Hi I am wondering how to setup multiple batteries and if it is even worth it. For instance if you go to the Optima battery site and click on the deep cycle(yellow tops) and you see a pic of a group of them all hooked up. How do you power all of these batteries and is it even worth the time and money? Or is it better just to get a new red top? Thank you for any advice
If you do not have a high output alternator an additional battery will only increase your play time. Also an additional battery will only draw more current from alternator and eventually kill the alt. Suggest a High output alt.
firsts whats your system consist of ? adding additional batterys isnt hard by any means and is covered on Bcae1.com ,, really ths first upgrade anyone should consider is a high output alternator (not caps not batterys not batcaps) but depending upon what you have there is the possibility that a single extra battery could help but only if you want to be able to play the system for longer periods of time while the car itself is off but if you really feel you need a better battery or more batterys i would choose a kinetics monster over three optimas anyday
what you should do really all depends on what your running so get back to me with that info and ill give you some advice because i also understand that if the system only cost around 5 bills it might be a bit of a stretch to put in a alternator that could cost you upwards of 5 bills itself so it really depends on what you have as to how you should address the power needs
The whole 'will only help running your system with the vehicle turned off' thing, is true, and untrue, as well.
You have to remember, a lot of people do a large amount of city driving, and with many HO alternators, at your engines normal idle RPM's - their alternator might be just as idle as their car. Adding a second battery, can help regulate your voltage during long red lights, or a lot of stop-and-go traffic.
This is mainly an issue when you're running high amperage sound systems, and mainly have your car audio system to show off, etc. I know a lot of people who at a red light, is really when they want to flex their muscle, etc. Whatever floats their boat, as long as it's not 3am! But being idle for 60 seconds, driving 100 feet, to another red light, and being stuck at another light, can very easily put the strain on a normal, or even single aftermarket battery with a HO alt that dosnt kick on until like 1200 RPM or whatever. Especially considering that dropping your batteries voltage, could easily cause clipping to occur, and eventually damage your expensive car audio speakers/subwoofers.
I'm personally running three yellow top optima's in my firechicken (unisolated), and couldnt be happier, honestly. I know a lot of people say kinetiks are better, but I have no experience with them. All I can say is I'm loving my yellow tops.
Also, an extra battery can act as a kind of capacitor, still higher ESR, but when installed within a couple feet of your amplifiers - still drastically cuts the resistance from like 15 feet of wiring.
Ok, and to clarify something. The charge you'd be getting from a battery in the rear - is still only going to be like 12.6 volts, not your alternators 14.4 -> since the source of the 14.4 volts is still going to have the same amount of resistance.
However - something to keep in mind, is a fully charged battery also keeps a bit of a surface charge on it, almost like the extra power a capacitor could give you if added alone.. (Don't believe me? Have your batteries fully charged, drive around for a few minutes letting your alternator run, then stop, and immediately check your voltage. It'll often times be 13.5+ for a few minutes afterwards, until whatever small amounts of power your car consumes when it's off uses it.)
Seth thats true about the added batterys being helpful dureing stops and i should hve mentioned that but it slipped my mind ( havnt been around the site much so im off my game lol ) thanks for taken up the slack tho