ww228kidd 18V project works!

[linx]

Well, ww228kidd recommended it, and told me how to do it, and I did it today.

My alternator is a 200amp powermaster that makes 14.7 volts.

With adding a 6 volt to the system behind the seat, I am getting 18.4 volts with the truck turned off, and 20.7 volts with the truck running. I was installing some new 4 awg wire today to upgrade from my 8 awg and decided to go ahead and put the 6 volt in line, and the results are just as he said they would be.

If anyone wants some drawings on how to do it themselves, just say so, and we'll post them.

Ultimatly, I have my normal battery hooked up the my trucks charging system like it's supposed to. I have a 4awg wire going from the positive of my 12v battery, to the negative of the 6v battery. I then have the positive of the 6 volt battery going to my amp, and the amp is grounded to a seat bolt. Now, I will have to randomly pull the battery out to charge it, but man, this is one awsome redneck fix to get more watts out of the box.

Thanks ww228kidd for recommending this. This is working awsome. I'm putting 20db on base station buddies of mine 14+ miles away with a 1x4 competition-style amp.

There's a forum member on here named BushHog that works with me that can verify the volt output

Just all FYI. Enjoy.

[roadrunner1]

Well, I have been using this 18 volt setup for 2 to 3 months now and it works awesome! I'm running it on an 8 pill in a 4 cylinder car with a 102 whip and it rocks just like a 12 pill easily all over town. People hear me and can't even talk back to me. I have hooked all wires straight to and from the battery setup and not to the seat bolt because I needed to avoid car computer interference. I want to thank linx and ww228kidd for posting the howto info and support.

[jessejamesdallas]

Yeah...It will work. As long as you have a amp that can handle being volted...Only problem I can see, is by having the 6v battery wired to the 12v like that, is when your truck is running, your still going to be sending a 14 volt charge into that 6v battery!

And if you leave it wired in like that all the time, your going to boil the 6v battery to death.

A better way to do it would be to have a separate charging alternator, that has a adjustable regulator on it, so you could set the charge to 20v's, and then have a battery pac made up of 3- 6v batteries, and then have that hooked to your 8-pill...The separate alternator would just be used to charge the battery pac.

And if your using something like a 2-pill for a driver, have it wired in to your 12v system with your radio....You wouldn't want the driver and the main amp both running off 18v's...

[North Texas Mudduck]

in 2002 when i lived in graham texas i drove to lawton oklahoma and visited oldman 42 and met up with 427
he had high ouput alternator and wanted more volts so i set him up just like 228 stated only he dont have to pull the 6 volt out to charge it
i put in a inverter then got him a golf cart 6 volt charger set on 25 amps or can go up to 75 amps
plugged the inverter onto the 14.8 volt side then plugged the golfcart charger then hooked that up to the 6volt battery

no more pulling the 6 volt out to charge i almost built a mobile that would nearly cut my lips off.

all that in a ford ranger
2 gullwing toolboxes
and some extras

[roadrunner1]

Hello all. Just wanted to say that my system is still kicking real strong in case anyone was wondering. I haven't had any issues or melt downs yet. I can take some pictures now, if anyone is interested in seeing the setup. Give me a shout.

[PRO151]

Please post the drawing. I am a curious person.

[linx]

Please post the drawing. I am a curious person.

Well, I can't find the drawing that WW228 did for me with a single 6v battery. The dual 6v setup is all over the site, but I think he drew the single 6v for me personally. The advantage of using 2x 6v is the 6v stays charged longer. But honestly, I am a bucket mouth and would talk days on the 6v without recharging it. The 6v charges separately, so the best thing I found to do was to install a trickle charger in your vehicle, then plug the 6v up every once in a while.

Do not try this with a Texas Star or some other PCB style amp. As a matter of fact, I probably would only do this to a pure comp amp like a DaveMade, Skywalker, EastCoast, etc. I heard some bad things about Fatboys popping pills locally but it's your choice. Always test your voltages with a good volt meter, and always run with caution. What you do, you are liable for, but trust me, if you get it worked out like I did, it's oohh so sweet.

