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Modulationkid
New member
Username: Modulationkid
Post Number: 3
Registered: 4-2007
| | Posted on Thursday, March 12, 2009 - 11:41 pm: | 
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What is the largest amp (top limit) that can be run in a Chevy truck without using a motor maul or changing out the battery or alternator? The truck has the higher OEM alternator now. Is it possible to run a Fatboy, XForce, or other 6x2879, 8x2879, 10x2879, 12x2879, 16x2879 amp or more without making any changes to the truck? If a modification is necessary for a larger amp, what is the least cost and biggest bang for the buck modification to run a larger amp without making major changes? |
Dale
Senior Member
Username: Dale
Post Number: 1438
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Friday, March 13, 2009 - 8:50 pm: |
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id say the texas star 400 and the 500 are the biggest ya could use without changes.imho.
as far as ones ya listed i dont know.but
any bigger than 4x2879 than i think some changes would start even if there small
dale/a.k.a.hotrod
cef426
cvc#64
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Hotwire
Senior Member
Username: Hotwire
Post Number: 2748
Registered: 1-2005
| | Posted on Friday, March 13, 2009 - 10:29 pm: |
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If you have a good battery, at least 100 amp alternator, and the amp is installed correctly. I would say 500 watts is just about the max I would feel comfortable with.
You can have your stock alternator rebuilt for much higher output at many auto electric shops. I had my Chevy alternator done for 150 bucks.
Bigger, better battery, heavier charge cables and such. Upgrades to almost everything is required when high power is going to be run.
Once you decide to go much higher than 500 watts there is no way around it, to do it right it is going to get exspensive real quick!
Kenny
CEF491
Reading the mail around Indianapolis Indiana!
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Patzerozero
Senior Member
Username: Patzerozero
Post Number: 4511
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, March 14, 2009 - 10:58 pm: |
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can't answer without asking....what year truck? model? gas or diesel? what alt & batteries come from the factory?
i've done some funky things to pre-computer/pre-tbi chevy trucks and 32 transistors with nothing more then a fried alternator...or 2...or 3....or 4.... . try 32 transistors in an '09 chevy & you just might stop it dead in its tracks. even 4 transistors might disagree with the computer.
a 70's chevy truck BONE STOCK should run 4 transistors with nary an upgrade. an '09 you'd be better off limiting to 2 transistors without any mods-IF it's done right. |
Modulationkid
New member
Username: Modulationkid
Post Number: 5
Registered: 4-2007
| | Posted on Monday, March 16, 2009 - 11:22 pm: |
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The truck is a 2004 Avalanche with the higher output alternator due to heated seats, Bose System, etc. The battery is the original as well. A 4x2879 transistor works fine in the truck. I'm curious if a 6x2879 or 8x2879 will work without modding anything? If we consider an 8 transistor 8x2879 amp, what are the minimum changes necessary so that it functions well? Use is occasional. No long DK's or competitions. Mostly highway stuff. Will a 8x2879 require a second alternator and battery? Doing some math (watts/volts=amps) 8 transistors produces 800 watts RMS. At 15 volts this comes out to 53 amps which seems reasonable for a large battery and stock higher output alternator to handle. I've read that adding a single high output alternator is more trouble than adding a second OEM alternator dedicated to drive the amp. While the amp manufacturers are volting up the amps above 15 volts, this isn't necessary here. With this information, what do you experts suggest? If I use the new math World Wide Amps uses they say an 8x2879 uses 180 amps max and state that driven peak output at 15 volts is 1600 watts. When I use the new math I calculate the amp being driven at 15 volts @ 1600 watts which figures at 107 amps "Peak Power." Without long keydowns, at what point does the truck computer scream for mercy or worse? Would adding a larger battery get the job done with an 8x2879 amp or am missing something? If so, what am I missing and what is the minimum changes necessary to make an 8 transistor function without destroying the truck? Thanks for your help everyone. |
Golden_screw_driver
Member
Username: Golden_screw_driver
Post Number: 94
Registered: 2-2008
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 17, 2009 - 11:36 am: |
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Modulationkid, Read my post in product review (UNDER AMP'S), I went from a ts667v to a dx1600v, and a fatboy straight 10 pill. all said and done and we are well into the $3,000 range. It is in an 02 s-10. And from personal experence i did install a ts sweet sixteen into a 08 ram and hello dealer here it comes, Destroyed the ECM, BCM, along with some other things. this was installed using ALL the same stuff i use to power including two alt's and a maul. $40,000 truck verse over 100 watt's or even 50 watts. ends up being $40,000 plus another 5,000 to replace everthing. THIS IS FROM MY OWN PERSONAL EXPERENCE!!!!!!!!!!
