Normal Voltages?

[Freebeer187]

According to my escort radar detector:

*The heat and heated seat is on the through every scenario*

-In the day time (no lights on obviously) my car is pushing 13.6+ voltswhile driving and playing music loud with a single subwoofer/amp (hits good but not super powerful/loud).

-At a stop light (daytime) with the music loud/sub the car puts out 13.0 +/- a few.

-At night while driving its the same as during the day

-At night at a stop light, with music loud/sub on, the voltages will sit around 12 volts when the sub does not hit (or is not on). When the sub hits good it gets as low as 10.9 volts. Also, it seems like the air (heat in cabin) seems to increase as soon as the pedal is touched.

Does this sound normal? Would you suggest a capacitor for the subwoofer?

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[TommyGloves]

Might be your alternator getting weak or a ground issue. Have you done the Big 3 wiring upgrade?

 

[JDHedman]

+1 on the big three. Also what gauge wire are you running and how many amperes are your amp/s drawing? Is your power wire connected to The battery or a junction point? What size ground and how long is the ground?

 

[Freebeer187]

Might be your alternator getting weak or a ground issue. Have you done the Big 3 wiring upgrade?

3 big wiring upgrade?? Whats that?

+1 on the big three. Also what gauge wire are you running and how many amperes are your amp/s drawing? Is your power wire connected to The battery or a junction point? What size ground and how long is the ground?

The gauge is pretty thick. I dont know the gauge but its about the size of a quater (coin). The power wire is connected to the battery, NOT the junction point (fuse box looking thing). The ground is a fairly thick speaker cable... Yeah it needs work.

edit - found some good info here: link! and no I have not done this.

 

[ldyzluvdis06]

first of all you need to turn down the stereo when it gets that low. not many amps are stable below 12v and you will burn up the amp.

here is a link to the big 3: http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Big-3-Car-Audio-Wiring-Upgrade&id=1411196

you could also do this: http://zzperformance.com/grand_prix/articles1.php?id=48

and this: http://zzperformance.com/grand_prix/products1.php?id=178&catid=108 (make this yourself with 1/0 wire)

and i have this i would sell for cheap: http://www.3800performance.com/Merc...=CASPERS-VVB&Category_Code=EC&Product_Count=9

my buddies grandprix idles at 16v with stock alt. (he doesn't have the casper volt booster, i was just throwing it out there that i had it)

 

[Freebeer187]

first of all you need to turn down the stereo when it gets that low. not many amps are stable below 12v and you will burn up the amp.

here is a link to the big 3: http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Big-3-Car-Audio-Wiring-Upgrade&id=1411196

you could also do this: http://zzperformance.com/grand_prix/articles1.php?id=48

and this: http://zzperformance.com/grand_prix/products1.php?id=178&catid=108 (make this yourself with 1/0 wire)

and i have this i would sell for cheap: http://www.3800performance.com/Merc...=CASPERS-VVB&Category_Code=EC&Product_Count=9

my buddies grandprix idles at 16v with stock alt. (he doesn't have the casper volt booster, i was just throwing it out there that i had it)

wow thanks for the info man!

So, he did the above links (other than the booster for sale) and got it up to 16volts at idle? Is that safe?

 

[ldyzluvdis06]

wow thanks for the info man!

So, he did the above links (other than the booster for sale) and got it up to 16volts at idle? Is that safe?

he added to diodes to the alt plug to bump it up even more. the only thing that has changed is the DIC flickers. other then that no other electrical differences.

*by no means though am i saying it's safe or unsafe, but he hasn't noticed anything for the 6 months is been like this.

 

[Freebeer187]

he added to diodes to the alt plug to bump it up even more. the only thing that has changed is the DIC flickers. other then that no other electrical differences.

*by no means though am i saying it's safe or unsafe, but he hasn't noticed anything for the 6 months is been like this.

hmmm ill for sure give the diode trick a shot one of these weekends. I gotta get James to help me out with a few things anyway.

 

[219GTP]

Big 3 On My GP

 

[219GTP]

I got 1 of the ZZP voltage boosters and it worked for a few months then 1 day my car started going Haywire. doors kept unlocking dash kept flickering so i pulled over and took it off and everything has been fine since. it was also a stage 1.

 

[Freebeer187]

Did you see a voltage increase or stability when u did the big 3?

 

[219GTP]

Ya kinda. But im also running alott of power in the trunk. Ive got 3 batterys in my car for power and if i turn up the sounds at max it drops too 11.3 with 3,000 watts. and its a true 3000. Get urself a 2nd Batt in ur trunk go with a Stinger or Kinetic. And optima infront.