The Everstart Maxx batteries are a great choice if you dont want to spend a ton. They arent as good as Optima Yellow or Red tops, but the performance for price, the Everstart would be the way to go.
And in all reality, you only need 4g for your new alt bro.
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battery
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swimmerdude
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lancerswimmer89
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Battery
How much would a decent battery run me at walmart? talking dollar values and such, and what would be a good brand? I kno I kno, i'mma dumb shit, but wtf right?
[quote="Darthness"]okay so my charging system does seem to be a little on the weak side (still getting very faint alt whine at night, and my headlights were dimming when rolling down the windows)]
Do the "big 3" with 4 gauge. That's more than suitable for a system that has 1/0 gauge as the main (read: long) power wire run.
(remember, resistance is a function of wire gauge AND length - a short piece of 4 gauge presents most likely even LESS resistance than that long run of 1/0 that you might have going from the battery to the trunk.)
I'm a big fan of using deep-cycle batteries in cars with big audio systems on board - but not without including a capacitor into the equation to compensate for any lessening of transient response that will exist (deep-cycle batteries inherently have slower transient response than standard batteries) - and that means paying more for the battery, and then $75-$125 on top of that for a capacitor, and a few bucks more for the additional wiring and terminations to hook it up.
But even though standard batteries have superior transient response characteristics (which impact the music, although might not be perceived), it doesn't take much to damage them by running the system hard enough to discharge them below 12v a few times - and then it's off to shop for a new battery.
And that might be what you are noticing now - headlight dimming is simply observing the hand-off from alternator-only to alternator-and-battery when it needs the extra help. If that hand-off smoothly transitions from 14.4v to a nice, healthy 12.5v, then you notice only mild dimming. But if the battery is damaged, and having difficulty maintaining even 12v, and transient response has also suffered say, from a bank of cracked plates, then the system might literally slam down from 14.4v to 11v or maybe less for a split second, and struggling to provide 12v - which is observed as very significant headlight dimming (since lights are much brighter on 14.4v than they are on 11v or 12v).
I'd start by replacing that battery - but I'd keep and eye on something else you said: That non-music-related dimming you mention... if it corresponds to low-idle speeds, it could be a sign of a damaged regulator, or even alternator. It could be related to the battery though, the damaged battery itself could even be placing an extra strain on the alternator - and makes a good case for replacing it with a deep-cycle battery [and a capacitor to help out in the transient response department ].
"Yellow tops" are Optima's deep cycle version of their batteries (I have one in my Civic)... not sure of WalMart brand batteries. Is it a spiral cell? It could be essentially a rebadged Optima (as Interstate offers). WalMart is a big company, they can pretty much arrange for anything since they can buy a manufacturing run in the millions... printing labels doesn't cost much.
Do the "big 3" with 4 gauge. That's more than suitable for a system that has 1/0 gauge as the main (read: long) power wire run.
(remember, resistance is a function of wire gauge AND length - a short piece of 4 gauge presents most likely even LESS resistance than that long run of 1/0 that you might have going from the battery to the trunk.)
I'm a big fan of using deep-cycle batteries in cars with big audio systems on board - but not without including a capacitor into the equation to compensate for any lessening of transient response that will exist (deep-cycle batteries inherently have slower transient response than standard batteries) - and that means paying more for the battery, and then $75-$125 on top of that for a capacitor, and a few bucks more for the additional wiring and terminations to hook it up.
But even though standard batteries have superior transient response characteristics (which impact the music, although might not be perceived), it doesn't take much to damage them by running the system hard enough to discharge them below 12v a few times - and then it's off to shop for a new battery.
And that might be what you are noticing now - headlight dimming is simply observing the hand-off from alternator-only to alternator-and-battery when it needs the extra help. If that hand-off smoothly transitions from 14.4v to a nice, healthy 12.5v, then you notice only mild dimming. But if the battery is damaged, and having difficulty maintaining even 12v, and transient response has also suffered say, from a bank of cracked plates, then the system might literally slam down from 14.4v to 11v or maybe less for a split second, and struggling to provide 12v - which is observed as very significant headlight dimming (since lights are much brighter on 14.4v than they are on 11v or 12v).
