar agm battery. its pretty much an xs3400. I aslo hace the big 3 done in 1/0 gauge. The setup is alright but it just doesn't slam as hard as I expected. I used to run one of the vvx 12s on a kicker zx1000.1 with the gajn and bass boost like 3/4 up and bassboost and loudness on on my deck and it would slam just as hard as these do now. Iy did burn the voice coil after about 2-3 months though so I learned my lesson about all yhose settings and clipping. Now I just use the bass knob with the gain maxed out on yhe amp and I adjust the knob for everu track so the clipping light doesn't come on. all my eqs are flat, no loudness no bassboost on the amp or hu and I never get a burning smell but they just don't slam thaat loud. This is making me want to up it to 1 ohm and run the full power of the amp. My question is will my car be able to run the amp at 1 ohm as is or wjll I need to upgrade something? Also if anyone has any suggestions on makjng my setup sound louder without fryjng it I'm open to it. Also is it okay to be usjng the bass knob like that? adjusting it for every song?

[Jason Witt 65]

The amplifier would be drawing around 150A running at full power. I would suggest a secondary battery.

[ricksi30 923]

The clipping lights are pretty useless. What are your actual box specs? (not just the tuning and size)

[theo111 0]

Why do you say the clipping light js useless? the box is about 36" wide, a foot deep and 2 feet high. its the net volume that is 3.7 and I have the subs and port facing the roof.

about getting a second battery, doesn't that only help for playing them when the engine js off? I'd love to be able to jusr buy a battery instead of an alternator but I heard its not the best solution

[Jason Witt 65]

Having a secondary battery adds reserve and delivers large amounts of current upon demand. I would never advise blasting your gear without the engine running for daily use. As for clipping lights, the ear is a much better device to detect clipping in your subs IMO.

[shizzzon 461]

Clipping lights work on solid sine wave test tones accurately only.

When using them to detect clipping with a dynamic signal, they will be less accurate.

[theo111 0]

So basically I can play it with the light going off and be okay? as long as its not audibly clipping of couese. I had my box made at dc creations so ill enail them for the full specs on it

[pmureika 31]

what ohm load do you have the subs wired to?

Plus I would double check your speakers to make sure they are wired correctly and you have the phase right.

Edited January 19, 2013 by pmureika

[theo111 0]

oh they're definitely wired correctly. they sound pretty damn clean and they do go kinda loud and spin the cans around in my cup holders on some songs (any song if i ignore the clipping light) I followed the diagram from crutchfield for a 2 ohm load with 2 2 ohm dvc subs to the letter.

If I were to just add another identical battery it shoild be sufficient for 2200 watts at 1 ohm?

[pmureika 31]

oh they're definitely wired correctly. they sound pretty damn clean and they do go kinda loud and spin the cans around in my cup holders on some songs (any song if i ignore the clipping light) I followed the diagram from crutchfield for a 2 ohm load with 2 2 ohm dvc subs to the letter.

If I were to just add another identical battery it shoild be sufficient for 2200 watts at 1 ohm?

You can"t do one ohm you would have to stay at 2ohms or go to .5 ohms. Edited January 19, 2013 by pmureika

[theo111 0]

If I were to go to one ohm I'd buy 2 Fi BLs, ssds or icons first

[pmureika 31]

All great choices. I would add a second batt and upgrade your alt.

[theo111 0]

I'm debating on the alternator, I got a quote from singer and they said 439 shipped for a direct bolt on 190amp alt. mechman has nothjng for my car and I don't know where to get an adapter bracket made aroubd here. the problem is I don't reallly ljke my car and probly wjll want to get a new one soon and an alternator won't be somethj g j could transfer into a new car or get my money back for throygh selling it. I was hoping I'd be able to get by with just a second batteru for now but I might seriously consider getting an alternator. Just how nuch of an jncrease in output should I expect going from 2 vvxs at 1100 watts to 2 of those subs I listed at 2200 watts? would it be worth the money spent?

[pmureika 31]

I would say for the money you would have to spend your not going to gain much decible wise, but those other speakers would sure sound better then skars!

[theo111 0]

Alright well i guess its time to save uo some more dough. Thanks everyone for your input

[Welterc50 0]

Having a secondary battery adds reserve and delivers large amounts of current upon demand. I would never advise blasting your gear without the engine running for daily use. As for clipping lights, the ear is a much better device to detect clipping in your subs IMO.

