Get 'im, radar!

 

Damn, I knew the Fit had a small alternator, but I didn't think it would be that big of an issue. Stinger should be coming with something soon given the popularity of the Fit IMO.

I will back up Radar, in real systems that actually are built with proper sized wire and run to capacity you will get huge power draws that should equal slightly below peak power. eg: if peak power = 1000 wats, you will have a theoretical peak draw of around 70 amps @ 14 volts.

I used to run two 10" R-Type subs to full design capacity in my last setup off a D-class amp; easy peak draws of 75-100 watts. I was able to burn out 100amp fuses on the system if I wasn't being careful. I ran one a 1 farad capacity directly beside the amp and a 1/2 farad capacity before the fuse to try to mitigate power surges. I could never run this system at full power, sold the car before I had a chance to pick up a PG power station capacitor.







It may not look like much but this sealed box was built with 3/4" MDF, over 200 screws and two bottles of wood glue to complete. A full 3D model was done on CAD with special attention to the exact space requirements of the woofer so it could be run at max power without ripping itself apart. That tiny box weighed over 150lbs with all the equipment mounted up. The amp was mounted on washers to keep it cool with an open back and the capacitor is mounted on the inside of the wheel well chamber. Also the entire back end of this vehicle was sound deadened.

And no, this wasn't just an excuse to show off my old system :P lol

 

That Clarion amp was probably designed by Robert Zeff, the guy that started ZAPCO from his coffee table back in 1968. I'm no text book junkie. I've lived it from the beginning. That amp is probably loosely regulated like the old Zapco Studio 500 and does about 1000 watts in mono and will draw about 100 amps when cranked upon. A good enclosure like what you are showing is very valuable to solid, hard hitting bass. Nice fitting box by the way.

If I come across my original Fit alternator again, I might send it to Ohio Generator and have them do a curve on it to post here what the output is like for others to see. It's weak!

Stinger by the way, has a third party make their alternators. With the amperage limiting going on from the computer, I don't think they will bother with this application. Besides, the average Fit owner is definitely NOT likely to spend the beans for a alternator. Look at how many Fit owners are here and just about no one is involved with an alternator swap. I'm obsessed, so for me it's different.

 

agreed. I just wish i had the money to be as obsessed as you. I just picked up my components for the front and my amp. I got an SAX-100.4 Sundown for the comp set which is going to be kicker RS6.5 for now. Until i can afford some focals, or crystals, or rainbows

 

hey radar i'd like to see some pics of your car from the outside. Do you have any aftermarket suspension components? because my car would ride low in the back bigtime. And i didnt' have anywhere near the weight you have

 

Just put my third suspension system in. I'm running out of money. Don't rule out the JL Audio C5 components. They are using their motor structure technology from their subs in the magnet(motor) of that speaker and it stays linear longer and doesn't fatigue quickly like a normal motor structure. The top end of the mid is as smooth as can be and they cross over to their soft-dome higher than others. None of these other companies are doing anything like that. The behavior yields an incredible stable speaker thru both motions of it's excursion back and forth. That's what I am using up front (2 sets).

 

I guess that is true, not too many comp-systems I have seen for the Fit, on my older comp vehicals we always changed out the alternators and usually added an extra battery to the mix, but since capcitor technology has come such a long way I havn't really needed to worry about it for personal stereo systems.

I used to be obsessed with the stuff too, had a sponcership from Kicker and won a couple of contests about 11 years ago now. But now I am getting too old.

Clarion used to have a line of pro-audio line that was far superior to thier regular stuff. I ran Kicker gear for a long time but thier comp subs were always burning out even though I ran them on a clean signal and right to thier design spec. After I switched to the Clarion lineup I swore by them for many years. They dropped the pro-audio line later on and I switched over to PG after that.

Sweet; I actually found the specs for my amp. The THD% & S/N ratio are better on this amp than most I have seen. Certainly much better than anything Clarion offers today. I don't know what happened to them
Clarion APX1000.2 Power System Amplifier

The subs were rated at 1000watts peak w/ 300RMS so it was a nice match. I also had a 400watt draw for an amp running my mid range components which contributed to the peak power draw.

