Optima Battery(Yell) or Capacitor

[J12_300]

I have a after-market Pioneer deck....stock speakers in doors and rear....2 JL Audio Subs 12W1v2...and 300 watt amp at 4-ohms.

My problem just started recently as when I crank the bass, my interior lights & headlights start to flicker. If i upgraded my stock battery to a Optima Yellow, would that fix this issue or should I go with a Capacitor, such as Stinger.....or do both?

Thanks for any help!

[moonstreaker]

Upgrade the battery (or run 2) if you are going to do something. Capacitors do nothing...except flush money down the toilet.

[FLYSRT8]

I have a after-market Pioneer deck....stock speakers in doors and rear....2 JL Audio Subs 12W1v2...and 300 watt amp at 4-ohms.

My problem just started recently as when I crank the bass, my interior lights & headlights start to flicker. If i upgraded my stock battery to a Optima Yellow, would that fix this issue or should I go with a Capacitor, such as Stinger.....or do both?

Thanks for any help!

I hear Optima's are not worth the money! I deliver auto parts and a couple of customers have said that.

[Jimbob]

The first thing to do is the "Big 3".
Upgrade the following wires to preferably 0 ga.
Battery to chassis (-)
engine to chassis (-)
alternator to battery (+)
I would do the first two first and see how it goes from there as those two are the easiest and may make a difference since the factory ground is abysmal.

Otherwise your battery may be getting bad. Get your batt and alt tested at a store. I have 1900+ watts RMS available on the stock electrical yet and unless I push it to the limit I have minimal dimming. With a 300 watt amp you should have next to no dimming (even with a rather inefficient amp)

[MagnumRT05]

Easiest route would be to replace your stocker battery with a Powermaster 2700. You can also do the Big 3 (can be a PITA though) or add a second battery, but one single Powermaster battery will look better, be easier, and do more than enough just in case you wanted to add some speakers or upgrade the subs down the road. Or you can try to find a cheap Kinetik 2000 on ebay, but I still would go the 2700 route. Take a look to see if youd be interested:

http://www.powermastermotorsports.com/xs_power.html

[formerice]

The Yellow Top is a very good deep cycle battery. I have one in my Ram and one in my Magnum. You can run them flat many times and they bounce right back. Your looking for larger capacity, not a deep cycle.

[Op4guy]

The Yellow Top is a very good deep cycle battery. I have one in my Ram and one in my Magnum. You can run them flat many times and they bounce right back. Your looking for larger capacity, not a deep cycle.

I agree 100% I have completely run mine dead several times using the winch on my Jeep and it comes right back to life.

To be fair though Optima did have some issues about 2 years ago. It was mainly just the red top line but there were others.

[JamminWagon]

I have a red top in mine (1k watts) and put in a red top. The reason I went red top is the higher capicaty. Not very often do I drain my battery so the deep cycle is no biggie. I went with 0 guage from the battery to the amps. It reduced the dimming about 1/2. IF 0 guage wasnt $7 a foot here I would go the total upgrade. You have to remember that the alternator is 160 amps. Anytime you draw more than that you will have a reduced voltage. Lights, fans, day-to-day electrical needs all add up fast.

Caps do help for MINOR dimming. They store energy and deliver on transients (thumping bass), because they can deliver engery fast they smooth out the transients. This is why high power power supplies, like we use in the military for our high power amps (100k watt) use many caps.

[J12_300]

Easiest route would be to replace your stocker battery with a Powermaster 2700. You can also do the Big 3 (can be a PITA though) or add a second battery, but one single Powermaster battery will look better, be easier, and do more than enough just in case you wanted to add some speakers or upgrade the subs down the road. Or you can try to find a cheap Kinetik 2000 on ebay, but I still would go the 2700 route. Take a look to see if youd be interested:

http://www.powermastermotorsports.com/xs_power.html

thanks for the info...after checking this site out...what about upgrading to a higher output alternator and new battery

[MagnumRT05]

thanks for the info...after checking this site out...what about upgrading to a higher output alternator and new battery

We cant upgrade the alternator because it computer controlled/regulated/something. I was trying for years, but got no where. Some say its possible, but I have yet to hear something good come out of it. Companies say they will do it for $XXX, but no one ever does. Its not worth wasting your time trust me. I wish I could get the many months back that I put into calling Ohio Gen, Iraggi, HO, etc. Just go the battery route, unless you have countless hours/money to devote to upgrading the alternator. Youll be fine and no more lights dancing

[gameover]

There was a company that made it for a guy on here. He was in the limo industry and had the company make a higher amp alternator for his car(s). I can't remember the guy's sn, but higher amp alternators is available. You have to search for companies that makes them for limousines.