Can you guys please help me?
I have a 70Ah Battery (120AH alternator) in my Marea. It has air-conditioning (almost never used), power steering and:
Sound system:
-Sony CDX-M850MP (Headunit)
-Sony XM-405EQX (40 watts x 4; 100 watts x 1, 20-20k at .04% THD-RMS)-AMP
-Sony XM-D400P5 MONO(200 watts x 1, 20Hz to 300Hz, 0.2% THD-RMS)-AMP
-Sony XS-HL535 (power range 2-40 watts RMS) - Component Speakers
-Sony XS-L101P5 (power range 80-300 watts RMS - peak 1100 watts)-SUB

And a near deaf (hehe) loud playing owner.
So, what do you think, will my alternator and current battery suffice?
THANKS!

yeah, i think it should be fine so long as you dont play it too long without the engine running

Pheww!
I had just read an article about electric problems due to poor dimensioning of the i.c.e. (and cables), and got a bit worried.
Anyway, thanks for the info!

Add up the fuse ratings of the amps you have. The speakers dont have a bearing on the alternator and battery load.

Usually the car draws half of the alterators in normal use. Unless you are nearing the limit of the alternator you'll be fine, unless, as Mackett pointed out, you run the system for too long with the engine off.

Matt

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54 BHP of pure italian muscle

If you're right, I am pretty much in a tight spot:
Head Unit: 10A
Mono Amp: 2x 30A (recomended a 80A fuse)
5 Channel Amp: 33A (of current draw)
And my alternator is of: 120A
What to do?

You should be fine. Just dont run it without the engine running. Unless you want to look out in a scrappy for a same model car that had a higher alternator rating such as a model with air con or a diesel.

Head units dont usually count as the car is designed to run one.

Matt

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54 BHP of pure italian muscle

I am sorry for my lack of knowledge in this matter, but:
Am I not to use my I.C.E. at all (except, of course, for brief periods of time), with the car off?
I don't think FIAT makes more "powerful" alternators (mine is the "strongest" Mareas have) [V]
Replacing my batt for a 80A one will help?
Is there anything I can do to solve this problem (short of scrapping the car altogether )?
Do you think that Stilo Abarth's alternator (my car is equipped with the same motor) will fit/help? It is a 140A one.
Thanks for your help!

Using anything electrical with the car off will always run the battery down a little, you wouldnt use the headlights without it running without running the battery flat would you?

You dont need to worry about it all, really. Its not such a drama that the car is useless because the amps draw a lot of the cars current.

A 140a alternator would be better but probably not worth the cost.

You should be fine, just stop worrying.

Matt

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54 BHP of pure italian muscle

You can buy special batteries that are made 4 use with sound systems if you r worried

If i were you, i'd upgrade the earth wire from the battery to deal with the extra power being drawn. Thicker the better

Another day...another problem...

Your 70 Ah battery will do fine.

Morten.


Abarth alloys. Inter Alloy lowering. Phoenix Gold & Kenwood audio. Abarth steering wheel. Insane Dalmatian door and seat refurnishing

Projects: K&N induction kit, racing seats, exhaust, window tinting.

Thank you guys for your help. I just returned from the beach and the battery did ok. I was able to play only about two cds before I needed to start the car and recharge it (no loud-banging-bass-noises, otherwise the battery would have ran down faster).
Not good enough, but it'll have to do for the time being.