Basic Electrical Upgrades

A vehicle's electrical consists of many parts but the ones we're interested in are the battery, the alternator, and the power wiring. A vehicle electrical system is a 12 volt DC system. The primary source of power when the vehicle is NOT running is the battery. The primary source of power when the vehicle IS running is the alternator. This is a very important point so remember it. The primary functions of the battery are to start the vehicle and provide power when the vehicle is not running. Because the battery's stored power is so great it is important to treat it with respect. It's the automotive equivalent of a loaded gun. It has the power to stop your heart and can burn your vehicle up if an unfused power wire is shorted to ground. Always remember to disconnect the negative battery cable before doing any work on a stereo system. NOTE: If your radio has a security feature that requires a secret code to be input after power has been disconnected make sure you know this code before you begin.

Depending on your car's factory electrical system, you may not have enough power to run your aftermarket stereo system. You probably do unless you have a multi-megawatt system or an extremely tiny alternator. If your battery goes dead often after the installation of your new stereo you may have an electrical system problem. Have your battery and electrical system tested by a qualified technician. If everything checks out then you probably are in need of an upgrade. Here are some of the common problems and their likely cures.

Adding a Second Battery
Many people are under the impression that adding a second battery will cure their electrical problems. If one battery is good then two must be better. Right? Wrong. Remember that the function of a battery is to start the vehicle and to provide power when the vehicle is not running. The only thing a second battery will help you with is "parking lot" listening time. Basically it will provide you the additional capacity to run your stereo longer without starting the vehicle. After the vehicle is started the second battery becomes another load on an already overworked alternator. If you do replace your battery I would recommend getting one from Optima or one of the other specialty battery manufacturers such as Stinger or Rockford Fosgate.

Upgrading Your Alternator
Frequent dead batteries are a good indication that your electrical system isn't keeping up and you may need to upgrade your alternator. Doing so will give you more juice to run all of your electrical components, including your stereo system, without looking to the battery for help. The problem is your alternator is undersized for your new electrical requirements and has to look to the battery to provide the extra power, resulting in shortened battery life. Have a qualified technician verify this before investing in a larger alternator. Hopefully you can find a larger alternator from your vehicle's manufacturer that will interface with your existing system. Consult the manufacturer or the local dealer to find out about this. If not then you can look to the aftermarket manufacturers to see what is available. Check with Ohio Generator or Stinger for high output models.

Power Capacitors
Another solution is to add a power or Stiffening™ capacitor. This device acts as an electrical storage "buffer". It stores power until needed for high electrical demands such as heavy bass notes. If your headlights dim when you have you stereo cranked then you MAY benefit from one of these. This is most noticeable when music with a heavy beat is played. Your headlights will dim to the beat. This is being caused by a voltage drop that is being created by the large power demands of your amplifier(s). A power capacitor will help fill in the gaps in the energy required by your amplifiers. Because of their low internal resistance they can deliver a lot of power much more quickly than a battery can and can often prevent this voltage drop.

CAR SPEAKERS INFORMATION:

Car audio speakers were used in cars for the purpose of avoiding the stress of driving and to have leisure and avoid being bored while traveling. It’s of course a part of the stress management while driving. But remember don’t make desperate others by increasing the volume of your speaker.

Installing car speakers is most pocket-friendly. You can find car speakers in a wide range of prices, depending on the size, power, number of speakers, brand name, and a few other factors. And not only are the speakers available in the local market relatively inexpensive, they are typically not difficult to install at all. You can either install them yourself, or you can hire the services of an expert. Oftentimes, the company that sold you the speakers will be able to install them for you as well. Otherwise, if you feel like doing it yourself, make sure you follow all instructions.

You can install the speakers by means of a few tools that you probably have around your house. Each car presents its own specific type of installation issues, varying on factory speaker locations, mounting depth and height, and the vehicle's factory wiring. Many installations are straightforward. A screwdriver might be all that you require to complete the job. Other installations can be more involved, particularly if you're installing component speakers. Every car is different, so you may have to ensure its installation as prescribed in its brochure and it may differ from one to other. Lets know something about its installation.

