ARC SE 2075 100W @ 4Ohms
Rainbow CS 265
PA-1500 Nakamichi 1200W @ 1 Ohm
SSA ICON 12"


Blew the fuses on the nak amp on day 1. Turned the gain down a hair and haven't touched the bass knob sense.

After installation was complete, I was told voltage my be an issue...and it is.

I was doing alot of stop and go action in the city, with the volume between 21-24, never higher than that. At idle, my ARC amp shows clipping at around 17/40 volume on the head unit.

Besides decking out for a higher output alternator, is there any possible way that I could improve my system?

Big 3 is already done, 0 gauge ofc. I know a cap usually isn't the way to go, as it won't get proper charging since I'm already losing voltage. I have yet to hear any feedback on a 2nd battery though. I understand that adding anymore electrical equipment will create more "strain" on the alternator, yet I've read about more systems with multiple batteries and they never mention an upgraded alternator.

Thanks for the help in advance

 

If a cap isn't going to help why would a battery? If you can't hold voltage with what you have now with the engine running, highly doubtful a 2nd battery will improve that. "Usually" a 2nd battery is to improve non-charging run-time.

There are many others on this forum that have way more recent car audio experience than me and hopefully they will chime in soon.

 

In my years of competing the only thing you can do is upgrade to a higher amperage alternator.

OT Reading this really makes me miss my old Orion HCCA 250R. IMHO the HCCA amps were the best amps in their day if not the best amps still. Orion was one if not the only manufacturer that rated their wattage at 12v instead of the usual 14.4v. That 250R allowed me to compete in the 100W and under category. Which allowed to win every SPL competition I ever enter. My only regret is I never did break the 150db mark. The highest I ever got was 148.7db.

Again, sorry for getting OT, but reading your thread made me nostalgic.

 

Figures.

Was hoping for a cheaper resolution but in this hobby...whats cheap.

Could you point me too a few HO alts to look at that would fit in the TL? Much appreciated

 

There's quite a few companies that specialize in HO alternators: Excessive Amperage, Ohio Generators, PowerBastards, DC, and Mechman. There's also a guy in Ohio that builds HO alternators to your specs, and I've heard his costs and customer service are second to none. His website is: http://www.singeralternators.com/.
You can also try calling some local shops that rebuild alternators, and see if they can beef yours up.

All the companies I listed all make excellent products. Me personally I'd contact all the companies and go with the least expensive one.

 

Know anything about "Quality Power"?

Seems to be the cheapest. 180 Idle, 300 Output, 470$.

Everyone else is over 500$.

Mechman - 130 idle 240 max 399$

Stinger - 180 - 275 509$

Ohio Gen - 180 Idle 310 Max 559$

 

how much current s your system drawing? There have certainly been others with way higher powered systems that do not have the problems your encountering on stock electrical.

 

If the big three under the hood are upgraded, try running a parallel ground from where you have the amps grounded (I am assuming they are grounded at the same point.) to the battery ground. Your chassis is only the equivalent of about a 4 ga ground. Once you start to exceed more than 80 amps or so, the stock chassis isn't a good enough return path. Run another 4ga ground from the back to the front and see what that does.

Also, make sure all your levels are set properly. That always helps the overall performance of the system.

 

To be honest, a high output alternator won't help at all.

Our cars have the Honda ELD system that looks for voltage change at the fuse box (not the battery) and shuts down the alternator to safe fuel.

I run tons of A/B power in my car (2 ARC 4200se's and an ARC 2300se) with no issues at all. I upgraded the big 3 and the most important upgrade is to install a Sears Platinum under the hood. Only the Platinum though, as those are made by Odyssey and are Deed Cycle batteries that are one of the best batteries on the market.

To help with the ELD, keep your climate system on auto so that your alternator sees an increased load. This will keep your voltage higher and more consistent.

However, I am not sure what this:

"Blew the fuses on the nak amp on day 1. Turned the gain down a hair and haven't touched the bass knob sense. I was doing alot of stop and go action in the city, with the volume between 21-24, never higher than that. At idle, my ARC amp shows clipping at around 17/40 volume on the head unit."

has to do at all with your charging system. Blowing a fuse is due to having a fuse rated lower than the draw of the amplifier - has NOTHING to do with your battery or charging system. Same goes for clipping, that has to do with improperly set up gains and NOTHING to do with your charging system.

A question I have is did you take the signal pre-factory amp or post-factory amp? This might help to resolve your clipping issue. I would assume it is post-factory amp and you are driving way to much voltage to the input of the amp. Also, how do you know the signal is clipping? Did you use an oscilloscope to see it or is it something you are hearing?

 

Signal is pre-amp.

Settings were set using SMD's devices.

I don't get why I should keep my climate system on "auto". Not sure who wants to drive around with air on and windows open...I understand the reasoning behind it.


Also, how can the Honda ELD system look for voltage change at the fuse box...isn't the fuse box being bypassed since its Battery to amp, it's on it's own power line.

 

I'm not telling you that you have to keep your climate control engaged on "auto" (even at 70-72 degrees it is barely putting out any air but keeps the alternator working), but if you want to help your electrical, then this will.

See, when Acura designed the car, the didn't intend for an aftermarket stereo to be put in it and didn't really care to make sure it would work. No automaker does. So, they designed the ELD to look at voltage changes at the main fuse box. You can't run a power wire to your amp from the main fuse box. This is where the disconnect comes in. So, yes, the fuse box is being bypassed and the ELD circuit never sees your stereo and its draw, so it shuts down your alternator and you have problems.

Buy a really strong battery (sears plat) and it should help a ton!

 

I imagine this battery can be bought at any Auto store? I am going up to see my installer this evening, speaker wire out of terminal on the Rainbow in my passenger door and I have a few things to things to talk to him about, in regards to all the information you all have been providing.

 

I wonder if you can take power from the fuse box. Since I recently had issues with a factory crimp on mine I took it apart for the first time. I believe one of the wires in is the charging wire, one for sure goes to the battery positive. Bote use lugs that would be very easy and clean to tap into. I wonder how the charging wire would work, it has battery power when the engine is off.

One other thing, I was watching the charging sytem rate measured in percent a long time ago when I had 1,300w to my subs and when the bass would hit hard the alternator output would go up. I could even max it out at 100%. I think the problem is the little spikes in output are probably not enough to make up for the bass hits not to mention the delay from when the bass would hit to the alternator's response (which might just be caused from the scan tool and not a real delay).

The Diehards are only available at Sears. I can't find the answer anywhere, is your amp a Class D? If not, I highly suggest switching over to one, especially for the subs.

 

My specs are in first post. I'd imagine the Nakamichi is a Class D amp.

I want to note that we took a DMM to the amps while playing at Volume 32 and both read above 13.3V.

niebur3 - I also want to note that I was looking within the ARC SE manual and I see nothing that states that the power light, blinking red, is an indication of too much voltage input. Within the manual, the power light shows the word "clip" right below it. Soooo...is it a clipping sensor?

 

I've been told over and over that my installation issues may be cause by post amp connection.

I'm going to go take pictures of the kick panel area. What area is considered the "pre-amp" side and what is "post-amp" side.