subwoofer power and battery power requirement

smats · 12th October 2006, 10:48

does the power requirements of a subwoofer dictates that we keep our engines on during traffic light stops?
Just wondering cos i got a active subwoofer installed and my installer said that try keeping the engine on everytime ur ICE is running???This will help in keeping the battery charged and u wud never run out of batt power......

do u ppl agree? do u always keep ur car on while running a subwoofer in ur car?

navin · 12th October 2006, 10:52

You may run your ICE for a few minutes without the engine but i suggest you do NOT turn your engine on while the ICE is running (unless you have bypassed the ignition switch).

My wife does run her ICE while waiting (engine off) but only for a few minutes (she has 2 amps, components in the front and rear and 4 6" woofers).

aZa · 12th October 2006, 12:11

Prolonged use of ICE with the engine switched off might discharged ur batteries.

jkdas · 12th October 2006, 12:15

I run 30min max. Get a decent battery if you have a good ICE and hear songs with engien off for long periods.

Mr.Bangalore · 12th October 2006, 12:22

yes true with ICE running and engine off.. really your battery discharges fast.. its better in traffic light stops to keep your engine on if your ICE is on... and also depends on how the battery is charged.. if it is charged fully then no problem swithching off your engine for few moment and ICE running..

hydrashok · 12th October 2006, 14:06

I *never* run my ICE (2 amps + 1 sub) with engine off. My Palio doesn't run much anyway (Only 30K kms in the last 4 years) so my battery doesn't get much uhh.. exercise. I upgraded to an Amaron hi-cap battery sometime back, but I wouldn't want to complicate things for my battery in any way by loading it with my ICE when the engine isn't running.

redeye · 13th October 2006, 14:05

i Guess i learned it the hard way...

This happened before i joined team bhp.. i had my ice on and the engine off ..me and pals were watching some video songs with woofer on.. after 30 mins my pals left .. i was the last to live the place the car wouldn't start .. i then realised i had drained the battery ..i called my pals back and we had to push to get it start.. ah!! the horror people around the place started laughing ..that was really embrassing ...

santosh.s · 13th October 2006, 14:57

I guess using class-d amp for sub and/or some kind of battery voltage indicator should help. Good that I am learning it before ICEing my car!

vikram_d · 13th October 2006, 17:33

My pioneer 6850 HU has a battery voltage meter. I use the ICE till the battery level is till about 12.2V (irrespective of time) when engine is off. Have never faced a problem with the batteries.

iraghava · 13th October 2006, 18:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by vikram_d

My pioneer 6850 HU has a battery voltage meter. I use the ICE till the battery level is till about 12.2V (irrespective of time) when engine is off. Have never faced a problem with the batteries.

Are these things reliable?? I mean are these readings accurate & trustworthy?

vikram_d · 13th October 2006, 18:16

Extremely accurate. I infact even crosschecked these readings with a multimeter. 100% accurate.

santosh.s · 13th October 2006, 18:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by iraghava

Are these things reliable?? I mean are these readings accurate & trustworthy?

I think it need not be accurate as such, but needs to be trustworthy for sure. It should be fine if it is off from actual voltage, as long as you can eventually figure out that one should not let the reading drop below X volt before creating trouble

Bass&Trouble · 13th October 2006, 22:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by santosh.s

I think it need not be accurate as such, but needs to be trustworthy for sure. It should be fine if it is off from actual voltage, as long as you can eventually figure out that one should not let the reading drop below X volt before creating trouble

It better be very accurate.

To stay within safe voltage levels, it's important to have a accurate volt-meter. A simple thing to follow is that most car audio amplifiers/ head units will suffer extreme strain to deliver rated output if the input voltage drops below 11 volts (check your amp's manual for it's recommended operating voltage rating). Some can tolerate down to 9-10 volts also, but at that level, it's not just the music system of your car that's in trouble... all of the other electrical equipment in your car and your battery is.

If a performance battery is used, one can use the music system with the engine switched off for longer periods than regular batteries, and yet have no damage caused to the battery. In a regular battery, there will be irrversible damage to the cells.

santosh.s · 14th October 2006, 19:36

B&T, did you mean to say that if voltage drops, it can cause damage to the music system (or any other electrical equipment for that matter)? I know it will damage the battery itself, though.