CAR GPS NAVIGATION SYSTEMS PRODUCTS:

Do you find that you have a lot of speeding tickets? Maybe you even have trouble remembering where to reduce your speed? There are of course many ways to solve your problems. Even if you don’t have speeding problems you probably find you have navigation problems when you are in a new area of the city. Undetected is just one company that offers satellite navigation and speed camera detectors. If you are interested in GPS satellite navigation you should check out the products available and compare pricing.

Undetected offers you a range of products including a dual satellite navigation system and speed camera. These units will help you navigate the city as well as reduce you speeding tickets, traffic violation fines, and traffic accidents. The Indic8tor is one of the latest GPS satellite navigation systems.

This GPS will warn you when you enter a new speed zone, aid you in safe driving, and give you voice alerts. The voice will allow you to know when you are exceeding the limits as well as offer guidance. Another GPS navigation system is the Snooper S3 GPS. This GPS stores geographical coordinates and even tells you of "black spots" on the road. A black spot is usually considered an area where a lot of accidents happen. The Snooper S3 GPS will compare your position with a GPS antenna to give you the most up to date information on speeds and accident spots.

There are many other GPS navigation systems available and tips on how to use them. You will want to understand the laws of your area as well as how these systems can help you reduce accidents or violations. Undetected will offer you information about the law as well as facts about the products they sell to help you find the best product for your vehicle.

CAR STEREO INFORMATION:

When purchasing a car stereo system, finding quality car stereo amplifiers is critical. Unless you know in advance what type of amplifier you are going to purchase, you will need to research the various styles and prices of car stereo amplifiers. The amplifier you buy should be the best you can find in your price range. Not all car stereo amplifiers are created equally. Car stereo specialty stores and the numerous web sites devoted to creating the ultimate car stereo system can be of great value to you when researching amplifiers. As with any other car stereo component, amplifiers vary in quality and price. The highest priced amplifier you find will not automatically be the best for your particular system. Finding quality car stereo amplifiers will take knowledge on your part. If the staff at your local car stereo store is not willing to explain the differences to you, then go on to the next store. You do not have to spend large amounts of money on a quality car stereo amplifier.

Different amplifiers work better with some car stereo systems than with others. You should know where your amplifier will be located, how it will be installed, and what you expect as far as sound quality before you purchase your new amplifier. For those who compete in car audio competitions, a higher priced amplifier may be able to give them just the type of sound they desire. For the average car stereo, a less expensive amplifier will work just as well. If you have invested a lot of money in your car stereo system you may want to go ahead and invest in a top quality car stereo amplifier. If you have purchased full range after market car speakers then a lower priced amplifier will suit your needs. Finding quality car stereo amplifiers is no different than shopping for any other car stereo component. Research your choices thoroughly and have a clear idea of what you intend to accomplish with your amplifier. There is no need to purchase the most expensive amplifier if you are simply putting a superior stereo system in your personal vehicle. If car audio competition is your goal you will want to find a more expensive, top quality car stereo amplifier. Make wise decisions by learning the facts before you purchase a car stereo amplifier.

CAR SUBWOOFERS INFORMATION:

Having a subwoofer as part of any audio system is a key element and a crucial factor in having excellent quality sound reproduction. Whether the setup be at home or in your car, a subwoofer adds depth to any sound output by emphasizing key low frequency sounds that most typical speakers will never be physically capable of achieving.

A typical car audio system is composed of four medium size speakers (6-3/4” diameter or smaller), usually mounted on each of the front side door panels and two usually mounted on the deck above the trunk behind the rear passenger seats. These speakers could be called coaxial speakers because they usually have an additional tweeter (1-1/2” diameter or smaller) mounted right on top of the speaker cone. The combination of the two will allow the audio system to pick up most of the middle to high frequency sounds and reproduce them so that the sound is audible to the human hearing. Typically, this configuration covers frequencies from 2000-20,000 Hz. However, the human sense of hearing could pick up frequencies as low as 20 Hz!

