If you want to upgrade your car’s audio system, you should also keep the car audio alternator in mind.
It will be highly essential if your new sound system draws more power than the current system, which happens most of the time.
Though you can directly go for the car audio system, buying the right size alternator requires some calculations.
In this case, a car audio alternator calculator will be your way to go. That’s the topic we have covered in this article along with all the required info.
The Role Of Alternator
The alternator has to produce all the essential energy. It’s a part of an engine that runs the electric systems and charges the battery.
However, the alternator that comes with the car can’t handle loud and high-fidelity noises.
Despite if you install a bigger and more powerful amp without making any essential power adjustments; the car will start delivering insufficient power to some of its devices.
It means you can experience, dimming headlights, flickering dash lights, and poor response from the subwoofer.
What Size Alternator Do You Need?
The best decision is to keep the volume at a tolerable level for the alternator. If you desire a powerful sound with a powerful amp, these are the options you have:
Install A Stiffening Capacitor
This appliance stores electrical charges through its series of conductive plates, making it comparable with a battery.
Amplifiers can deliver more power than the capacity of the charging system to which they are connected.
In this case, subwoofers are slightly problematic as they contain low frequencies and need more energy to produce.
Despite this, stiffening offers a storage tank of emergency current to the amplifier of the car to run at a higher output level.
However, a capacitor is only a viable solution if you notice flickering lights or a diminished bass response at high volumes.
But if the system draws too much power at mid or low volumes, the stiffening capacitor won’t work.
Install A High-Output Alternator
If your current sound system draws more energy than the capability of the alternator, it means you should invest in a higher output alternator.
Installing a high-output alternator can be an effective solution in most cases, but it’s quite expensive and suitable for louder audio systems.
This’ll deliver the required amount of current to the high-performance audio system without compromising the electronics of the car.
However, the size of the high-output alternator largely depends on the electrical needs of the car to operate the audio system.
In general, a 250 to 300-amp high-output alternator is capable enough to deliver the required power to the car’s audio system.
Though you can consult with a professional mechanic to determine the right alternator, following the instructions in this section will help make the decision safe and educated.
Capacity Considerations
When determining the amount of amps the alternator should produce, you must start by measuring the amount of extra power the audio system needs along with the available system.
Following the formula will let you find out the approximate amount in the simplest manner:
Amps x volts = watts
For example, if your car has a 2,000-watt amp and a minimum voltage of 13.5V, you should add around 150 amps of electrical system demand.
Regardless, measure the amps that the rest of the car can draw and then add them to the sound system.
The total amps you’ll find will be the approximate amount of maximum power that a car can draw. It’ll also indicate the right size alternator you’ll need.
In truth, the sound system varies based on the car.
So it’ll be wise to talk to the professional to figure out the right size.
Idle Vs. Rated Output
For the car audio system and high-output alternator, the rated output is the amount of current it delivers at higher RPM. It’s a type of engine activity that exists at highway speeds.
If the car engine is idling and running at lower RPM, it will deliver only a fraction of the amp. Sometimes, the alternator can produce only 50% of the rated output.
That’s why many car owners experience difficulties like flickering lights while idling their car at a stoplight or in traffic.
The reason behind this situation is that the car requires maximum power while the alternator remains at its lowest productive capacity.
In this case, running the car at a lower RPM and turning the volume down at the same time can fix the issue. Despite this, a higher amp alternator is also an effective option.
FAQs
What Size Alternator Is Required For The 3000-Watt Amplifier?
If your car has a 3000-watt amp and the minimum voltage is 12V, the required amp is 250A according to the formula. This will let your engine work harder as a 3KW portable generator to handle the amplifier. That’s why a large fuel tank is preferable.
What Size Alternator Is Required For 1000 Watts?
A common rule of thumb is that you’ll require 100 amps of current for every 1000 watts. You can also determine the exact amount by following the formula mentioned above.
Final words
For a car audio system, the more power it’ll get the more sound I’ll produce.
If you are keen to enjoy loud music with a huge bass response, you must have a big amplifier, subwoofer, and ample power to run.
That’s why you need a high output alternator and applying a car audio alternator calculator will make the process easy.
Lastly, determining the car audio alternator is a complicated process, so it’ll be better to leave the job expert enthusiast.
