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Holden VE SS....
I see it has alternator settings in the ECU, is there a safe way to have it increase the charging output etc to compensate for a stereo as my headlights feel the effects when the stereo is blaring full ball...
I was thinking maybe adjusting the DC Min to slightly higher?....
Not sure, dont want to change anything until i get more advise.
I'm running twin amps.... 4x100wrms and a 1x550wrms, just noticed my lights flicker a bit at full load going down the highway etc.
you need a 1Farad Capaciter
I have a little thing on the battery ATM but I was hoping to avoid needing a farad cap on the ve given how close the battery is.
I guess I'll have to get one.
Being a car audio guy originally, now tuning.. LOL what size power wire you using? anything over 500 watts should be minimum 4 gauge wire power and ground. Your ground should be less then 18 inches. Anything longer then 3 foot on power, you should use a cap. Caps are 1/2 farad for 500 watts, or a full farad with 1000 watts. Theres some good 3 and 5 farad caps that will solve this problem. Adding another battery does too.. Upgrading your alternator charge feed line to battery to a larger size also helps .
The alternator does not have the ability to supply the amount of current that the amplifier draws, with enough speed to avoid a voltage drop.
The only way to avoid the voltage drop is with a good battery, a capacitor and thick gauge wire for the AMP. The longer the wire, the bigger gauge you need.
The capacitor is the shock absorber of the electric circuits, so a good one will cure your problem if the wiring is good.
You dont need a cap, you need a smaller pulley for your alternator and/or a bigger battery.
It's cool I'll just buy a farad cap.
I'm running twin 4 guages, one per amp basically ....... from battery to the back seats where the amps have been mounted on the back.
The earths are like 20-30cm long...... and about 30cm apart... i also sanded down the earth area's to the metal. I've done a number of car audio installs (properly not dodge)...... just figured given the distance between the amps and the battery a farad wouldn't be needed....
Anyway it's cool...... just wondered given the VE's massive tuning capabilities :D
and if its class -A/B like what i build/run u gonna need a rebuilt alt!
My 92 Crown Victoria had: 2 Kicker dual voice coil 15" speakers in a single box, with a ZX2500 watt amp, 0 guage wire for powers & grounds, 2 brand new 700+CCA batteries. 1.) Upgrade the very thin factory main battery/chassis ground wire with one of respectable guage. 2.) Run a dedicated hot wire from positive terminal of battery directly to a minimum of one alternator 130AMP rating or higher. 3.) Run a dedicated hot AND ground from the primary battery terminal posts directly to the 2nd battery posts, don't skimp out using the frame as your ground, however- 4.) Install a thick battery/chassis ground wire on 2nd battery location also. 5.) If you need even more juice, make a custom bracket to accept a 2nd alterenator- but ONLY if those basic and very necessary upgrades aren't enough. (If using a "cap" it should be as close as possible to the audio amplifier, which should be as close as possible to the speakers as well as the 2nd. battery to minimize wire lengths. Batteries should both be new in dual battery applications so one won't "hog" all of the charge. Stay away from those over hyped "after market" alternators from the stereo mags as they are usually just rebuilt spray paint jobs with jacked up regulators when compared to your OEM version. Changing pulley size would only help get the alternator into range if struggling at idle low RPM's and stoplights, but you're dimming on the highway while already spinning a few RPM's, so that won't help much. And if you do go the dual alternator route, you will need to find out your new belt size somehow.)
Oh yeah, almost forgot 6.) Wish you could slam as deep & hard as that Crown Vic used to.
Good luck, and screw the neighbors!