Expert: Cleggsan - 1/5/2010

Question
hi i have a nissan aemada 2004 and i planing to run my system but i have question about the electrical system and what type of system is better ok... i have 2 12 solo x kicker they are 4 ohms and i have 2 rockford t2 15s they are 2 ohms, and i also have 1 kicker 1500.1, kicker 2500.1 rockford t2000bd amp, and im going to install 4 headrest tvs and a overhead monitor plus my deck is a kenwood double din i have an alphasonic amp for my highs so the question is what is better to install my rockford system or my kicker system? and i have stock alternetor? so and have running right now 0 gauge street wires from my battery to a yellow top battery in the back whit the kicker 1500.1 and the t2s 15s but my lights still deep so what kind of alternetor u will recomended and what kind of systeme is better to install? thanks...

Answer
If the headlights are dimming when the system is cranked up it is due to too much current being drawn from the electrical system of the Armada.  It is strictly a question of power.  When the amps, which ever ones you are using, draw more current than the electrical system will support you need a bigger battery and/or alternator for the vehicle to keep it charged.

Here is what you do.  Add up the power ratings of all the amps  (other electronics don't count as they draw very little current) and divide the total power number by 12.  This will give you the current necessary to drive them to full power.  So, if you have 1200 watts of power total from the sum of all the amp channels it means it will pull 100 amps of current off the system.  If you have an 80 amp battery it must be upgraded. Then you must check the specifications of the alternator and see if it can put out enough to keep up with the battery needs.

You can google around to read what other Nissan owners are doing, but some Armadas have the Hitachi alternator which is capable of 130 amps out with good rpm.  This would be ok in the example above, but if the power output of all your amps were 2400 watts you will need a 200 amp alternator and battery.  (Or, you can keep the system you have but keep the volume low - below where the lights go dim - something noone wants to have to do when such potent system is wanting to holler out at ya!)

So, you have some simple math and decision making to do but I gave you enough information for you to "figger" it all out.  Good Luck!