What Size Alternator Do You Need for a Car Audio System?

The Alternator’s Role

The burden of producing all that energy falls on the alternator.

The alternator is the part of the engine that charges the battery and runs the electrical systems.

Most factory alternators aren’t designed to handle loud, high-fidelity sound.

This usually presents asflickering dash lights, dimming headlights, and a weak bass response from the subwoofer.

Do You Need a Bigger Alternator?

The easiest workaround is to keep the volume at a level that the alternator can handle.

Amplifiers can’t draw more power from a charging system than what the system is designed to make.

Subwoofers are especially problematic because low frequencies require more energy to produce.

It’s best to have a professional figure this out; every car and sound system is different.

Idle vs.

In some cases, an alternator may be able to produce only half of its rated output.

This is why most people notice problems like flickering lights when idling in traffic or at a stoplight.

In some cases, turning the volume down while the car is running at low RPMs fixes the problem.

Or, choose a higher-amperage alternator.