I'm not good at paint, and this is a crude drawing I just made. His was much better.

[slydog]

Yeah...It will work. As long as you have a amp that can handle being volted...Only problem I can see, is by having the 6v battery wired to the 12v like that, is when your truck is running, your still going to be sending a 14 volt charge into that 6v battery!

And if you leave it wired in like that all the time, your going to boil the 6v battery to death.

A better way to do it would be to have a separate charging alternator, that has a adjustable regulator on it, so you could set the charge to 20v's, and then have a battery pac made up of 3- 6v batteries, and then have that hooked to your 8-pill...The separate alternator would just be used to charge the battery pac.

And if your using something like a 2-pill for a driver, have it wired in to your 12v system with your radio....You wouldn't want the driver and the main amp both running off 18v's...

The 6 volt isn't being charged so it won't boil over. Some of the keydown guys around here call that "The poor man's volted system".

[stagecoach]

not to contradict anyone but tell me again how a 6v will be boiled when it is floating ??????............and using 2 6v batt and put LC connectors on the charging system and dual them on both post of one of the 6v and single them on the other 6v and single them on the amp ...........note when charging......... the amp is on charging volts when volts are needed then it will be a 30 sec fix and you r able to charge your 6volts in the truck put a volt meter on the amp side of the hot feed note when changing from 12v to 18v disconnect the amp first........... ground is common so its simple you will know that when your ground is connected to your 6 volts that your will only have 12v available when on 18v no ground is connected to these 6volt batt. and until you are comfortable and understand what is happening only use 1 of the 6v to achieve your 18 v note the ground on the amp is also common no need to remove it from ground when changing from 12 to 18 volts..so for the new ppl trying to do this look at it as if it is water running ...........check this .....you have installed as suggested above and now you r charging with amp on the system @ 12 volts and you want to go to your 18 volt here is how in a few simple steps !st disconnect amp .........now disconnect the the line between the 2 6v and now disconnect your ground from the 6 volts and know disconnect the hot from from charging system.........still with me seems like a lot but the LC connectors will make this a 15 sec exchange now take the neg of the 6v and connect to the pos. of the charging feed or from the pos of the 12v system now the pos of the 6v that you just connected the neg of to the charging system will go to the pos of the amp note that the other 6 volt is completely out of the system when you are more familiar with this you can put both 6 v in line to give you a big 6v but using one will be better and you will have a hot 6v to back up the other by using only one ..........with this you r able to charge your 6v in the truck without other devises attach and by doing it this way you will be more familiar with your power system and fellas keep in mind that this is a hobby that is based on power source there is no substitute for the proper alt. in line as stated in other post on this thread but being familiar with your system is priceless and no matter what there is this thing called preventive maintenance lol so now this is only another way to achieve not better just another way do not forget the maint. note baking soda will neutralize batt acid another nice lil trick on batt. maint. is take and put a dab of grease on each of your batt the size of your thumb then put 3 pennies in the grease leave them there .....why????? well the fumes from the batt. acid will oxidized your copper board in your amps if they have copper boards and r exposed to these fumes always check all connectors

[firefighter]

Please post the drawing. I am a curious person.

basically, they are just wiring the batterys up in a series instead of in parallel....thats the same way alot of big trucks are done....instead of 1 12v, they use 2 6v....