421 GOLDEN SCREW DRIVER
CEF#0995
NORTH-EAST
CEF NET CONTROLLER
Channel 13 / 27.115 AM/LSB
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Modulationkid
New member
Username: Modulationkid
Post Number: 6
Registered: 4-2007
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 17, 2009 - 5:51 pm: |
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Golden_screw_driver and everyone else, thank you all so much for your input and insight. I have no experience putting this level of equipment into a truck and that's why I'm asking people that have hands on experience. This project isn't to go overboard. Just trying to figure out where the limit is without modifying the truck, or if this isn't possible, the lowest cost mods necessary to make a 6x2879 or 8x2879 work without damaging anything. A 4x2879 TS DX500v works fine at 15v directly to the battery with a short ground wire in a Chevy truck with no mods. Would a 6x2879 Davemade, XForce, Fatboy, Skywalker, or other competition amp work in a standard 2004 Chevy truck as well or is this to much for the truck? What if a much larger battery is put in as the only change? Is that good enough for a 6x2879 or is a second alternator and battery dedicated just for the amp a must? If there is a dedicated setup for the amp, is this also enough to safely run a 8x2879 or higher amp? Can anyone relate for me what extras are required for 6x2879 or 8x2879 midrange amp? |
Golden_screw_driver
Member
Username: Golden_screw_driver
Post Number: 95
Registered: 2-2008
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 18, 2009 - 11:48 am: |
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...."Would a 6x2879 Davemade, XForce, Fatboy, Skywalker, or other competition amp work in a standard 2004 Chevy truck as well or is this to much for the truck?".... Well not with one battery, You would have to get an isolator (sure power makes good one's)and the truck it self would use one batt( your original)and the muilty batt isolator would charge the EXTERNAL batt's. And the alternator would also have to be upgraded or a desil truck or POWER MASTER alt put in. You have to take in to consideration that the factory alt is able to run most truck's and car's with about only 30 amps to spare. if a truck with power everything come's like that from the factory it is likly to have 120 amp alt, now assuming nothing is ever running in the truck you have 120 amp's, The killer most people dont take into the thought is this 120-70=50<<<this what the alt has left under day time condition headlights heater ac all turned off. Well let's turn that on now the alt only has a WOPPING 20 AMP'S LEFT. So take into consideration of the trucks need's first then start adding juice to the system..Then the next big step to protect the trucks computer is ground ground ground ground ground!! Ground everything fenders, hood, bed, cab i find welding lug's to the frame and body work's great. And did i mention GROUND'S!!! And the placment of and type of antenna you will be using can also affect the RF pattern. A good rule of thumb if you can see it in you'r mirrors it can see you'r BRAIN and computer Hope this help's
421 GOLDEN SCREW DRIVER
CEF#0995
NORTH-EAST
CEF NET CONTROLLER
Channel 13 / 27.115 AM/LSB
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Onelasttime
Junior Member
Username: Onelasttime
Post Number: 33
Registered: 8-2011
| | Posted on Friday, August 19, 2011 - 7:15 pm: |
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You have to know the rating of your Alternator GM has had ore alternators then Jimmy Carter had liver pills.....If it is CS-144 then it is 144 amp with 100 amps just above idle.......It could be one well below 100 amps as well. I am thinking of at least 3 differences alternators used in those trucks depending on the option packages.....
If it is the CS-144 you could run anything up to a 140 amp draw as long as the engine was at about 1500-2000 RPM's and you have the head lights off.
You can also get upgrade kits that include a costume wound stator and beef rectifier normally 12-18 diodes with an external rectifier this would make that easily into a 250amp alternator or more.
If you have anything else be it 95 or 75 amp you can not exceed it and you would have next to know of that off idle because they are far weaker designs. So you need to know what you have for an alternator.
Even the weakest alternator though in a modern truck should be able to handle a 4-5 pill no problem with the engine running slightly above idle. I ran a 4 pill in a front wheel drive car and never had my head lights flicker or anything like that. I did kill a batter or two running with the engine off and had to get a jump start on more then one occasion.LOL So keep the engine running if you at the limit.....LOL |
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