A subwoofer emphasizes frequencies as low as 10 Hz (not usually audible in human hearing) all the way up to about 1000 Hz or more depending on the subwoofer. The result of adding a subwoofer to a standard audio system is a much fuller sound, primarily due to the fact that human hearing could hear much more and in all honesty, your ears want to hear more. You know something doesn’t sound right or doesn’t sound good, and it makes you feel relieved when you do hear something that has full depth of sound.

If you let each speaker do their job with emphasizing their specific frequencies they are designed to reproduce, then adding a subwoofer is like hiring a new employee that is specialized in a certain job. Even certain subwoofers are specialized for different tasks.

Subwoofers that are classified or measured at 8” to 10” will never produce as much as bass as the larger 12” or 15” subwoofers. 8” Subwoofers and most 10” subs are primarily designed to add depth to a sound system; they typically do not feature any show-off performance such as that “boomy” sound. These smaller subs are recommended for music lovers without the urge to rattle every car at the stop light. Because these are smaller subs, they require a lot less box volume than larger subs. You could probably use 8” or 10” subs in compact to medium size sedans, hatchbacks, and SUVs.

12” Subwoofers are typically used by consumers who are a bit more into the loudness and “boomy” factor that subwoofers could produce. Expect to rattle more cars with 12” subs, as it typically produce deeper bass and higher power handling. You should probably prepare a large area for the setup of 12” subs. Subwoofers this size are typically found in larger vehicles, such as full-size SUV, pickup trucks, or luxury-size sedans.

Large-size subwoofers measuring at 15”, 18” or other custom-sized subs are primarily used in competition settings. Most subs this size are emphasized for performance and loudness—not so much on sound quality. You’ll rattle a lot of cars, make a lot of stationary objects move, and maybe make your mom nauseous from all the frequency noise. You will usually need to customize your vehicle to accommodate these behemoths—so wherever it fits the enclosure is just fine. But remember, the bigger the subs, the bigger box it needs.

Not All Car Subwoofers Are The Same:
Basically subwoofers are of either a passive or powered type. A passive subwoofer setup will get its' power from the car audio system. A powered type of setup will get its power delivered independently of the car audio system being used. Car subwoofers are commonly put into box enclosures that they are mounted on and then placed into a suitable place in the car which is usually the boot area. Car subs vary significantly in size with usual ranges being from 8 inches to 60 inches. These days you can pick them up relatively cheap online from places such as ebay.

Car Sub woofer Setup Arrangement:
So far we know most subs are mounted in boxes but they can also come in a tube mounted format. Typically a sub will have an amplifier connected to deliver the power required. The power delivery requirements are significant so for that reason an amp is pretty much a necessity. They also typically take up a lot of space so be prepared to give up that room in order to accommodate your car subwoofer.

Buying Your Own Bandpass Car Subwoofer:
Go for the best one that your budget can withstand. If you can't quite afford the good ones in retail outlets then have a look at online auction sites such as ebay. There are some real bargains on there. Remember, buying a used car subwoofer in great condition and decent quality could be better than buying a new one that isn't very good. Even though car subwoofers are considered a luxury item, many car audiophiles would not go without this piece of kit in their setup.

CAR AMPLIFIERS INFORMATION:

An amplifier takes a signal from a source and makes it larger. This makes the sound louder. The hard part is amplifying the signal without adding any distortion. Amplifiers must have a power supply strong enough to keep them going and must store enough current to deliver all of the transients in the music.

How they work
A cassette radio or CD player produces a maximum of about nine real watts into four speakers given the power it gets from the car's electrical system. So what if you want more than nine real watts to power each of the speakers? You obviously need an amplifier. Amplifiers give more power allowing you to play your music more loudly.
Amplifiers also improve the sound quality of music at all volume levels.