[stagecoach]

hey guys sorry for the long post above lol lol lol NOTE that when in a 18v application that the 6v will always be floating ......meaning that it is on the hot leg only the only time the ground is connected to the 6v batt or batteries is when you r charging and the 2 6v are connected to make 1 large 12v batt .......NEVER CONNECT A 18v BATT stack TO A 12v SYSTEM when to achieve the 18volts on a stock system the hot leg is all that is used ground is common take your time until more familiar this is not meant to contradict any other post but just a different way and i use this as a training method to new guys who want to learn more about high performance dc installations please do not forget the preventive maint. part it is vital to the longevity of your gear good luck .............................coach

[stagecoach]

if wondering about the training method ????????? a lil reward in watts for for doing their maint. lol lol lol......note the pennies on the grease on each battery will cut back on the connectors corroding on the battery and will absorb the fumes b 4 they get to your box just a lil trick nothing new just thought i would pass it on ...........as for asking me to post drawings I'm not that good on the computer but even if i was i would not .......not to be rude and really not to be rude but if you cannot sit down and draw 4 separate boxes on a piece of paper and make the first the charging batt @ 12v and the next 2 @ 6v and the 4th as the amp put pos and neg on each of these box in the drawing and make the neg on the amp hook to ground and never move it and only achieve your 18v capability as i have instructed .......remember like running water .........on the hot leg only then you may not want to attempt this.........NOTE THIS IS FOR CLASS C AMPS ONLY DO NOT BURN YOUR AMP UP IF IT IS NOT CLASS C IT WILL BURN...... hey guys we are in a working on your stuff hobby and this is really not for everybody that is in this hobby have you ever notice the guys that put down on we few guys that like to get the best performance and try to learn the limitations of our equipment its capability and will go out and spend a couple of weekends trying to get that swr down even more once we have achieved a 1.5 swr lol lol well like i said its not for all that is in this hobby so if you happen to be one of these fellas that like to say neg. things then don;t waste your... mine... r anyone who is trying to learn something diff time just save it lol lol hell you might even figure out why the guy who cannot afford to run or buy new equipment you know the one you always calling a duck r as you like to refer to as your whipping boy is bumping on you at will lol lol so put down that 4th goat neck sandwhich and pay attn lol lol lol o k i was clowning a lil .....................coach ..............having a lil fun.......lol lol lol lol lol .............GROUNDSHAKER GROUNDSHAKER ..GONE ..............................

[998]

Will this work on a stock 75 amp alternator with a stock 12 volt and a 6 volt added like say????? right now i know i could get more if i had a bigger alternator think im going to go bigger but just for now it works ..thinking bout trying it i have a 2x4 and it should really scream ... 73's J

[linx]

Will this work on a stock 75 amp alternator with a stock 12 volt and a 6 volt added like say????? right now i know i could get more if i had a bigger alternator think im going to go bigger but just for now it works ..thinking bout trying it i have a 2x4 and it should really scream ... 73's J

LOL, you really need a bigger alternator. There's not much substitution you should try other than maybe adding a few 12v batteries. That 2x4 pulls about 50 amps constant, and 110 amps or so surge. You may damage that amp severely.

Do not volt a 2x4 box. You should only volt a strait pill box or a 1x4. When you volt the 2x4, the 2 pill part is getting volted as well, and that's too much drive for the 4 pill portion. 2x4 boxes are generally made for 14v max, and are made for non-export radios.

[BLACKMAGIC]

How many more amps will a box pull from being volted. Im running an 8 pill on a 165 amp alternator and actually does a good job. Will it be pulling to many amps from being volted.

[ringer]

Will this work on a stock 75 amp alternator with a stock 12 volt and a 6 volt added like say????? right now i know i could get more if i had a bigger alternator think im going to go bigger but just for now it works ..thinking bout trying it i have a 2x4 and it should really scream ... 73's J

LOL, you really need a bigger alternator. There's not much substitution you should try other than maybe adding a few 12v batteries. That 2x4 pulls about 50 amps constant, and 110 amps or so surge. You may damage that amp severely.

Do not volt a 2x4 box. You should only volt a strait pill box or a 1x4. When you volt the 2x4, the 2 pill part is getting volted as well, and that's too much drive for the 4 pill portion. 2x4 boxes are generally made for 14v max, and are made for non-export radios.

Why would it matter if it's an export or a cb?

[DieselBoss]

Ringer, you are going to find different opinions on this one.

