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At what point is there too much power draw?

riverroyal

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just got a 40" baja design light bar
I have lit mirrors at 14000 lumen
Audio with a sub
2 whips
I leave it on a battery tender.
At some point its gonna be to much
 

LargeOrangeFont

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just got a 40" baja design light bar
I have lit mirrors at 14000 lumen
Audio with a sub
2 whips
I leave it on a battery tender.
At some point its gonna be to much

It’s fine as long as you don’t turn anything on. :)

If you are below 13v when the car is running you are very slowly discharging.
 
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LargeOrangeFont

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Dont turn anything on! Thats no gonna work

The big light bar and the stereo together are probably pushing it. What’s the voltage with all that crap on?

@Bpracing1127 has to be driving to maintain a charge with everything turned on in his RZR and he doesn’t have a stereo.

Meaning at idle, the battery is actually discharging with the light bar, pillar lights, chase lights, dual lighted whips, GPS, intercom, radio, seizure inducing rock lights, and helmet blower all on. The big light bar is the biggest power hog.
 

rivermobster

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No idea the draw

The answer to your original question is...

When the total draw exceededs the rated output of your alternator.

But for quick and dirty calculations, you can go by what LOF stated. It's not accurate, and I wouldn't do it that way, but it will give you a rough idea of where you are at.
 

riverroyal

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47 amps with light bar. Lighted mirrors. 2 whips
The unknown is the audio
 
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riverroyal

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586 watts. Ish. No audio. Im right on the edge
 

riverroyal

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I cant run everything at once. Interesting.
Not that i ever do. Light bar comes on, audio needs to be off.
Small sacrifice driving at night
 

rivermobster

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I cant run everything at once. Interesting.
Not that i ever do. Light bar comes on, audio needs to be off.
Small sacrifice driving at night

With the vehicle off? Yeah, your voltage is dropping to low. If you start the car up, and rev to 2k or so, will everything work at that point?

How are you reading the amperage you posted??
 

DLC

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The key is everything doesn’t run all at the same time. When you stop for a break and a cold beverage ! Let the car run for a few minutes while you unbuckle belts and get out of the car, with most of the items shut off to top off the battery. An extra battery helps also!
If your in a group the top light bar doesn’t do much due to the dust, unless your leading the pack.

You would have to run the stereo for a long time to totally kill your battery, you can also let others run their stereo....
 

DLC

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I cant run everything at once. Interesting.
Not that i ever do. Light bar comes on, audio needs to be off.
Small sacrifice driving at night

How is your car wired? If everything is thru the power posts in the hump you might be pulling to many amps, try splitting up some of the draw like running your whips and stereo thru a fuse block off the battery.
 

riverroyal

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How is your car wired? If everything is thru the power posts in the hump you might be pulling to many amps, try splitting up some of the draw like running your whips and stereo thru a fuse block off the battery.
Its 50 50 right now with the post and battery
I have not installed the light bar yet so seeing the total drop is unknown

The new light bar will go the can am extra plug they give under the dash. Ordered that harness adapter also.

2nd battery will be coming at some point
 

riverroyal

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For duct the sector seven lights will get amber lenses.
20200111_133423.jpg
 

LowRiver2

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Its 50 50 right now with the post and battery
I have not installed the light bar yet so seeing the total drop is unknown

The new light bar will go the can am extra plug they give under the dash. Ordered that harness adapter also.

2nd battery will be coming at some point
27C2CAF1-4EFF-4FAC-AF4C-A46B20BED4D1.jpeg

great addition , has given me plenty of juice
 

riverroyal

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Nice. Left the can am alternator alone? Charges both batteries?
 

riverroyal

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Edit. That set up is for the 4 seater. Goes under rear seat
 

LowRiver2

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Nice. Left the can am alternator alone? Charges both batteries?
Edit. That set up is for the 4 seater. Goes under rear seat

Yes 4 seater, although I’d wager it could be done under passenger seat?

I did it without an isolator , has a switch like a perko on drivers side of console.
I’d recommend an isolaotor but I’ve had 0 issues doing it this way.
I have 8 KC’s and they are too much for the single battery , along with PCI radio and lowramce gps.
 

riverroyal

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Heres what i got! With nothing on and with light bar, audio, light mirrors and 1 whip all on. Both at idle
20201205_193304.jpg
20201205_193230.jpg
 

TimeBandit

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As someone else posted, any time you are under 13 volts you are discharging.

How many watts or amps is the alternator rated for?
 

riverroyal

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I dunno. Ha. Stock can am. I do know i wont be running all my lights and blasting music at night for very long
 

LargeOrangeFont

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Heres what i got! With nothing on and with light bar, audio, light mirrors and 1 whip all on. Both at idle
View attachment 949402 View attachment 949403

My technical analysis - yore fuked. :)
Order a Speed car, it has an actual alternator :)

Just watch it at night with everything on. Also it may get a little better above idle while driving, but don’t run around with everything on.

I wouldn’t hammer on the car or race around with everything on like that either.. at a low voltage you are looking at less fuel output out of the pump, weaker spark, etc.
 

DarkHorseRacing

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So I have an actual question here. I've been told the alternator doesn't charge the battery (or batteries) it just maintains the charge the batteries already have while providing the juice to drive the engine and other electrical needs while the engine is running. This doesn't sound correct to how I understood alternators worked, but the person who told me is a respected boat mechanic. Is that true? It seems to me that if you have a dead battery and you jump the car, the alternator should do some kind of charge back to the battery?