 

before i got my fit, i used to run alpine cda-7998 run active to a set of rainbow cal25alks paired /w id cx62 midbasses /w power comin from a RF power 551x and i had a jl 12w6v2 powered by a RF 501bd. i frequent diymobileaudio.com more than fitfreak, before i got my fit, but judge however you want. I have my own opinions and experience, and you have yours. I've had experience /w spl setups /w older PPI amps and solo barics, i've had RF subs /w other RF amps, infinity subs, and etc.

 

i tried doing the same with my fit. i upgraded my stock alternator to 125A, but now im suffering from idling problems.. i think it's because of the alt fr signal. anyone who knows how to bypass this signal or fool the ecu that it has a stock alt installed?

 

I think the problem lies in who did your alternator. It shouldn't need fooling.
Who did the alternator?

 

to tell you the truth, my real problem is my rough idling. trust me, ive tried everything. note: im driving a cvt fit. apparently, at full load, no audio, headlights, fog lights, a/c and the tranny is in the D gear, my idling drops low.. too low..

 

and is it true that the ecu limits the output to 100A? i mean heck, im so hell bent on increasing my amperage that i have half the mind to install a dual alternator setup

 

Dual alt setup won't work, and there's no room either. The 100 amps is at about 4000 RPM's too. I see now your in the Phillipines. Somebody has to be able to help you, although the place that made the alternator is where I would start. Make sure your belt has the proper tension as well. Good luck.

 

any update on an upgraded alt?
i'm getting ready to toss in a RF t400-4 and t500-1 amps with a 10" woofer. will the stock alt handle this?

 

well, i just met another fit owner who's running a nice system in his car... running class a/b amps... car has no dimming or noticable affects from pulling a lot of amps. the little alternator did a lot better than he expected, so try it out first, and then see if the electrical can handle it...

 

yeah but he's not talkign about A/B amps. He's talking about class D. And that little 500 will pull some Juice. My suggestion. Put it on and see what happens. But i'd recommend putting one of the kenetics in. Like a HC800. Just my .02 cents

 

class a/b amps have more amperage pull than class d amps...

 

Yes, D's pull less current. Do the math thou. He probably will be at about a 85 amp draw worse case. But the Rockford's are unregulated power supplies, so when the juice isn't there, they will put out a lot less power because of it and pull less juice. Maybe only 40 amps combined but with less wattage too. When you add a second battery, you are extended the reserve capacity, but in the end what charges the second battery? The same stock alternator that can't keep up so you end up with two batteries not fully charged and fully functioning. Got it? The entire car runs off of an alternator. The battery is there for when the alternator can't keep up and supplies temporary energy backup.

 

ok then what would u suggest? Just seems to me like a waste of money to get those two amps if you can't have them put out what they need. Just the 4 channel is going to make his lights dim. Seems like it would be wiser if u don't upgrade batteries and what not that you go with more efficient speakers and amps. Say infinity reference highs and a 50x4 amp. Which will leave reserve for the sub amp.

Edit: also i was talking about replacing the factory battery with the kenetic.

 

I'm not a fan of any Infinity speakers but to each their own. They just don't make a linear (smooth) sounding speaker. Too much peak's and valley's. I'm anal in that regard.

A full range 4 ch amp would be great. You could bridge the rear channels to a small sub enclosure and let your head unit power the rear speakers. You would have to match up the right size battery for the front but I don't think your going to get any nuts out of it. It's still very limiting in size. With this application, install a 200 amp solenoid like the one from Stinger, and then wire a small Kinetic/Stinger/Batcap battery in the rear of the car. You will have a nice reserve without a huge demand and the stock alternator should be able to do this without straining so much.

The solenoid has two positives, one negative, and a remote turn on hook up.
Off one battery you have a positive that goes to this, then off the other positive that would go to the rear to feed the second battery. It isolates the two batteries so when you turn the vehicle off, they can't feed off each other trying to destroy one another.

By all means, add a couple of 4ga grounds under the engine compartment as Honda's don't have enough ground plane for adding these electrical demands.