Listening To Music With Engine Off, How Long Should Battery Last?

[N!CK R]

Ok, im pretty sure there is something up with my battery...
If i listen to some music at a highish volume for about 10 minutes without the engine running, the battery will be dead!
Im only running a Type R Sub and door speakers.

Pretty sure i need to invest in a new battery, but is there any way to check? like a trickle charge over night? or anyway to see if anything in particular is draining the power?

Any recommendations for batteries, dont want anything too expensive like a yellow top battery, bu something that will last a fair length of time without worrying too much!?

Also, a final thing. Is there any sort of device you can buy that will cut off power being taken from the battery if its getting low. So thati can still start the car.

Many Thanks
Nick

 

[wallop]

Probably nothing wrong with your battery that a good charging wouldn't sort out....

Take it to local Kwik-Fit or Motorworld & request a free Batt/Alt test, they have testing equipment that will diagnose any faults that may be present....

There are actually three questions you need answering, (ignoring a myriad of variables which will all affect the answers of each)....

1, How much power does my Audio use???
2, How long will my battery drive my Audio for???
3, How long will it take my Alternator to recharge my battery???

 

[rich-6]

How old is your current battery, Has it got enough water in it? It shouldnt go flat in 10 mins. With a single sub and amp i had 4 hours on my saxo until it didnt have enough power to crank the engine.

Sat in a field getting pished, during summer with a Caravan FTW

 

[AlexG]

it should last longer than that mate. i have an amp running my sub and front components and i can have it on quite loud so i can hear it outside the car while im washing it. ive had it on before for about 3 hours and it started up fine after that.

 

[Hutchie]

im running amp and components and i can listen to my radio for well over an hour, bosch platimum ftw

 

[rob hope]

FTW? :S

 

[N!CK R]

Hmm, yea ill take it to quik fit then and see what they say.
Cheers for all the info.

Is there any sort of safety thing that can be bought to cut off the power if it gets too low?

 

[agithegreat]

FTW? :S

For the Win

 

[conneh]

Just going off topic abit...

In my car, if my headlights are on - and i do the windows up/down, they dim?! Is this general french crap or my battery?

 

[Ali]

with a sub amp and all that not long maybe an hour.

 

[Invexis-]

Just going off topic abit...

In my car, if my headlights are on - and i do the windows up/down, they dim?! Is this general french crap or my battery?

Mine does the same.

turn your bass up. turn your volume up. turn the interior lights on.

wait for the bass to hit...

presto you have a disco.

 

[N!CK R]

I believe that is due to the alternator, it cant keep up.

 

[wallop]

With regards dimming lights....

If you activate say the window, and your lights initially dim then become brighter whilst your window shuts, this would indicate a slow alternator regulator, if they stay dim until the window is closed, then this is simply down to the cars loom....

In general, lights will dim when things like Hazard lights, electric windows, heated rear screens etc etc are operated because stock wiring looms are wired from a safety viewpoint & not a performance viewpoint....If you were to rewire your car with performance in mind, (cables chosen to limit voltage drop), rather than simply carry a certain amount of current, dimming lights wouldn't be an issue....However, this would involve using far more copper & so higher costs would be induced....

You should be aware that as the distance between the source, (battery), and load, (bulb), increases so does the resistance of the wiring, it's this increase in resistance which limits voltage/current, the only way round this issue is to increase cable cross sectional area....

So, when selecting your power cable for your proposed audio system you have a choice, buy with safety in mind, (save a few quid but lose performance/output), or buy with performance in mind, (spend a little extra), but actually achieve full output with less chance of 'clip' & associated problems....

 

[conneh]

With regards dimming lights....

If you activate say the window, and your lights initially dim then become brighter whilst your window shuts, this would indicate a slow alternator regulator, if they stay dim until the window is closed, then this is simply down to the cars loom....

In general, lights will dim when things like Hazard lights, electric windows, heated rear screens etc etc are operated because stock wiring looms are wired from a safety viewpoint & not a performance viewpoint....If you were to rewire your car with performance in mind, (cables chosen to limit voltage drop), rather than simply carry a certain amount of current, dimming lights wouldn't be an issue....However, this would involve using far more copper & so higher costs would be induced....

You should be aware that as the distance between the source, (battery), and load, (bulb), increases so does the resistance of the wiring, it's this increase in resistance which limits voltage/current, the only way round this issue is to increase cable cross sectional area....

So, when selecting your power cable for your proposed audio system you have a choice, buy with safety in mind, (save a few quid but lose performance/output), or buy with performance in mind, (spend a little extra), but actually achieve full output with less chance of 'clip' & associated problems....

Well that cleared it up

Thanks

 

[172Ben]

Well that cleared it up

Thanks

LOL

Google FTW