is this alt any good

[UnderLoK]

so just a new 8 0 amp will work for me? and maybe big 3 or a second bat

If you plan on going bigger down the road sure, but with 800 watts it's overkill. Get your sub(s) in, see how it reacts, then decide... As far as the big 3 goes that really just depends on the stock wiring. If it has less than 8g wiring I would add 4g grounds (alt to frame, frame to battery), but the wire to the alt doesn't much matter because the amperage is so low and over such a short distance. Hell you can put 80a through 12g up to a couple feet. Again, try it first then worry about it.

My one car has a 73a alt (used to have a 190a but it died of old age and selection was limited), yellow top, 4g big 3, and doesn't dim with around 1500 watts but that's because the only thing in that car that needs juice is the motor and headlights (it's a 61' Deville) I usually listen to metal in that car too which helps

On a side note, just one word about batteries and alternators. No matter what you do in your car you will be running on battery simply because the alts are so small. A bigger alt will lessen the load on the batteries and help charge them faster, but the bigger you go the hotter they get and the less abuse they can take. When you're drawing more than an alt can provide on a regular basis bigger isn't always better because they get hotter for longer and can't take it. Look at the batteries aH rating (amp hour), understand that is how much the battery can provide over an hour, and plan accordingly (just don't try and put a marine deep cell in your trunk, they don't like fast charge discharge and will poison your ass with acid gas).

Edited August 19, 2010 by UnderLoK

[MECHMAN]

so just a new 8 0 amp will work for me? and maybe big 3 or a second bat

Yes. The stock alternator will work, a good AGM battery under the hood would keep you in the 14 volt range on 600 watts RMS. An S1200 would be a good choice, and should fit in the stock battery tray. You could possible squeeze in the smaller optima, but they arn't quite as good as an XS power.

[onelivinlarge]

i have a duralast under the hood so if i get a xs or kinetic it goes in the trunk until the warranty is gone on it

[onelivinlarge]

If you plan on going bigger down the road sure, but with 800 watts it's overkill. Get your sub(s) in, see how it reacts, then decide... As far as the big 3 goes that really just depends on the stock wiring. If it has less than 8g wiring I would add 4g grounds (alt to frame, frame to battery), but the wire to the alt doesn't much matter because the amperage is so low and over such a short distance. Hell you can put 80a through 12g up to a couple feet. Again, try it first then worry about it.

My one car has a 73a alt (used to have a 190a but it died of old age and selection was limited), yellow top, 4g big 3, and doesn't dim with around 1500 watts but that's because the only thing in that car that needs juice is the motor and headlights (it's a 61' Deville) I usually listen to metal in that car too which helps

On a side note, just one word about batteries and alternators. No matter what you do in your car you will be running on battery simply because the alts are so small. A bigger alt will lessen the load on the batteries and help charge them faster, but the bigger you go the hotter they get and the less abuse they can take. When you're drawing more than an alt can provide on a regular basis bigger isn't always better because they get hotter for longer and can't take it. Look at the batteries aH rating (amp hour), understand that is how much the battery can provide over an hour, and plan accordingly (just don't try and put a marine deep cell in your trunk, they don't like fast charge discharge and will poison your ass with acid gas).

so just get a new 80 amp alt get my battery charged and get some 4 or 2 gage and do some new grounds?

[UnderLoK]

so just get a new 80 amp alt get my battery charged and get some 4 or 2 gage and do some new grounds?

If you need it (voltage drop) yes.

[sqsux]

so just get a new 80 amp alt get my battery charged and get some 4 or 2 gage and do some new grounds?

I'm not sure what my stock alt is, but I never had extra batteries until after 1k rms, and I think most shops will try to sell you small batteries after ~600 rms. If you're going to do 2 gauge, do yourself a favor by saving time and money and go straight to 0. /.02