How big is too big for a stock trucks electrical system

[Jeremie]

Say it is a all stock charging system, 2001 Pete 379. Would 1000w-1400w be too much for it to handle? It will be a 4 pill driving a 8 pill, 2 ga wire direct from the battery (fused), grounded to the frame, double shielded coax, twin predator 10K's. The setup does fine now with a Connex 4300-300, but adding the 8 pill is really stepping it up. Any thoughts?

[shooter]

4 pill driving 8 pill = expensive smoke . the general rule of thumb is a 1 to 4 ratio . so if you have an 8 pill amp you would like to have a 2 pill driver .
i dont know about the charging system in a truck like that . im sure someone will offer some help there .
welcome to the forum , lots of good info. to be had here .

762 in the buckeye

[721HACKSAW]

There are more people on here that will have more knowledge than me. I would just use the Connex to drive the 8-pill, you will need to have the right DK for the application.

['Doc]

It sort of depends on the amount of electrical 'storage' you have, batteries. The vehicle's charging system would have to recharge those storage devices, so would be working harder no matter how large the generator/alternator. Keeping things 'short-n-sweet' with transmitting is the 'key' to that. And finding places to put those extra batteries.
You can also count on 'up-grading' the antenna system. No idea what you may be using now, but that amount of power requires a substantial 'bump' in everything that will have to carry that power. The power ratings for antennas and feed lines and stuff are more of a 'guess' than actual fact. It depends on tuning to a large extent. What you can 'get by with' at lower power just won't 'cut it' at higher power levels.
Oh well, if it were simple/easy, everybody would be doing it, right??
- 'Doc

[goofy]

I'm just curious, no offense meant, but why are you doing this?

I've never understood why anyone would need to run an 8 pill amp in a mobile, unless you are into competitions and the like...

If you can't get heard on channel 19 with a 4-pill, well your area operators must be a lot more abusive than they are around here...

[Jeremie]

I'm just doing it to go bigger. You know how it goes, everyone always wants something one step better. I'm fairly sure the coax/antenna's will handle the power. The twin predator 10K's should be good enough and I have good double shielded coax as well. 2 gauge wire to feed the Messenger 8 pill.

The 4 pill is the connex btw. Not a big 4 pill but you know. We figure the connex is about 280w or so (being realistic) and the 8 pill is 960. So I guess really all I'm wiring in is the 8 pill. I've never really messed with big boxes other than some 100w to 400w texas stars and a old galaxy box. So I'm looking at all this as if I've never done it before.

[big boone]

I'M running a T/S Sweet Sixteen pushed by a Palomar Modulator in my cornbinder with a stock charging system. All of my trucks eletrical system runs off one end of the row of (3) batteries. All my radio runs off the other end of the row. As of one month of useing the Sixteen ive had no trouble at all. just for the record i use the Modulator most of the time, but when the going gets tough the Sixteen comes on!

[Jeremie]

I dunno. I'm on the fence about putting it all together after boss man said if I burn it up.. I bought it. I really don't want to afford peterbilt parts...

[shooter]

im guessing peterbuilt parts are not very cheap ...................
my lil chevy parts cost like a mercedes anymore .
and most of them are made in freakin' mexico !

sad

[Jeremie]

It is sad.. and no they are not cheap at all. Mostly because of the name.

[hou26guy]

hey im from houston so i know what u mean im one of the big talkers there handle 3rd ward cuney home boy. but the set up i have is a connex 3300hp and a texas star 667 and striker ant on a 09 freightliner and the rf is bad on the 667 make gauges go crazy sometimes. but when i had a palomar 450 elite hd on it no gauge problem. but yea i think u will be doing it big when u come thru houston with just the radio pushing that 8 pill with the right dead key and swing depending on that 8 pill if its just a straight vs 1 or 2 driving the 7 or 8 pill

[dragline]

You could run the 8 pill in the truck as I've ran the "other" brand 8 pill in a similar truck. You won't get the maximum output due to the 130 ish amp alt on the truck. Me personally would stay away from using that radio to drive it. Also personally I wouldn't try to co phase those 10k's. Ground everything and go back and make sure everything is grounded. So... who cares if you don't push the 8 pill to the max, you will have lots of life just cruising it.

[beef15]

W=VA so 100A alt @ 13V nom. =1300W Its a diesel so you're not sapping amps for ignition, hvac, lights, and the ecm draw a fair amount, but 100A is just for demonstration. On the your alternator there's probably a sticker that says what it puts out, I'd bet its between 160A and 200A, the truck probably has three or four 500CCA or better batteries, that's allot of reserve, but you don't want to full field your alternator all the time charging them back up, it won't last, I think you'll be ok though. Think about it, the alternator in a Honda civic with one battery can drive a 1500W stereo amp.