ok guys.......quick run-down

i currently have, all of the gear in my signature in my car......

keys points
my monoblock loaded down for 2000rms daily
+ a mongoose alarm

ok.......i have zero guage wiring throughout (power, battery ground, amp ground).......i have not yet upgraded my engine->chassis ground however

it is also worth noting that i believe the original (23 year old) alternator is still in place......and that i am using a Supercheap battery i bought just this January, which cost me about $50 new........nothing fancy by any means

i plan to upgrade to an optima blue top in the next couple of weeks, as well as changing my current 16guage engine->chassis ground to zero guage.

problems i have
- dimming headlights (which should be fixed when i upgrade engine->chassis, and perhaps add another battery->chassis grounds)
- very little charge being left in the battery once the car is turned off
and/or
charge not being restored when the car is running

for example.......i cruised down the coast this morning.....sittin on about 3500revs for 20minutes until i was at my destination.......(i had to roll start my car this morning!!! (just as well i live on a hill))........get into the car at 10 30 tonite.....having only the blinking of my alarm light in the dash being on all day....and there's no hope of the engine turning over, battery's rooted

or....a new trick.......the deck turning off, as the car was running!!!......yes the stereo was turned up as i was cruising back on the M1.......(this happend to me at the last Harrys....i ran 2 dbdrags back to back, battery didnt have enough voltage to keep the deck on as soon as the tone began pretty much)

maybe someone could explain it to me, but as far as i can think about it now (after workin 13 hours today)...........battery is charged, start the car initially using charge, once the car is running, the alternator re-charges the battery (/wateva)..........is this all correct?

can anyone think of any reason why this battery is dying after being left sitting all day or nite?

and, the optima is a definate within the next couple of weeks........but does it sound like i need a new alternator also?

if so......it wouldnt be worth buying one off a Celica as old as mine would it now? (im more than happy to go to the wreckers).........where can i look to find prices on these things?.......how much would a sufficient one cost approximately? (new one...nothing flash, just that works).........and....how much trouble is it to change an alternator?

cheers in advance.....hopefully i'd made my questions clear enough....and explained the situation suitably too

double check all grounds, double check the alarm wiring, making sure it isnt shorted, draining more current than it should.

if the alt isnt recharging the batt right, either the alt, the battery or the charge wire from alt the batt is rooted

hmm...alrighty

i would think the alarm should be all sorted correctly...i have faith in Chris (audio_express)

but one thing i will check....is alternator to battery.....hadnt even thought about it.....i might see if i can run some of the spare 8 guage i have between them (or does the cable come directly from inside the alt?)

cheers for the quick response

misses car does the same as this her batt can sirt one night with hber alarm and it goes flat, but after i ripped out the two amps that were in it and the sub her battery is fine now. i would say just upgrade ya battery

also check how many amp ya altinator is as ya altinator can only replace that many amps into the battery at a time. say ya alt can charge at 80amps a minute (just example) and ya stereo at 2000wrms would def suck bout 120amps a minute then yeah ya battery isnt gonna hold all its charge for long and the ultinator cant replace it as quick as its being used.

but if ya batt goes flat and ya start it and can drive it for hours without it dying and the car stalling then ya altinator is fine and its the battery that needs to be up-graded.

but yeah easy way just duck into an auto leccy and ask him to wack a batt tester on it and check if it fine and to check ya altinator. best way to find out

grrr......

engine --> chassis = 8ga
alternator --> battery = stock + <8ga run with in-line 60amp fuse>

lettin her run for a bit now that thats done...see if she'll start

optima will come in a couple of days

(alarm is now all installed though....as well as a boot release and central locking.......old Sillycar has a bit of new charm lol)

btw...even with that engine to chassis upgrade to 8ga, headlights are dimming.....new batt possibly make any difference?

i'm haven simaler problems enzo
though my system wont say on if brake, indercators or headlights are turned on
i'm thinking it had something to do with the broken negative trminal that i just replaced today
i'm going to a mates tomorrow that has a battery/altornator checker that i'll use to check out the altornator
regards,
Nate

when the car's running, the engine pulls about 15 to 20 amps on its own.
2x 100W headlights = 16 Amps

head unit + front amp(s) = 10 Amps
Sub running about 500W continuous (this is DAMN LOUD for street use) = 80 Amps

Ok, so this adds up to (approx) 125 Amps.

So any alternator less than 120 Amp will not charge the battery at night, and then only leaves about 10 Amps to charge the battery in daytime driving.

You'd need a 200Amp alternator to keep the battery up - and then another 10horsepower of engine to turn it round (like using the aircon = fuel economy too).

On a rainy night, add another 20 amps or more for heater /demister fan and wipers.

lol i running 3000w continous just about at 13.8v i thought it was pretty average?

You need to check your actual power usage - and considering people with less power than that doing over 140dB.... you're either mad or not getting 3000W.

lol i fixed my problem just needed new bigger earth cableing between my battery and chassis
lol
regards,
Nate

a COMMON misconception

amps aren't like a light switch, i.e. they're not 0wrms then suddenly 3000wrms.

your amps may have the ability to run 3000wrms, but unless you're playing a sine wave at full tilt at the lowest rated impedence, you're unlikely to be seeing 3000wrms.

playing music, you'd be lucky to see 300-500wrms

- Stooge007 out