Expert: Cleggsan - 9/5/2009

Question
hello my name is dan and u have a 2000 gmc jimmy and i have a kenwood dvd player with 2 kicker L7's and im running a kicker 1000 watt amp to them i also have a 500 watt kicker amp running my mids and highs. i have a battery built in to my box it is running straight to my truck main battery and it keeps running my battery dead so i have to jump it every day what can i do to get it to stop running the bvattery dead

Answer
If you have two batteries connected to the alternator and charger system of the car, the charging circuit will favor the battery that has the lowest voltage condition.  If the wires going to the auxiliary battery are not really big gauge with very low resistance you may not be getting enough charging current to it.

Also, check the wiring to make sure you really are getting voltage to the aux battery and that some charging current is getting to it.  If you charge it up fully it should run the audio system  for a few hours on its own juice.  Thus, you may not be getting any charge-up from the cars alternator system at all.

A simple vom (volt-ohm-meter) can go a long ways in checking the system out.

NOW:  If the alternator system in your car is not sufficient to keep the battery system charged it and cannot keep up with the audio demands you may need a new, high output alternator.  If you are pulling 60 or 80 amps or even 100 amps when the bass is cranked up that will overload a conventional alternator. You can get GM refit alternators up to 250 amp output - and you may need it.


C