battery upgrade worth it?

free7megs · Post by **free7megs** » Fri Jan 27, 2006 9:12 pm

i have a class a/b amp running 550-600 watts, 4 awg power wire, no big 3. i get some noticable dimming on dash and headlights/foglights when i have the system turned up. will upgrading my battery help the dimming? i plan on doing the big 3 in the future. the reason im thinking about a battery upgrade is that i plan on going to a 1200 watt class d amp with some new subs in the future. if upgrading my battery will be worthwhile can someone help me choose a battery for my vehicle? (2004 optra5) thanks.

kinkyllama · Post by **kinkyllama** » Fri Jan 27, 2006 9:17 pm

You dont need to upgrade your battery. I was running 1100watts max plus aftermarket deck powering my front componets and after upgrading my big three had very very little dimming. I also had the UD pulley which lowers the alternators output just a little. If you have some extra cash though i would recommend getting an optima yellow top battery.

ps.. i have 04 forenza.

lanos2001 · Post by **lanos2001** » Fri Jan 27, 2006 9:19 pm

yeah with a mono d class amp at 1200watts you want a yellow or red top Optima battery. i forget which one is for systems but definately get one before you install the new system.

nick

free7megs · Post by **free7megs** » Fri Jan 27, 2006 9:23 pm

do i have to get the same battery size as my stock battery (group 86)?

and does anyone know where i can get an optima yellow top in canada for a decent price?

lanos2001 · Post by **lanos2001** » Fri Jan 27, 2006 9:29 pm

don't know about canada but i know that autozone sells them for like $120USD.

nick

kinkyllama · Post by **kinkyllama** » Fri Jan 27, 2006 10:00 pm

lanos2001 wrote:don't know about canada but i know that autozone sells them for like $120USD.

nick

I paid like 180 shipped cuz NO autozones, checkers, or whatever had them around here

lanos2001 · Post by **lanos2001** » Fri Jan 27, 2006 10:04 pm

damn you over paid for it.

i really need to get one but i gotta get other things situated first.

nick

kroz123 · Post by **kroz123** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 12:06 am

I have a system too and I upgraded my batt to the Yellow Top big diff.
- Little light dimming.
- Cooler A/C.
- Starts right up.
- Yellow top has 2 hours reserve.

And yeah absolutely check the Yellow top you'll like it very much.
I have a bigger one it doesn't mather but you have yo see what's gonna fit in your batt holder.
I have this one>>

kinkyllama · Post by **kinkyllama** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 2:25 am

rr__kroz123 wrote:Yellow top has 2 hours reserve.

What exactly does that mean? Im trying to figure out how long i can run my stereo w/o the battery dying. I doubt it'd last two hours though w/o the engine on

Aneab · Post by **Aneab** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 4:45 am

kinkyllama wrote:
lanos2001 wrote:don't know about canada but i know that autozone sells them for like $120USD.

nick
I paid like 180 shipped cuz NO autozones, checkers, or whatever had them around here

I saw a few over at the autozone on thunderbird and tatum if i remember correctly....

kinkyllama · Post by **kinkyllama** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 9:21 am

Aneab wrote:
I saw a few over at the autozone on thunderbird and tatum if i remember correctly....

t-bird and 40th st? I think i saw em to but they were about half the size i needed

kroz123 · Post by **kroz123** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 9:03 pm

kinkyllama wrote:
rr__kroz123 wrote:Yellow top has 2 hours reserve.

What exactly does that mean? Im trying to figure out how long i can run my stereo w/o the battery dying. I doubt it'd last two hours though w/o the engine on

It means that you can run the radio for about 2 hours w/o the battery dying. And it does last that long, I talk from experience. But it is never a good idea to let a battery die, with the yellow top you can do this many times but on the long run your alternator will suffer.

kinkyllama · Post by **kinkyllama** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 11:00 pm

rr__kroz123 wrote:
It means that you can run the radio for about 2 hours w/o the battery dying. And it does last that long, I talk from experience. But it is never a good idea to let a battery die, with the yellow top you can do this many times but on the long run your alternator will suffer.

No matter how many watts your system is?

DomWoo · Post by **DomWoo** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 12:01 am

actaully the yellow top is more forgiving if it dies completely.. as with a normal battery if it dies its never the same again

kroz123 · Post by **kroz123** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 3:28 am

kinkyllama wrote:
rr__kroz123 wrote:
It means that you can run the radio for about 2 hours w/o the battery dying. And it does last that long, I talk from experience. But it is never a good idea to let a battery die, with the yellow top you can do this many times but on the long run your alternator will suffer.
No matter how many watts your system is?

well actauly my system is like 600+ watts, and I don't have any problems.
I saw one time in a carshow I was in, a mitsu eclipse that had 2000+ watts and he started the car every 1 hour and a half just to be sure.