Trying to get my electrical system strong..

[jprix82 0]

Right now my setup is(see sig) and I have BAD voltage problems. I believe my problem is that I have a 2ga wire from the front battery to the back(came with the car,to lazy to change it) where I branched 3 runs of 4ga wire off it to my 3 amps.

Now I was wondering if I ran 1 or 2 runs of 1/0ga from the front to the back would that cure my problem?

[X-OvrDistortion 0]

Probably not, but I wouldn't hurt it either. Did you do the big 3?

By bad voltage problems....what do you mean?

Edited May 11, 2007 by X-OvrDistortion

[ngsm13 1]

Probably not, but I wouldn't hurt it either. Did you do the big 3?

By bad voltage problems....what do you mean?

I second this notion.

nG

[jprix82 0]

Probably not, but I wouldn't hurt it either. Did you do the big 3?

By bad voltage problems....what do you mean?

Already did the big 3. I get serious voltage drop im talking from 14v drops to 10v. Then after I play a song or burp, my batt goes from charging @ 14v+ to charging to 12v plus my amps are regulated so that dont help at all.

But im also thinking my alt could be bad because shouldnt the alt charge @ 14+volts no matter how low the battery is? But if I disconnect the batt while the car is running the motor stays running so IDK..

[X-OvrDistortion 0]

I say, light it on fire.

IIRC, when the car is running the alt should be charging, and you get your 14.4v. Do you have your batteries isolated?

[helotaxi 46]

Depending on the depth of discharge the batteries could be drawing a decent amount of current, enough to tap the alt. You have to consider that the alt still has the rest of the car to run as well.

[dopey 0]

What does a battery isolator do, and are they a requirement?

[helotaxi 46]

What does a battery isolator do, and are they a requirement?

There are two ways to isolate a battery. One is with a switch contact rated for more current than the system will draw. It's a solenoid triggered by the ignition so when the car is off the system battery is disconnected from the starter battery keeping the system from draining the main battery with the car off. It also has the effect of keeping to dissimilar batteries from draining each other.

The second is a solid state isolator that is basically two big diodes that only allow charge to flow from the alt to the battery and not from battery to battery. The limitations on this are a .7V drop from the regulated voltage of the alt and the front battery cannot contribute any current to the system with the car on or off.

Most people don't isolate their batteries, so I would say that is isn't a necessity, but if you have a daily driver that you want to be relaiable for the long term and your front a rear batteries are different, then it isn't a bad idea. If you listen to the system with the engine off on a regular basis, it starts to become necessary.