I'd start by replacing that battery - but I'd keep and eye on something else you said: That non-music-related dimming you mention... if it corresponds to low-idle speeds, it could be a sign of a damaged regulator, or even alternator. It could be related to the battery though, the damaged battery itself could even be placing an extra strain on the alternator - and makes a good case for replacing it with a deep-cycle battery [and a capacitor to help out in the transient response department
]. "Yellow tops" are Optima's deep cycle version of their batteries (I have one in my Civic)... not sure of WalMart brand batteries. Is it a spiral cell? It could be essentially a rebadged Optima (as Interstate offers). WalMart is a big company, they can pretty much arrange for anything since they can buy a manufacturing run in the millions... printing labels doesn't cost much.
I wouldn't sweat "brand" - I would sweat "type" first and formost.lancerswimmer89 wrote:How much would a decent battery run me at walmart? talking dollar values and such, and what would be a good brand? I kno I kno, i'mma dumb shit, but wtf right?
Then, I would sweat "specs". Battery specs are usually pretty accurately reported. You do want one with a good CCA rating, and as I mentioned before, you might want to consider purchasing a deep-cycle type battery... it doesn't need to be a spiral-cell design like the Optimas, it might look like every other standard square black battery out there - you should have a good selection available to you.
If you are shopping at WalMart, I was in there the other day, and I swear I saw a 4 gauge "amp kit" that included a 1F capacitor (with a monitor top even
) for under $100. IIRC, it's a Scosche kit.I mention this because if you do wish to purchase a deep-cycle battery AND tackle your headlight dimming at the same time, that WalMart kit just might be a near perfect kit for not only addiing a cap to your system, but having enough wire and terminations to perform the "magic 3", in one kit.
So if you bought a deep-cycle battery with good specs, and that kit, you'd be in good shape IMO...
...you'd have a deep cycle battery, a 1F cap, AND the "magic 3", for somewhere in the $150 - $200 I'm sure.
oh then.. thats great, i probabl aleady have enough 4 guage left over for that.
but hey, on the subjcet of big3 in blazers, i'm pretty sure i've located all the wires i need to upgrade.. just don't know how to get to there.. looks kinda tough to get to. i'l take pics tommorow but any thoughts?
but hey, on the subjcet of big3 in blazers, i'm pretty sure i've located all the wires i need to upgrade.. just don't know how to get to there.. looks kinda tough to get to. i'l take pics tommorow but any thoughts?
- Keith
Which is also why the largest amp terminals you see take 4 gauge wire - and even that is overkill.
It's the total resistance of a segment of wire that matters - not the gauge and length individually, but rather collectively...
A short length of 8 gauge can have less resistance than a long length of 1/0 gauge.
Inherently, you've got probably at least a 15 foot length of 1/0 gauge running between your battery terminal and your amps in the back, and that presents a bit of resistance in the path.
Consider this: If you cut that wire in half, the resistance would halve as well. If you cut that wire in half again, now you are down to 1/4 the original resistance, measured from end to end.
So - it is a matter of "So what if the resistance of a 4 foot length of 4 gauge is twice what the resistance of a 4 foot length of 1/0 gauge is?"
...because the resistance of the 16 foot length of 4 gauge is still larger than the 4 foot length of 4 gauge, making it still the weakest link in the chain.
That's also why distribution blocks typically go from either a single 4 gauge input, to multiple 8 gauge outputs... or a single 1/0 gauge input to multiple 4 gauge or 8 gauge outputs.
It's the total resistance of a segment of wire that matters - not the gauge and length individually, but rather collectively...
A short length of 8 gauge can have less resistance than a long length of 1/0 gauge.
Inherently, you've got probably at least a 15 foot length of 1/0 gauge running between your battery terminal and your amps in the back, and that presents a bit of resistance in the path.
Consider this: If you cut that wire in half, the resistance would halve as well. If you cut that wire in half again, now you are down to 1/4 the original resistance, measured from end to end.
So - it is a matter of "So what if the resistance of a 4 foot length of 4 gauge is twice what the resistance of a 4 foot length of 1/0 gauge is?"
...because the resistance of the 16 foot length of 4 gauge is still larger than the 4 foot length of 4 gauge, making it still the weakest link in the chain.
That's also why distribution blocks typically go from either a single 4 gauge input, to multiple 8 gauge outputs... or a single 1/0 gauge input to multiple 4 gauge or 8 gauge outputs.