In the car audio and performance market, power has become an overlooked category in the progression of things. With new and more powerful aftermarket electronics surfacing daily, electrical systems are being taxed well beyond their limits. The trend is to install high power amplifiers, lights, LED’s and performance parts that all require more power to operate at full potential while factory alternators and wiring are only designed to support the OEM equipment.
What is the problem you may ask? As more and more demand is put on the electrical system, the voltage drops causing amplifiers and other accessories to get hot and burn up or perform well below expectations. What most fail to realize is that the factory alternator and electrical system is only designed to handle the factory items, and barely at that.
A good example would be a 2,000 sq ft home with a heating system designed for that square footage. An addition of 1,000 sq ft is added but nothing is done with the heating system, which results in cold rooms. Too many times in the car audio world, the extra wattage is never taken into consideration, causing poor performance. Adding to the problem are other factors such as: inadequate grounding, failure to upgrade the alternator and battery, vehicles that do not get driven or charged daily and improper wire routing compound the problem.
Aftermarket car audio and performance manufacturers will agree that the number one cause of equipment failures is lack of power. When the available power cannot support the demand, voltage drops. When voltage drops, things heat up. Heat is the root of the problem in almost all failures from amplifiers and subwoofers to ignition and performance parts.
By upgrading the stock system you can save yourself time and money not to mention headaches in the near future. Using a good alternator such as an Ohio Generator (or similar) and upgrading or adding Kinetik Power Cells can provide the solution. It is important to make sure you are producing and storing enough power to run your accessories without voltage drops. Unlike a common car battery, Kinetik Power Cells are designed specifically to power audio and performance electronics while maintaining stable voltage to keep things running cool and sounding clean. Kinetik Power Cells provide high capacity and high current output to power your vehicles needs with a variety of sizes to fit into any space.
Power Cells can deliver high peak current to stabilize and maintain voltage in your vehicle if properly connected and fully charged. Always run both power and ground from your alternator to the rear Power Cells to insure the best connection and lowest resistance. This will allow optimum charging of the cells. It is common to ground amplifiers and Power Cells in the rear of a vehicle to the body of the car. This is a poor connection and will not provide maximum performance and usually results in undercharged cells or low power output from amps and even premature failure.
A common mistake installers make is to install too small or not enough cells to support the system. With Kinetik Power Cells, the model number is roughly the wattage it will support assuming you have an alternator that will keep up. For more information on which cell to choose and how to install them refer to the www.kinetikaudio.com/support/’Frequently asked questions’ and ‘What to know before you purchase Kinetik Power Cells’.
Always use a voltage regulated maintainer or Intelligent charger/maintainer to keep all batteries or cells charged and above 12.8 volts in any vehicle especially if that vehicle is not driven daily. The Kinetik “Intelligent” supplies and maintainers are perfect for this task. Almost every vehicle has a drain and if you do not periodically check your voltage or top your cells off, they will slowly drain. One of the biggest causes of battery or cell failure is the lack of proper charging and monitoring. The Bottom Line… Upgrade the electrical system!
Related Articles
Winter Vehicle Prep with eBay Motors
Metra to Show New Speaker Adapter Plates and Harnesses at SEMA 2024
Mobile Solutions to Host Hot Rod Interior Build School - November 21-24
Morel Sensus Component Systems
Throwback: 5 Vehicles from PASMAG in 2008
Structural Batteries: Are EVs About to Shed Major Weight?
