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Playing the stereo loud = heavy battery drain?


Dynamic Turtle

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OK it might sound bleeding obvious to some but i noticed that the battery indicator was falling whilst I was stuck in traffic (for about an hour) and listening to a cd at "enthusiastic" levels. I'm just surprised that despite the engine ticking-over and running a brand new battery, the stereo was sucking more juice form the battery than the alternator could provide at 750/1000 idle revs. Is this normal or a sign of a worn alt?

 

Once I'd turned the stereo off, a drove for another 10-15m, the indicator slowly crept back to just under 14v.

 

Also, why do the two airflow indicator lamps flash when you hold the button down? what does it do?

 

Cheers,

DT

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Also, why do the two airflow indicator lamps flash when you hold the button down? what does it do?

 

Page 4-8 of the handbook states:

 

"When the air intake button is pushed for longer than approximately 1.5 seconds, both indicator lights will flash twice, and then the intake air will be controlled automatically. During this AUTO mode, the indicator light of the currently selected mode illuminates."

 

Doesn't help much does it? :lol:

 

I can only assume that in auto mode it switches between inside and outside air recirculation depending on the best needs of the system in any given position. I haven't tested it... :surrender:

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Sorry dave not sure if you're being sarcastic or not?! If so, I guess I'll have to be more careful about the current draw which I think explained why the last battery went kaput prematurely (plus the weather prompting the permanent use of wipers, xenons, heating etc)

 

As for amps requiring a lot of power, my stereo amp is probably a worse example of overkill - a musical fidelity kw550 (modified with a couple of extra torroids in the PSU - draws 1.4kW under peak loads). My last leccy bill was...sobering.

 

Thanks for the airflow answer watshot :)

Edited by Dynamic Turtle
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Aftermarket systems will drain the battery (and i've done that- waiting for a date no less!) certainly when the engine is off.

 

But the standard system just won't- providing you have the engine on you won't find yourself at risk if the car is otherwise healthy (altenator etc).

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My system is totally aftermarket running 2 massive Alpine amps one of them a 1000 Watt mono block for the sub. If this system bumped into the Bose one I took out, the Bose would run away and hide in a cupboard. Not once had a battery drain issue. New one on me.

 

Daily driver mixed traffic conditions.

Edited by helimeddaz
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My system is totally aftermarket running 2 massive Alpine amps one of them a 1000 Watt mono block for the sub. If this system bumped into the Bose one I took out, the Bose would run away and hide in a cupboard. Not once had a battery drain issue. New one on me.

 

Daily driver mixed traffic conditions.

  • Are those Alpine amps class D rather than Class B?
  • Do the replacement drivers have a higher impedance rating that the OEM drivers?
  • Is that 1000 Watts for a 5 milisecond PMPO, or output it can sustain for hours?
  • Also, the bigger the drivers the less power you need to create an equivalent SPL (which is totally unintuitive but completely true) so you might actually need LESS power to hit that magic 120dB :)

DT

Edited by Dynamic Turtle
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My system is totally aftermarket running 2 massive Alpine amps one of them a 1000 Watt mono block for the sub. If this system bumped into the Bose one I took out, the Bose would run away and hide in a cupboard. Not once had a battery drain issue. New one on me.

 

Daily driver mixed traffic conditions.

  • Are those Alpine amps class D rather than Class B?
  • Do the replacement drivers have a higher impedance rating that the OEM drivers?
  • Is that 1000 Watts for a 5 milisecond PMPO, or output it can sustain for hours?
  • Also, the bigger the drivers the less power you need to create an equivalent SPL (which is totally unintuitive but completely true) so you might actually need LESS power to hit that magic 120dB :)

DT

 

I bet 1 will be class d for the sub.

 

What difference does it make if the amp and speakers are different. Most likely they are 4ohm if they are comps.

 

PMPO? How old skool is that. Generally the people who don't know use MAX w but RMS is the true power output.

 

Yes? But who is talking SPL? 120db isn't much either tbh?

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well if the speakers present a higher overall impedence, have larger driver surface area, and the amps are more efficient, the whole system could draw less current than the OEM one. Could. It depends of a range of factors. As for PMPO I'd imagine most boy racer state this over RMS to boost the perceived power ratings on their amps. again, it might only be able to output that much power for a few seconds.

 

120db is plenty loud enough - pneumatic drill levels mate! You must be deaf!

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My system is totally aftermarket running 2 massive Alpine amps one of them a 1000 Watt mono block for the sub. If this system bumped into the Bose one I took out, the Bose would run away and hide in a cupboard. Not once had a battery drain issue. New one on me.

 

Daily driver mixed traffic conditions.

  • Are those Alpine amps class D rather than Class B?
  • Do the replacement drivers have a higher impedance rating that the OEM drivers?
  • Is that 1000 Watts for a 5 milisecond PMPO, or output it can sustain for hours?
  • Also, the bigger the drivers the less power you need to create an equivalent SPL (which is totally unintuitive but completely true) so you might actually need LESS power to hit that magic 120dB :)

DT

 

Can I answer that by saying "WIBBLE"

 

The amps and flip screen head unit are Alpine. The Sub is an Alpine type R 1000W 12" mounted in a custom box in the original Bose slot

 

Combi4.jpg

 

Hertz 2 ways in the rear conveniently colour coded (nice touch) and hertz components front. Stealthy and classy. Power wise I would describe it as B@&-2/d loud, or more than enough.

 

However my words of caution are these. Sound proof everything if you're gunna go loud or you'll be left in your seat surrounded by bits of plastic that once resembled the interior of a Z.

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