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chawk610 Addict
Joined: 06 Jul 2010 Posts: 668 City: Fort Worth
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Posted: Jul 26, 2010 6:09 am Post subject: Power amp question |
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Ok... so this past week I installed a small power amp, sub, and 2 speakers. The "garage" test was great It ran for a long time without draining the battery.. so I felt pretty confident about chilling in the water running it. Well... guess what... Saturday night we were towed in by some good folks. We went back out Sunday... and after about 15 min the power amp stared sounding funny... garbling the signal. I turned it off and the battery barely kicked the motor over... spent the rest of the day with no tunes. I wonder if the amp is getting too hot and pulling the battery down? I have a closed bow boat and have the amp mountd by the driver foot rest.....would a fan blowing on it help?
Thanks. |
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jonyb Addict
Joined: 06 Oct 2007 Posts: 844 City: Paducah
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Posted: Jul 26, 2010 6:27 am Post subject: |
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The amp is draining the battery, and not because it's getting hot. Those are 2 separate issues. If you want to listen to the stereo without the boat running, you'll need to add a dedicated battery to the stereo. That battery will also need to be charged separately or add a battery switch (like a Perko) to select which battery the alternator is connected to while the boat is running. Batteries' don't recharge themselves. |
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chawk610 Addict
Joined: 06 Jul 2010 Posts: 668 City: Fort Worth
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Posted: Jul 26, 2010 6:33 am Post subject: |
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Ahhh... ok.... Does it need to be a full sized battery? _________________ '08 Mobius LS |
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browneye253 Outlaw
Joined: 07 Jul 2008 Posts: 115 City: Tulsa
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Posted: Jul 26, 2010 11:01 am Post subject: |
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Yes, and you should look for a deep cycle battery. The larger the battery the longer you can run the tunes. I'd also look into a battery charger you can hook up after you get off the water. It would be tough for the alternator to charge two batteries completely, so when you get off the water just hook up the charger for the evening and you're ready to go the next day. _________________ My Boat: 2008 Sea Ray 205 Sport w/ Tower
My Ride: 2008 Liquid Force Trip 142 w/ Alpha Bindings
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chawk610 Addict
Joined: 06 Jul 2010 Posts: 668 City: Fort Worth
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Posted: Jul 26, 2010 12:55 pm Post subject: |
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Great... thanks! _________________ '08 Mobius LS |
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joedirt00 Wakeboarder.com Freak
Joined: 15 Jul 2004 Posts: 2892 City: Baker City
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Posted: Jul 27, 2010 4:48 pm Post subject: |
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This has been discussed before. You need an isolator and a 2nd battery. A perko switch would be a PITA compared to an isolator. _________________
haugy wrote: | My advice:
-If you grab a girls hair, and it comes off in your hand, don't laugh, that could have been the best sex ever. |
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chawk610 Addict
Joined: 06 Jul 2010 Posts: 668 City: Fort Worth
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Posted: Aug 02, 2010 7:02 am Post subject: |
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Whoa... slow down there Joedirt... I understand second battery in that reply... the rest is greek. _________________ '08 Mobius LS |
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Brit Rider Wakeboarder.com Freak
Joined: 29 Mar 2004 Posts: 3347 City: Cheshire, England
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Posted: Aug 02, 2010 12:42 pm Post subject: |
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chawk610, I believe what joeDirt00 is referring to is an auto-split charge relay.
In lay mans terms its a large relay (about 180amp). when the engine is running the relay is closed. this allows a charging current to hit both batteries. as soon as you turn the motor off, the relay snaps open. this isolates the batteries from each other. so say you have your stereo running from battery 2 and starter motor from battery 1... they are kept seperate.
you can flaten one and still start off the other... this will avoid the embaressing situation you found yourself in the otyher day.