With a well built comp amp, IMHO and my own experience, you can definitely use an export radio to drive a 2x4, depending on how you have your deadkey set, as well as how much peak wattage your radio is putting out.

As an example, I run a SWP General Lee into a DM 2x4 running at 14.2 volts. The General Lee is deadkeying ~1 watt into the amp, and swinging up to 50+ depending on what "feel good" meter you use.

I can run this all day long, (in fact I've been running this way for a year or so, and I use my radio A LOT) and it sounds fantastic while kicking the cat. Many, many, many others on this forum also run a General Lee into a 2x4.

The 2x4 might not be intended for an export, but it sure as heck works great if you are setup correctly (BELOW 1.3 SWR with MFJ-259B, fat power cables, great coax, perfectly adjusted dead key). I'll walk all over a single final radio driving the same amp, same antenna, and same voltage.

[998]

YEA I GOT MY 99V SET LOW AND IVE BEEN USING THIS 2X4 NO NAME SET UP FOR BOUT 5 YEARS AND NOT ONE PROBLEM EVEN WITH MY LIL ALTENATOR AND I KNOW I COULD DO BETTER BUT I GET OUT FINE BUT DONT WORRY NOW I KNOW WHERE TO GET ME A BIGGER ONE THATS MY NEXT STEP 73'S TO YOU ALL....


*** AND THANKS FOR ALL THE INFO ON THE SITE *** :D :D :D

[BLACKMAGIC]

Well i just hooked up my 6v battery to try out this 18v deal. I did everything by the book but im not showing much more wattage. Could someone give me some input. Could it be pulling to much on my alternator?

[linx]

Well i just hooked up my 6v battery to try out this 18v deal. I did everything by the book but im not showing much more wattage. Could someone give me some input. Could it be pulling to much on my alternator?

Hey BlackMagic, are you sure you hooked it up correctly? You need positive 12v to negative 6v. Positive 6v goes to amplifier.

I'd recommend using a good volt meter like a Fluke and testing to voltage before hooking it up to your amplifier. What are you showing right now on the voltmeter?

[BLACKMAGIC]

Thanks for the input linx. I definately have it hooked up correctly. I will have to check my voltage. Where do i check it at from 12v to 6v or 6v to amp.

[linx]

Thanks for the input linx. I definately have it hooked up correctly. I will have to check my voltage. Where do i check it at from 12v to 6v or 6v to amp.

I'd check the 12v lead to make sure it's getting at least 12v, and then you need to check the negative of the 6v to see if it's getting 18 volts. For the ground, just ground it to anything that's a ground in your truck. It's good to keep a voltmeter, I keep 2 in my pickup at all times....but we have a fleet of vehicles as well.

[BLACKMAGIC]

Thanks again Linx. what kinda of wattage should i be seeing out of an 8 pill volted

[sugarcane]

That is so cool! and great info!! - Would this work only on a 1 box system?

How would you wire this up?

Radio ---> 2 x 2SC2290 ---> 6x 2SC2879 ---> 24 PILL

I dont' really want to push the maul too much with voltage but just minimal to average but not max'd out. What is the best way to wire this up with just one 250 Amp alternator with an 800 motor maul w/ a voltage regulator

Please educated this poor man

[stagecoach]

lol well Mr sugar cane how many batt. do you have on your motor maul ....i recommend 8 on your maul and i hope you are using the 250 as a extra alt ..??????........just so you know this will not apply in your application ........the 2 pill and the 6 pill need to run on stock volts..............i would recommend not running the 24 pill over 16 volts ..........still the 250 will have its hands full trying to support a amp that requires 420 amps of draw approx.......use good batt on the motor maul at least 8 of them and you will have a pretty good system depending on the quality of the batt will determine how effective the motor maul will support the 24 pill .................note when i said that this will not apply in you case i was referring to the maul would be better for your system in my opinion ......good luck i know you will have fun with that toy ......lol .......stagecoach........................