I put in a 2000 watt amp in my Honda Accord for some speakers I got for free at work. Honestly, I don’t know much about car audio setups. My main concern is if my amp will pull more power than my alternator can handle when the car is running. Can I just turn down the amp to avoid problems? My grandpa, who’s an electrician, is helping me with the install, but he’s never done car speakers before. Any advice would really help!
You should be fine with your stock alternator for that setup.
If the amp has 2 30A fuses, it will only pull about 700 watts. You’re good to go.
Jai said:
If the amp has 2 30A fuses, it will only pull about 700 watts. You’re good to go.
Thanks for the info! Do you think I got ripped off? The amp cost me $200.
Jai said:
If the amp has 2 30A fuses, it will only pull about 700 watts. You’re good to go.
Thanks for the info! Do you think I got ripped off? The amp cost me $200.
Yeah, it sounds like marketing got you. Check the fuses to get a rough idea of power. For most amps, you can estimate the wattage by multiplying the fuse rating by 10. Anything that advertises ‘MAX POWER’ is usually overhyped.
Jai said:
If the amp has 2 30A fuses, it will only pull about 700 watts. You’re good to go.
Thanks for the info! Do you think I got ripped off? The amp cost me $200.
For $200, you could’ve gotten a much better amp. For example, the Stinger MT600.4 is a 1000W 4-channel amp for $135. If you can return yours, you could get something with better specs for the same price or less.
Jai said:
If the amp has 2 30A fuses, it will only pull about 700 watts. You’re good to go.
Thanks for the info! Do you think I got ripped off? The amp cost me $200.
$200 isn’t crazy for a 4-channel amp, but it’s not the best deal either. If you’re using it for a sub, look into Taramps or Power Acoustik Razor series. They’re cheaper and work well. Used amps can also be a great option.
I have an amp that claims 2K watts. My lights dim sometimes, but my stock alternator handles it. That Crunch amp you have probably doesn’t push the full 2000 watts. I had one too, and it’s more like 800 watts at best. You’ll be fine, but the marketing definitely oversells it.
@Indie
Good to know, thanks!
@Indie
Actually, that amp probably does closer to 175x2 @2 ohms bridged. Marketing really inflates those numbers.
Another case of misleading wattage ratings. Happens all the time.
You’ll be fine as long as your alternator is in good shape and you connect the turn-on wire correctly. That way, you won’t end up with a dead battery.
Nuri said:
You’ll be fine as long as your alternator is in good shape and you connect the turn-on wire correctly. That way, you won’t end up with a dead battery.
We hooked up the turn-on wire, but everywhere I looked online said you need an extra alternator and battery for anything over 1500 watts. Is that true?
@Ziv
You only need a high-output alternator for true 1500+ watt systems. That Crunch amp you have isn’t anywhere near that. Check the fuse rating—if it’s 30A, it’s pulling about 210 watts RMS after efficiency losses. A real 2000W amp would need around 200A, which a stock alternator can’t handle.
@Rory
Thanks for breaking it down. Do you think I made a bad purchase for $200?
Ziv said:
@Rory
Thanks for breaking it down. Do you think I made a bad purchase for $200?
Honestly, $200 is a lot for that amp. My shop sells them new for $90 with a warranty. You might be able to find something better for the same price or even less if you’re buying used.
@Ziv
That amp isn’t really 2000 watts. That’s just the max rating. RMS is the real measure, and it’s probably closer to 1000 watts.
I ran a 1600W system on the stock alternator in my 1999 Civic. As long as you keep the engine running while playing music, you’ll be okay. One time I played music with the car off for 10 minutes and it killed the battery, though.
@Oli
If you can, save up for a new battery and alternator. You can get by for now, but it’s worth upgrading down the line.
Your amp won’t be pulling max power all the time. Most of the time, it’ll just be running lightly for normal listening.