I need more POWAH!!!!!

I just want to start a decision thread about alternators, since we have some pros that have recently come out and joined to help. In my particular truck, it is a 5.3L V8 full size gm, I have considered a few options. My current demand is around 800 amps, 500 continuous on music. What is your suggestion?

Currently running just one alt(~220 amp) on 12 volt system. Two xs3100 by the amps and one stock style xs underhood. Ok GO!!!!

I don't think you got very far

I would do at least 4 more batts before adding a 2nd alt. Im assuming you have an aftermarket alt now? I would say a 2nd aftermarket alt would help but the batts will help you more than an alternator.

Get a toolbox for the bed of your truck and load that sucker down with some batts

Reason I ask, I can get a deal on a quad alt setup with 3 more alts, they do 150 at idle, and 230 at 1200 rpm, so with my alt I have, that would be 550 at idle and over 900 at 1200 and up. Good or bad idea? That coupled with batts, good or bad, and then lets throw 18 volts in the equation and what kind of response for that? These are what I am faced with currently, I don't want to spend money in the wrong direction. And rob I am all over the tool box idea.

And terry, yes I have an aftermarket now, it does 100 amps at idle and around 220 at 2k that is the best I could get out of it on the other setup, memphis 2500 watt amp, I haven't clamped it on this setup yet so it maybe doing more, it is supposed to a 350 amp alt, but I doubt it.

I have learned that the 220-230 amp alts are the ones you want for gm's since they put out more at idle then the larger rated alts.

Just depends on how good of a deal the quad setup is. If you have the right batteries i dont see going from 2-4 alts helping you much unless your adding alot more power than what you have now. And I highly dont recommend street playing any amp on 18v, some people may say differant but trust me your just gonna run into a big headache in the long run with charging systems etc. for a daily 18v system.

I am dropping to 10.5 volts right now and with that much alt, that should be no drop, or maybe a half a volt if my math is right. So that should help, no?

My plan is to eventually add more amps, at least two more at the very least. Possibly more. What is bad about daily 18 volt, is that hard on the amp playing music on 18 volt? My thought was it would be better, voltage keeps thing happy. I could be way off. Asking before doing will save me more then the big headache later...LOL Tell me more!!!!

What would be a good deal on the quad setup to you?

If you can get the quad setup with brackets and everything installed for $1200 or less then your doin good. If you had more batteries now your drop wouldnt be as bad. I would recommend 2-3 of those batts per amp for daily. Well theres a few differant ways to run a 18v setup. You can charge straight off an alternator with external regulator, which you would only be able to use 3 of 4. You can use some sort of step down module, you can use 3 post 18v batts. Anyways heres how I would look at it. For burps 18v is great, for daily itll add moere stress and lessin the life of your amps. Another thing is you can get those xs3100's for around the same price as the d1000's and when your done or want to sell them you can use them for other cars or sell, which a 12v battery will sell faster than a 16v anyday of the week. I know a few people that have tried an 18v setup with step down module and all that and they just had one problem after another with the modules, amps, and alt.

I can get the quad bracket with three alts and all hardware and belt and harness from my VCM for 1300 shipped to my door. Then I install it, which I can handle the install part. So if I did that and then add like 4 or 6 more 3100's and I would be golden?

sorry andrew had to do it

bruce leroy wrote:

sorry andrew had to do it

Where can I get one of those?

bruce leroy wrote:

sorry andrew had to do it

you know.. they actually make some of those for cars to step up a 12volt system to 16volts for the audio stuff.

fritosaregood wrote:

you know.. they actually make some of those for cars to step up a 12volt system to 16volts for the audio stuff.

A flux capacitor with 121.1 GIGA WATTS!?! I so gotta have one

i think this beats any them bling bling caps out there. What you guys think? flux capacitor

$229.69 sound like a steal

James Reed wrote:

i think this beats any them bling bling caps out there. What you guys think? flux capacitor

$229.69 sound like a steal

I like how is says, batteries included...NO....LOL

AMI CUSTOMS wrote:

bruce leroy wrote:

sorry andrew had to do it

Where can I get one of those?

ebay haz everything

AMI CUSTOMS wrote:

I can get the quad bracket with three alts and all hardware and belt and harness from my VCM for 1300 shipped to my door. Then I install it, which I can handle the install part. So if I did that and then add like 4 or 6 more 3100's and I would be golden?

Sounds like a plan!! 3 batts per amp plus the stock and the alts and you shouldnt have any voltage issues.

even if your alt will but out 220 amps there is no way it will do that continuous. i say upgrade your batteries. money well spent. alt will handle alot but ifyour pulling that kind of amperage over time something will go hiroshima on you dude. you stiffen up your batterys and the alts only job will be putting the powah back in .

think of it like a water supply, your alt is a fire hydrant your batterys is a swimming pool and your amps are a water hose. if you hook the hose up to the hydrant and it will supply 220 gphyou will get 220gph all the time. if you hook the hydrant up to the pool (say 2000 gallons) you can pull all you want till the pool drops considerably. the hydrant will refill. so in thery you can pull more than the hydrant can give no problem and it will recover.

solo1 wrote:

AMI CUSTOMS wrote:

I can get the quad bracket with three alts and all hardware and belt and harness from my VCM for 1300 shipped to my door. Then I install it, which I can handle the install part. So if I did that and then add like 4 or 6 more 3100's and I would be golden?

Sounds like a plan!! 3 batts per amp plus the stock and the alts and you shouldnt have any voltage issues.

Yeah, my thoughts as well, talked to a guy today with a 01 tahoe, same year as my sierra, with the quad 230 amp alt setup and VCM, same batts as me, he is running an american bass 1000.1 wired at .5 ohm, and has no voltage drop at over 1000 rpm, at idle he has .5 drop, he is running same batt as me underhood, and same as me in the rear, only difference is he has 3 xs3100s and I have two. I am leaning more and more toward this setup with 4 more xs3100 in the bed. Oh man time to order LOTS more wire too.......LOL

don't forget your toolbox

I am gonna get the alts and all that stuff first, toolbox and additional batts later.

I would do a tonnoeu cover or however you spell it..lol. It probably wont cost much more than a tool box and you can lock it as well, looks alot better than a tool box. www.knukonceptz.com has some cheap 1/0 flex stuff now.

I ordered all the stuff a few days ago, got a roll of stinger 0 that showed up today along with some more fuses and fuse blocks, also 50 more crimp rings....just waiting on the quad kit, should be here next week.

What are fuses?? LOL!