Can you gove us details of boat (model and year), amp you installed and ay other auxilleries you have added? _________________ www.AxisBoats.co.uk | www.Malibu-Boats.co.uk |
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chawk610 Addict
Joined: 06 Jul 2010 Posts: 668 City: Fort Worth
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Posted: Aug 03, 2010 6:05 am Post subject: |
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Sure... it is an '83 Mastercraft Comp. speed slot ski boat, stars and stripes. I have added a 300wJBL marine power amp, 6" bass tube, and (2) 3 way dash mounted speakers to go with the existing 5x7's under the passenger bench. I have also stripped and oiled the teak deack...apparently someone in the past varnished it!!! It is coming along... _________________ '08 Mobius LS |
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joedirt00 Wakeboarder.com Freak
Joined: 15 Jul 2004 Posts: 2892 City: Baker City
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Posted: Aug 07, 2010 8:56 pm Post subject: |
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Brit Rider, That is one type. There is debate whether that type prematurely kills batteries because of the nature of the way they work. If you kill one battery and then open the relay, supposedly the power rush from the good battery to the dead one is not good. Don't know if I buy into it though.
I prefer and use a solid state isolator which is basicly a big diode. The one I have in the boat is made by Surepower. I've been using these for years on the 4wd's with winch installations. I think its a better way to go myself. _________________
haugy wrote: | My advice:
-If you grab a girls hair, and it comes off in your hand, don't laugh, that could have been the best sex ever. |
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Moon Newbie
Joined: 29 Oct 2008 Posts: 44 City: Prosser
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Posted: Aug 07, 2010 10:45 pm Post subject: |
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Is there really something wrong with just using the perko or are you just to lazy to switch it from one battery to another (question for joedirt)? The reason I ask is cause we run three batteries with a perko. Two batteries in par. for the stereo and one for starting. I have a onboard charger for the two stereo batteries which gets plugged in when we get home. We never drive with the stereo batteries and it's very easy to switch the perko from one bank to the other. I'm just curious why you say it's a pita. _________________ Moon |
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joedirt00 Wakeboarder.com Freak
Joined: 15 Jul 2004 Posts: 2892 City: Baker City
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Posted: Aug 08, 2010 6:06 pm Post subject: |
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its just one more thing I NEVER have to mess with. The Surepower isolator automaticly routes the alternators output to the battery that needs it. They are cheap and easy to install. _________________
haugy wrote: | My advice:
-If you grab a girls hair, and it comes off in your hand, don't laugh, that could have been the best sex ever. |
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jjaszkow Wakeboarder.Commie
Joined: 25 Jul 2006 Posts: 2124 City: Some Airport
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Posted: Aug 09, 2010 5:27 am Post subject: |
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One benefit of having the perko is that you can switch over to your house battery if for some reason your starting battery dies without having to move any cables. Might help out in a pinch. I personally am a big fan of a perko and ACR combo. |
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chawk610 Addict
Joined: 06 Jul 2010 Posts: 668 City: Fort Worth
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Posted: Aug 10, 2010 4:21 am Post subject: |
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Hmmm... hard to make a decision with all these point / counter points! But I have to do something... I can't keep giving away all me beers for tows in _________________ '08 Mobius LS |
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kyle f Addict
Joined: 14 Aug 2008 Posts: 835 City: Norris Lake
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Posted: Aug 10, 2010 7:43 pm Post subject: |
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I am also a fan of the Perko, but my boat came with it installed. Its easy to acces, and easy to use. _________________ Always looking for others who ride on Norris Lake in TN
MB Sports B52 V23 with 2750lbs of Ballast Capable |
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chawk610 Addict
Joined: 06 Jul 2010 Posts: 668 City: Fort Worth
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Posted: Aug 12, 2010 8:44 am Post subject: |
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One thing about my boat... there is NOT a lot of storage in her... _________________ '08 Mobius LS |
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chawk610 Addict
Joined: 06 Jul 2010 Posts: 668 City: Fort Worth
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Posted: Sep 14, 2010 8:06 am Post subject: |
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ok... I have decided this fall, which is mid to late October for us I am gonna use the Perko and an additional deep cycle battery. Thank yall for the advice, I will make a new post when I get started if I get in a jam. _________________ '08 Mobius LS |
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