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Bronze Member Username: Hex0rzPost Number: 15 Registered: Oct-05 | Hey all. I've got a Mazda B2200 1989 X-cab. The alternator is stock. I only have a marginal battery in it right now. I do not currently have my system installed and running but I still would like to know things in advance. Space is limited with this vehicle. So the more I know before-hand the better. My question is: Whether or not I'll have enough power to run my system efficiently. Right now, I bet you are saying hell no. Well I agree. Instead of getting rid of my marginal battery, I was thinking of keeping it since I bought it almost a year ago. That and the fact its in there to keep the truck running until I start driving it. I have two MTX Thunder 7500's with each its own MTX TA3401 amp. A combined total of 800 watts RMS. Before I begin, I would like to state this: I took a stop at Autozone, and asked the guys there on what I should do. He recommended that I buy an isolator with a deep cycle marine battery. He said there should be no problem using it in conjuction with my system. Ehh, it seems feasible. Although, I've never heard about using a marine battery. My thoughts on my options: 1. Buy the marine battery and an isolator and call it good. If this is'nt efficient enough, take my alternator in to get it re-wound. 2. Or just buy a capacitor. 3. Or mix these variables in with each other to provide sufficient current. I really do not know what to do, and would greatly appreciate your help on this! I ask you this in advance because I need to know what I need in order to start fabricating my interior to fit things accordingly. |
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Bronze Member Username: GezyonHavelock, NC United States Post Number: 18 Registered: Nov-05 | Alright, to start off, if you put a new battery in the back it is normally a good idea to have a new battery up front under the hood. It does not have to be a marine battery up front and back. My advice to you, is for now: 1. Buy a Yellow Top Optimum battery if you are going to run an extra one for just the system. The main thing that you need to watch for with the battery is make sure it is a Deep Cycle Battery. Stay with the YELLOW TOP if possible, do not get a red top!! 2. I would at least get a 1-1.5 or even 2 farad cap to put on the system, you dont need one for each amp, just at least 1 farad for every 1000 watts you are going to be pushing. 3. About the alternator, it probably wouldnt hurt to have it re-wound or even upgrade to a new one that is a little bigger. You dont need a High Output alternator unless you are going to be putting a lot more stuff in there and a bigger system. 4. About the isolator, you will need this only if you are going to be keeping the older battery up front and just buying a new one for the rear, as long as they are the same CCA (cold cranking amps) or close and new you wouldnt meed the isolator. They also do not have to be the same batteries either. If it was me, with your system that you are running... I would just go and buy a yellow top optimum battery for under the hood, and a 2 farad cap or bigger for by the amp and I would make sure you are running a suffecient gauge wire to run the system. That is about it, just make sure you run everything good and make sure it is all grounded good. After doing this if it is pulling too much on the alternator and dimming your lights a lot, I would take and add the extra battery down the road, but from what you said you have, you should be good as gravy doing this. Hope this helps. |
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Bronze Member Username: Hex0rzPost Number: 16 Registered: Oct-05 | Thanks for giving me your insight. Although, the guys at Autozone recommended me not to go with the Optima batteries. He said they go bad very easily. They kind of got into a dispute with each other over it but still came to the same conclusion. Something about how the cells can blow. I would like to keep my marginal battery up front. Simply because I don't think I would be able to fit a marine battery in the front. Haha. And another battery that would be the right amount to run my truck right would cost about another $100. I could buy the marine deep cycle for cheaper then that. I'm thinking about a cap, but I don't know what to go with thats is also cost efficient. Streetwires has caps but I dunno how much they are. I think I'm going to have my alt. re-wound because I'm sure it lost quit a bit of power over the 16 years its been in there. Especially because it is so small. I don't think I'll be able to get a bigger alt. because I have been looking everywhere to find a better one for my truck and had no success. Believe me, I'm spending good money on good parts to make my system right the first time. One more question. I don't understand the whole isolator thing. If I were to get one, it would allow me to use my front(marginal) battery to start the truck and then switch it to the rear(marine) which allows me to use the battery for my sound system. And if this is correct, that means I would have to connect my power cable to that battery instead of the front one. Right? |
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Bronze Member Username: GezyonHavelock, NC United States Post Number: 19 Registered: Nov-05 | OK, here is a web site on optimum batteries.... http://www.1st-optima-batteries.com Also try http://www.exide.com/products/automotive/exide_select_orbital_XCD.html Use those websites to read up on the batteries a little, the Marine Batteries are good, but I would stay with the Yellow Top or even the Exide ones. If the optimum batteries are "soo" bad according to the autozone, you might want to consider who you are talking too, because in almost any "big system" vehicle, even in the vehicles in the world sound competitions they use optimum batteries the "yellow tops." So if you want to know more about the batteries read up a little. Also if they are such a "crappy battery then why would they be so expensive, dont you think they would be cheaper?? You get what you pay for is all I can say. Believe you me, I sat and debated the whole battery thing myself for a while because I didnt want to spend 175-200 dollars on a battery, but I did some reading and came to the conclusion and I bought one, and I would not take it back for nothing! Having the alternator re-wound is a good thing, cannot go wrong, but look into a High Output alternator, because depending on the cost you might be better getting one of those vice getting it re-wound. If you have any questions about the batteries, I would be calling a audio install store near you and ask them. About the Cap, it really doenst matter what name brand you go with, just as long as you have at least 1 farad for each 1000 watts, but also at the same time, it would be a good idea to have one cap for each amp also. The isolator is mainly for when you are running two different batteries, you dont have to have one when you are running an extra battery, the only time that you would need one, is if you listen to you vehicle with it off for long periods of times, so you wouldnt run the batteries dead while listening to it, and then not being able to start you vehicle. |