Bass&Trouble · 14th October 2006, 20:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by santosh.s

B&T, did you mean to say that if voltage drops, it can cause damage to the music system (or any other electrical equipment for that matter)? I know it will damage the battery itself, though.

Can, cannot. Some amps etc. have undervoltage protection to switch off when the input voltage drops below a prescribed level. Others could suffer just when the amp is approaching the limit, or if the voltage drops to suddenly, or coinciding with some big bass note happening.

12th October 2006, 10:48	#1
smats BHPian Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: NOIDA Posts: 37 Thanked: 2 Times	subwoofer power and battery power requirement does the power requirements of a subwoofer dictates that we keep our engines on during traffic light stops? Just wondering cos i got a active subwoofer installed and my installer said that try keeping the engine on everytime ur ICE is running???This will help in keeping the battery charged and u wud never run out of batt power...... do u ppl agree? do u always keep ur car on while running a subwoofer in ur car?
	() Thanks

12th October 2006, 10:52	#2
navin Team-BHP Support Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Mumbai Posts: 25,176 Thanked: 9,264 Times	You may run your ICE for a few minutes without the engine but i suggest you do NOT turn your engine on while the ICE is running (unless you have bypassed the ignition switch). My wife does run her ICE while waiting (engine off) but only for a few minutes (she has 2 amps, components in the front and rear and 4 6" woofers).
	() Thanks

12th October 2006, 12:11	#3
aZa Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Noida / Delhi Posts: 1,595 Thanked: 21 Times View My Garage	Prolonged use of ICE with the engine switched off might discharged ur batteries.
	() Thanks

12th October 2006, 12:15	#4
jkdas Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Thiruvananthapu Posts: 9,687 Thanked: 1,492 Times View My Garage	I run 30min max. Get a decent battery if you have a good ICE and hear songs with engien off for long periods.
	() Thanks

12th October 2006, 12:22	#5
Mr.Bangalore BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Bengalooru Posts: 368 Thanked: 55 Times View My Garage	yes true with ICE running and engine off.. really your battery discharges fast.. its better in traffic light stops to keep your engine on if your ICE is on... and also depends on how the battery is charged.. if it is charged fully then no problem swithching off your engine for few moment and ICE running..
	() Thanks

12th October 2006, 14:06	#6
hydrashok Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: In my Office Posts: 2,528 Thanked: 17 Times View My Garage	I never run my ICE (2 amps + 1 sub) with engine off. My Palio doesn't run much anyway (Only 30K kms in the last 4 years) so my battery doesn't get much uhh.. exercise. I upgraded to an Amaron hi-cap battery sometime back, but I wouldn't want to complicate things for my battery in any way by loading it with my ICE when the engine isn't running.
	() Thanks

13th October 2006, 14:05	#7
redeye BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: bangalore Posts: 275 Thanked: 4 Times View My Garage	i Guess i learned it the hard way... This happened before i joined team bhp.. i had my ice on and the engine off ..me and pals were watching some video songs with woofer on.. after 30 mins my pals left .. i was the last to live the place the car wouldn't start .. i then realised i had drained the battery ..i called my pals back and we had to push to get it start.. ah!! the horror people around the place started laughing ..that was really embrassing ...
	() Thanks

13th October 2006, 14:57	#8
santosh.s Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,077 Thanked: 70 Times View My Garage	I guess using class-d amp for sub and/or some kind of battery voltage indicator should help. Good that I am learning it before ICEing my car!
	() Thanks

13th October 2006, 17:33	#9
vikram_d Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 2,427 Thanked: 1,185 Times	My pioneer 6850 HU has a battery voltage meter. I use the ICE till the battery level is till about 12.2V (irrespective of time) when engine is off. Have never faced a problem with the batteries.
	() Thanks

13th October 2006, 18:16	#11
vikram_d Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 2,427 Thanked: 1,185 Times	Extremely accurate. I infact even crosschecked these readings with a multimeter. 100% accurate.
	() Thanks

14th October 2006, 19:36	#14
santosh.s Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,077 Thanked: 70 Times View My Garage	B&T, did you mean to say that if voltage drops, it can cause damage to the music system (or any other electrical equipment for that matter)? I know it will damage the battery itself, though.
	() Thanks