As for the OP, I would look at an alternator upgrade. One rated to handle all the accessories load while the car is running and you should be fine. Though if you run anything with the engine not running, then a bank of Odyssey batteries would be a good choice. They are both starting and deep cycle and being AGM can take the beating.
 

TimeBandit

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From a quick search:

its only 625w at 6000 rpm
thats only 44.6 amps at 14v
there is a add on alternator kit available but its not cheap ($2700.00)
my suggestion is to stay below 30amp draw total
the motor and fuel pump also draw power (EFI).

The Maverick uses an internal stator, like a dirt bike or motorcycle of old, not an alternator.

Aftermarket real alternator add on kit: Can-Am X3 Alternator Kit — Zollinger Racing Products
 

LargeOrangeFont

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I dunno. Ha. Stock can am. I do know i wont be running all my lights and blasting music at night for very long

Found the output of the X3 stator..

625w at 6000 rpm
Thats only 44.6 amps at 14v

So nothing is wrong, you are just pulling too much. Turn the 40" bar off.
 

LargeOrangeFont

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From a quick search:

The Maverick uses a stator, like a dirt bike or motorcycle of old.

its only 625w at 6000 rpm
thats only 44.6 amps at 14v
there is a add on alternator kit available bit its not cheap ($2700.00)
my suggestion is to stay below 30amp draw total
the motor and fuel pump also draw power

Aftermarket real alternator add on kit: Can-Am X3 Alternator Kit — Zollinger Racing Products


LOL you tree'd me.
 

LargeOrangeFont

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So I have an actual question here. I've been told the alternator doesn't charge the battery (or batteries) it just maintains the charge the batteries already have while providing the juice to drive the engine and other electrical needs while the engine is running. This doesn't sound correct to how I understood alternators worked, but the person who told me is a respected boat mechanic. Is that true? It seems to me that if you have a dead battery and you jump the car, the alternator should do some kind of charge back to the battery?

As for the OP, I would look at an alternator upgrade. One rated to handle all the accessories load while the car is running and you should be fine. Though if you run anything with the engine not running, then a bank of Odyssey batteries would be a good choice. They are both starting and deep cycle and being AGM can take the beating.

The alternator charges the battery. If the battery is good, but discharged, the running alternator will charge the battery. The voltage regulator is what controls the charge to the battery as it becomes fully charged.
 

DarkHorseRacing

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Ok, that's what I thought. I'll be looking into checking the VR or the alternator on my boat. Thanks.
 

riverroyal

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Keep in mind that was a 40" baja design light bar, basically 4 of their shock tower bars, roughly 40 lumens, PLUS 2 sector 7 mirrors at 12k lumen, Audio with amp and 5 speakers and 3' whip all on at idle
My typical night driving will need to have audio off, although it doesn't seem to pull much. Also, never shutting the car off!
 

ArizonaKevin

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It's very interesting to see about the lack of electrical juice and talks of needing an alternator. In Wildcat XX world, it is quite a common mod to delete the alternator because it is heavy, drags on the motor, and provides more juice than a lot of people need.

I was at Rigid yesterday, and they were saying they don't recommend anything more than a 20" bar, a few pods, and radio for stator driven UTVs.
 

LargeOrangeFont

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Keep in mind that was a 40" baja design light bar, basically 4 of their shock tower bars, roughly 40 lumens, PLUS 2 sector 7 mirrors at 12k lumen, Audio with amp and 5 speakers and 3' whip all on at idle
My typical night driving will need to have audio off, although it doesn't seem to pull much. Also, never shutting the car off!

Shutting the car off doesn’t matter.. with all that shit on and the car on the battery is draining :)

Just turning off the light bar will probably get you back to maintaining a charge while the car is on.
 

LargeOrangeFont

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It's very interesting to see about the lack of electrical juice and talks of needing an alternator. In Wildcat XX world, it is quite a common mod to delete the alternator because it is heavy, drags on the motor, and provides more juice than a lot of people need.

I was at Rigid yesterday, and they were saying they don't recommend anything more than a 20" bar, a few pods, and radio for stator driven UTVs.

Then if you add a pumper with all the lights you are really in trouble.

I’m not even doing a over windshield light bar on my next car. It just isn’t needed.
 

Bpracing1127

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Here is mine rzr 1000 4 seat

I’m at 12.8 idle with everything on
2FCB3EE9-911D-4D3B-89F3-39E539E03013.jpeg


this includes

radio
Intercom
Gps
30” light bar on roof
Low and high beams
Dust lights (2 rigid pods)
A pillar lights (2 rigid pods)
Rock lights (8)
2 whip lights
Dome lights
Brake lights
License plate light
Horn on

while cruising say 20 mph I am 13.5 with everything on too
C9B60432-D21B-491F-A459-CCA64D4C00B8.jpeg


turning off the roof light bar I jump from 12.8 to 13.2 at idle. I’ve been doing this for years now and no problems I just make sure when stopped to turn off lights
 

Ziggy

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Here is mine rzr 1000 4 seat

I’m at 12.8 idle with everything on View attachment 949840

this includes

radio
Intercom
Gps
30” light bar on roof
Low and high beams
Dust lights (2 rigid pods)
A pillar lights (2 rigid pods)
Rock lights (8)
2 whip lights
Dome lights
Brake lights
License plate light
Horn on

while cruising say 20 mph I am 13.5 with everything on too View attachment 949838

turning off the roof light bar I jump from 12.8 to 13.2 at idle. I’ve been doing this for years now and no problems I just make sure when stopped to turn off lights
Don't go out for that one hour ride....You need some fuel. 😉🙂
 

Ziggy

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Never ceases to amaze me how expensive looking cool is🤣🤣
 
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