How much power, can a pimp power?

cormie

From watching a few pimp my ride episodes in the past, it's clear you can have quite a lot of electrics on in your car, from fires to 15 tv's and flashing lights on the floor and huge sound systems. Is all this power just taken from the car battery or do they need to install an additional battery?

How much power is the car battery capable of supplying without it dying while stopped in traffic or after 10 mins if you have the engine turned off?

Would you be pushing it with the stereo, 3 small tv's, a games console, a laptop, a gps, and the lights on?

If an additional power supply is needed, where's a good place to pick one up and how do you go about setting it up?

Any feedback appreciated:cool:

Seth Brundle

What van mods are you planning so we know what direction your "my van is broken" posts are going?

cormie

lol, well maybe if I get some kind of crew cab, have 2 tv's and a games console in the back, and another tv in the front passenger area. Then I'd want somewhere to plug my laptop into* and of course, to have music and lights on pretty much all the time:)

*note to prospective thieves: These items will be removable and rarely in my van so piss off and target some SUV with tv's for the kids instead:D

peasant

All that gear would be pushing it a bit, you'd definetly need a second battery for running it once youre parked.
As long as the engine is running your alternator will supply current ...add up your watts and amps and see if it would be enough ...you might even need a bigger alternator.


As for the second battery:
You'd want all your gizmos to be connected to that only and connect the second battery through a relay that only allows charging from the alternator, but no connection to the main battery.

That way, when you run your gadgets, worst case scenario is an epmty second battery, but it will still start and drive off the main battery.

cormie

Jeez Peasant, you should have a hotline, you know something about everything:D

Where would I put the second battery? Not in the engine I assume? I wonder would this be something a mechanic would see as an opportunity to charge through the roof for or would they do it as a standard battery purchase/installation.

So would I even need a bigger alternator if I had a second battery? How much do you reckon a job like that would cost?

rowanh

Id say you would want to find the right person to do it. Not a mechanic inless you know one. Is that Cians brother Cormac? Cons mate Moe might do it, i think he has a lot of experiance with car stereo and alarms. Or try and find a guide online and do it yourself. I would assume you would want the battery in the back in a box, i would doubt you could fit it in the engine. No idea about the alkternater. Migh be a good idea to ring car stereo shops ask them what you would need and then get it online and install as much as you can yourself then get someone to check it or connect the wires.

cormie

Hey Rowan! When I saw the username of the last poster who replied I was wondering was it you:D

I might ask Moe about it, I knew he did some electrical stuff for guitars and all that but didn't know he could do that kind of stuff too. I don't have the van to be pimped or the money to spend just yet, just looking into it for when I do, thanks:)

peasant

Cormie

You'd need a (car) electrician to do that, alternatively a motorhome dealer because they also deal a lot with second batteries and extra gizmos and should have the knowledge of how to wire and switch these things properly.

A good place for the second battery in a Ducato would be under the seat ...that's where it is in campers.

colm_mcm

I like the way he's getting a Ducato now!

cormie

Yeah cool, I was thinking about Campers actually because of all the extras they'd have in the back. Do you know any good motorhome dealers in the South Dublin region Peasant?

peasant

There are a few in and around Dublin (and a big one in Wicklow). I have no idea though if they're just dealers or if they do actual work as well.

5500

How handy are you with DIY electrics?Its not that hard to Do yourself

I had to run a split charge system in my last car and my current one could do with one too.Your best bet for the second battery is the likes of an optima bluetop/exide/stinger gel battery.

Depending on what your running this should do nicely.

If you looking into running mega power stuff its a new alternator for you,i remember going to myles balfe looking for a 200amp one and they were looking for the guts of 500euro for it,there not cheap at all.

If its a car a cheapo option is look for a diesel variant model of it and get an alternator from that as they tend to have a higher output