Features of Car Amplifiers
Here are some important facts you should be aware of if you want to choose the right amplifier...

• Bridging amplifiers are very flexible because they can be used in different system configurations. One amplifier can be used to power one, two, three or four speakers.

• Speaker-level inputs are the only way your car amps can get signals if your radio doesn't have RCA-type output jacks.

• Preamp outputs are very useful when creating a multi-amplifier system because they allow an un-amplified signal to pass out of one amplifier to another.

• Remote bass control is available in some amplifiers that have a port to add an optional control knob. This varies the amount of power going to the subwoofer driven by the amplifier.

• High-pass filters, low-pass filters and crossovers give you the flexibility to remove the frequencies you don't want to send to the speakers powered by the amplifier.

• Bass boost is available in some car amplifiers. This lets you boost the bass significantly up to 18dB through a circuit.

An amplifier can have one channel of output or as many as eight channels. The most common amplifiers are two and four channel models but mono amplifiers are also becoming popular.

Main classes of amplifiers:
Class A amplifiers gives the least distortion, but are terribly inefficient. They are rarely used in commercial amplifiers because they produce too much heat and give too little output power for the effort. In class A the output transistor(s) are always conducting, even at idle with no signal. The power draw of a class A amplifier is roughly constant and they are most efficient at full-output. If the load ends up drawing too much current the amplifier can wind up leaving class A (one transistor switches off in a push-pull, for example) during a cycle.

Class A/B is what most commercial amplifiers are. They are much more efficient, but do produce more distortion. A class A/B car amplifier is formed when a class B style output stage is biased so that around the crossover point both transistors are conducting. This yields more distortion than either a proper class A or class B amplifier, however the bias point is much less critical.

Class B amplifiers have two transistors, one per supply rail. In properly-biased class B, only one conducts at a given time, but there is always one conducting. Much of the bad name class B has is due to amplifiers actually being under biased into class C where there's a portion of the cycle around the crossover point where neither is conducting.
Furthermore, Class B proper biasing may be made very difficult to achieve due to thermal stability issues (especially proper thermal coupling and tracking between the biasing circuit and the output power devices). Class C amplifiers are useless for audio. They are used in RF applications where the harmonics can be filtered out.
Nonetheless, the so called "Class G" is just the plain combining of a normal Class AB car amplifier output stage with a Class C "booster" enabled to operate only if high power peak are required by the load. If properly designed they performances are equivalent to that obtained by normal class AB amplifiers.

Class D amplifiers are a rather new phenomenon in the hifi world. They are extremely efficient (80%) and can give a very good result. They use pulse width modulation to amplify the signal; this lets them use the output transistors in switch mode where they're most efficient and dissipate the least power. Originally only for subwoofers, newer designs have since surfaced making this technology capable of sounding very good as a full-range amplifier.

A class D amplifier is one in which the output transistors are operated as switches. When a transistor is off, the current through it is zero. When it is on, the voltage across it is small, ideally zero. In each case, the power dissipation is very low. This increases the efficiency, thus requiring less power from the power supply and smaller heat sinks for the amplifier. These are important advantages in portable battery-powered equipment. The “D” in class-D is sometimes said to stand for “digital.” This is not correct because the operation of the class-D amplifier is based on analog principles. There is no digital coding of the signal. Before the advent of the class-D amplifier, the standard classes were class-A, class-AB, class-B, and class-C. The “D” is simply the next letter in the alphabet after “C.” Indeed, the earliest work on class-D amplifiers involved vacuum tubes and can be traced to the early 1950s.

The high switching frequency used in class-D amplifiers is a potential source of rf interference with other electronic equipment. The amplifiers must be properly shielded and grounded to prevent radiation of the switching harmonics. In addition, low-pass filters must be used on all input and output leads, including the power supply leads.