I would go with the extra battery to be honest.. And I totally agree with brutalbasser when it comes to running the engine.. HOWEVER I do not reccomend using your ears to detect clipping.. Just because you cant hear it does not mean its not there.. I am not saying the light is worth a damn either but it looks for DC voltage, something you most likely wont hear if the light is barely coming on, especially with music.. I suggest using a DD1 and setting your gains and forgetting that bass knob.. Get yourself a RCA control knob and turn it all the way up, then set your gains. Then you can adjust accordingly.. Leaving a gain knob all the way up is a dangerous thing for an amp especially if you have a good amount of preout voltage..

[Welterc50 0]

Having a secondary battery adds reserve and delivers large amounts of current upon demand. I would never advise blasting your gear without the engine running for daily use. As for clipping lights, the ear is a much better device to detect clipping in your subs IMO.

I would go with the extra battery to be honest.. And I totally agree with brutalbasser when it comes to running the engine.. HOWEVER I do not reccomend using your ears to detect clipping.. Just because you cant hear it does not mean its not there.. I am not saying the light is worth a damn either but it looks for DC voltage, something you most likely wont hear if the light is barely coming on, especially with music.. I suggest using a DD1 and setting your gains and forgetting that bass knob.. Get yourself a RCA control knob and turn it all the way up, then set your gains. Then you can adjust accordingly.. Leaving a gain knob all the way up is a dangerous thing for an amp especially if you have a good amount of preout voltage..

[Welterc50 0]

Having a secondary battery adds reserve and delivers large amounts of current upon demand. I would never advise blasting your gear without the engine running for daily use. As for clipping lights, the ear is a much better device to detect clipping in your subs IMO.

I would go with the extra battery to be honest.. And I totally agree with brutalbasser when it comes to running the engine.. HOWEVER I do not reccomend using your ears to detect clipping.. Just because you cant hear it does not mean its not there.. I am not saying the light is worth a damn either but it looks for DC voltage, something you most likely wont hear if the light is barely coming on, especially with music.. I suggest using a DD1 and setting your gains and forgetting that bass knob.. Get yourself a RCA control knob and turn it all the way up, then set your gains. Then you can adjust accordingly.. Leaving a gain knob all the way up is a dangerous thing for an amp especially if you have a good amount of preout voltage..

[theo111 0]

If my clipping light is going off does that mean my amp is definitely clipping then? Since its producing DC voltage i cant hear? But the clipping light is worthless because the amp can be clipping even when the light isnt going off?

Or is it that the clipping light usually goes off before the amp clips?

And Welter, your saying you believe I can run 2200 watts off just a second battery without buying the 190a alt?

[malonkevio 0]

Thanks everyone for your input

[Welterc50 0]

If my clipping light is going off does that mean my amp is definitely clipping then? Since its producing DC voltage i cant hear? But the clipping light is worthless because the amp can be clipping even when the light isnt going off?

Or is it that the clipping light usually goes off before the amp clips?

And Welter, your saying you believe I can run 2200 watts off just a second battery without buying the 190a alt?

In the engineering world its something called TOLERANCE..  Most everything has a tolerance it is built to, and the clipping light on your amplifier is NO exception.  Some engineer somewhere had to decide what level of distortion that little light turns on at (music can have some naturally).  And since that does not monitor the output at the speaker terminals, IMO that is not the same at all.  If you would like you can do the old BOSE test as I call it (bose used to do this with their speakers) and wire a 12V DOME light in series to your subwoofer.  Traditional AC current (un-clipped signal) will pass through the bulb without lighting it, however DC current (clipped signal) will light the bulb,and the bulb will eliminate the DC voltage from the system.  If you really must know whether or not that pointless little LED is worth a damn, do this and see which lights first.  More often than not the lightbulb has less TOLERANCE for clipping than that LED does (cleaner signal).  Also, I am not saying you can run 2200 watts off just the 2nd battery ALL DAY.  But, if you only have the cash for one or the other, when that amplifier pulls 200+AMPS and overruns your alt at full blast, your voltage wont PLUMMET as fast it can.  And the 2nd battery will maintain a better voltage for longer, however it will take longer to re-charge with the smaller alt.  For daily use the 2nd battery is better because you usually need a quick burst of power and cannot afford to wait for your ECU to react and crank up the alt's regulator, because by then your already on that battery power and your alt is overrun anyways.