pretty bad voltage drop.

[95Burbancalldsnow]

Alright, so this could be a dumb questsion and if it is just kick me in my ass and send me on my way, ive got the big 3 all done charging pretty high you can see in the pic where the needle is sitting

now i set my amp gain with a dmm because i dont have the extra $ yet to get a dd1 which I AM GOING TO so dont flame me for using a dmm lol my big 3 is done in 1/0 cable and my amp is grounded and powered with 4 awg, now when bass drags my voltage stays solid but when it punches hard in quick succesion my voltage can drag down to the bold line below 14 but stay above the red line. alt is stock battery is stock. this is all in a 95 suburban K1500 LT sooo.....is it just because im pushing 4 12's at 1500 rms and the stock batt and alt cant handle it or should i be re-checking my grounds? all other photos and details can be found here http://www.stevemeadedesigns.com/board/topic/135977-95-suburban-just-the-beginning/page__fromsearch__1

thank you to all who reply in advance.

[stipek]

• most stock electrical can only handle around 1000w rms. an extra battery might get you by but i would look to upgrade your alt.
  

[Wicks]

Your stock voltmeter is connected to your alternator. If you're dropping that much up front then you must be really dropping a lot at the amp (not good).

Given, that stock voltmeter may not be too accurate. You should also check the drop (at the alternator and amp) with a decent voltmeter to verify.

If you're dropping that much with only 1500W, then I'm suspicious of your grounds.

From your pics, some ground connections look rusty or corroded.

Did you clean off the ground areas before securing the wire?

Make sure all your power/grounds are clean and tight.

[fox_racin4]

the stock alts in our ( i have the same style truck) trucks is garbage.. the center line over 14 is about 14-14.4 check your drop at the amp, i know my gauge on dash dances around sometimes but voltage is solid in the back

[Rebel4055]

Yeah I noticed the same style gauge like that. Buddys was exactly like yours but was 14.7 at the battery. I don't do stock gauges.

[95Burbancalldsnow]

yes, i should have mentioned it but I did take a dremel and a wire wheel and cut off disc to all the ground connections where they would contact to make sure they were clean and bare metal, i know it doesnt look like it but i promise i did atleast that part right lol I will definatly get the meter out tomorrow and check the voltage at the amp and off the alt my neighbors wouldnt appreciate me doing so this late at night lol. I figured the stock wasnt the greatest for actually reading voltage drop in an audio system but figured it would give me a general idea if im pulling too hard, my lights dim slightly but nothing like they did in my 86 cadillac fleetwood with an almost identical setup or my 79 deville with only 500W rms. Thank you all for the input, ill put up volt numbers tomorrow of at amp and at alt.

[getlocivic]

re check wires and never rely on that factory voltmeter they aint none too accurate

and check the voltage with a dmm at the amp anything below 12.5 is bad i dont like to see below 13v

and of its bad you need to buy a better battery for under the hood

[95Burbancalldsnow]

Ok so I finally got around to getting voltage drop on my dmm and the lowest spike I got at the amp was to 12.46 on a hard string of consecutive hits, voltage up front pretty Much matched voltage at the amp a little higher if I remember right I had my 3 kids running around me screaming wanting to play in the engine compartment with dad lmao .