89macrunner

On my rig i have two piaa 525s that have a 100watt high beam... I have 1.24kW of stereo equpiment. If my headlights are on My battery gauge moves up and down like crazy in a weird almost life-like motion. Am i overdrawing my alternator? Do i need a yellow top? My truck runs PERFECT and always starts on no more than 5 cranks. It has never left me stranded... should i leave it or add the battery or alternator?

This ad is not displayed to registered members. Register your free account today and become a member on Yotatech!

__________________
Daily Driver: 2007 Windsor "The Hour" Fixed Gear 250 miles
Crouch Rocket 2005 Felt F80 1100mi (purchased new in Jan 2008)
2006 Mazda3 GT
2000 TRD Tacoma..Bought back and crushed
1988 4Runner SR5 V6 5 speed..sold

GSGALLANT

An auxiliary battery would be very helpful for you.

__________________
2002 4Runner, Auto-A340F, 3.4L, 4.30 Gears
TJM T15 Front Bumper & Warn M8000, 4xInnovation sliders, Sonoran Steel 1.2 Lift, Toytec LCA Skids, Tundra Brake Upgrade (231mm), Extended rear diff breather, Deckplate Mod, Andymod, Dual batt setup with Optima blue top aux battery, Hardwired 1000W inverter, Aux fuse box, Full time power to 12V plugs, Yaesu FT7800R Radio, "4-air" system for airing up/down tires.

2004 Camry LE - stock (and will stay that way)

1993 4Runner has been sold

Yota_Kid

at minimum you're probably stressing your alternator. upgrade the alternator, or perhaps install a 2nd alternator and battery for auxillary stuff

bob200587

A second alternator would be quite difficult to do, as you would have to make some kind of mount and get a custom length belt.

I suggest you get a capacitor for you're stero system if you don't already have one. Proabably more than 1 Farad.

Then Get a second battery, and use the Painless wiring or a similar kit, that way you can use one or both batteries or charge one or both.

I think the painless kit is less than $100, and a battery (I suggest a blue top) is 100 somethin I think.

__________________
87 4runner 4x4 SR5 22RE
ARB Bull Bar,
31X10.50 Mastercraft M/T's, Stock 4.10 Gears, Flowmaster Muffler, LCE Header
AISIN Manual Hubs, Marlin Crawler Sliders
190XXX miles

snap-on

a second battery is only a temp solution.

if your drawing 90 amps, and the alternator is only outputing 75, your drawing the other 15 from "reserve" battery. once that runs out it doesnt matter if you 1 or 5 batteries, same is true for a cap. (nothing but really short term battery)

The real fix is a larger alternator, more battery(s) will help smoth out the peaks/valleys in the system voltage as it can repond quicker than the alternator. Currently the system is trying to keep up with the current output by dropping the voltage. W=VA

__________________
94 EX cab, 5speed, V6, locked, ARB bar, NWOR headers
92 4runner, auto, V6, OME suspension, Downey headers

da_bigg_wigg

Hah, this reminds me of my buddy's old Ranger. He put a rediculous stereo into it (stolen, replaced, stolen again, given up on...) so whenever he had it cranked, he would have to flick his turn signals on and off because it wouldn't do it by itself. That truck was hilarious. He hit the ditch going way too fast and basically destroyed the body, but kept on truckin'. One of the "r's" fell off the back of the truck, so it has since forever been known as "the anger." He also smashed out all the lights on one side of the box, so he rewired the thing with trailer lights from an rv store.

__________________
-1992 4Runner (Medallist Edition) Still given 'er 16 years later
-Santa Cruz Bullit
-Giant STP1
-Empty Wallet

Adam

bob200587

Even a bigger alternator is quite expensive. I remember I looked into the Mobi-arc 90 amp upgrade to the current 60 amp toyota alternators and that was a decent deal, but I don't know if they still do that.

Powermaster makes the 170 amp and proabably larger alternators, but they are very very pricey.

I'd have to say the best bet would be to drop the system....I used to have one and they aren't worth the trouble. 4 speakers and a head unit will be fine. My system was "cool" and "I love music so I want it to sound good", but It caused me more trouble than it was worth. You could proabably sell some of the sound stuff and put it to good use...or in the bank, it's less likely to be stolen there as well.

__________________
87 4runner 4x4 SR5 22RE
ARB Bull Bar,
31X10.50 Mastercraft M/T's, Stock 4.10 Gears, Flowmaster Muffler, LCE Header
AISIN Manual Hubs, Marlin Crawler Sliders
190XXX miles

profuse007

best to get an upgraded alt to a higher amp rating, like others are sayin.

__________________
Tran,
oO 4runner - Millenium Silver

WTB: 01-02 4runner right(pass.) taillight .,~??▼.,~??▼.,~??▼
WTB: Hood wind deflector

reggie 00

Helpful (i hope) alt upgrade link i found. Some of the links on the page are broke. Still alot of usefull info.

Linky-link

__________________
'83 Truck 4x4 - 4" lift, downey header,, lots of stickers.
'90 Runner $600 project ,32's on black Steelies,Optima Red Top, 1.5" Balljoint Spacers, 80 series Coils, Sleeping/Storage Platform extravaganza

You know enough to be dangerous, get out the way before you break something i can't fix- Pops

Bah, you are such a moose...

Rota est Fun!

http://www.4x4support.com

brandontrek

i would deff up the alternator....hit cebby up...he has a 160 amp for sale....

__________________
2003 Buell Firebolt
Trek STP400
Sneakers

Chief_Yota

search for gm CS-144 alternator swap, i did it, 140 amps alternator,not too expensive,reliable as hell,lifetime warranty,im running flexalite fan,4 times KC'S long range 130w,and soon a winch,and i got a single good deep cycle batterie,when my fan kicks at idle with 4 kc's lighted up,the voltage needle barely moves an milimeter.

check my buildup thread,and make sure you check the one Ganoid did!

__________________
-------------------------------------
If it's not broken, it hasn't been modified enough.

pickup 91 3.slo,along with "the money draining mod"
PROJECT SAS UNDER CONSTRUCTION


MY SAS BUILDUP AND MUCH MORE FONKY STUFF,check it out!!
http://www.yotatech.com/f116/yet-ano...s-pics-155676/