how much (electro) power do i need?

hlwimmer

first, thanks for any help you can lend -- i'm bad with the electro-math stuff, so wisdom would be appreciated.

i'm blowing gennys left and right... i'm on my 4th and have simply figured that my car needs more power than the porsche 25amp genny will provide... but how much?

how much do typocal VW accessories draw? how much is left over?

this is what i have that needs juice:
the engine... for spark
headlights (currently 356-style incadescent/(halogen?), but will switch to road-legal H4s soon)
foglights (use H1 bulbs, methinks -- unsure of total wattage)
horn
interior light
cig lighter (to power ipod)
200W amp... to overcome road noise.

so, if i drive 55, while listening to tunes on a powered ipod, open the door and honk the horn... how much will that draw (other than attention from cops)?

Hakka · Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2005 8:19 am Post subject:

hlwimmer · Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2005 8:24 am Post subject:

forgot about the wipers and the reverse lights... driving backwards in the rain, while listening to tunes on a powered ipod with the door open and honking the horn...

Rob E UK · Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2005 8:32 am Post subject:

whera re you getting your porsche gennys from? ive wanted one to keep the stock 6v look of my bug

hlwimmer · Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2005 8:48 am Post subject:

i'll tell you after i find a new one... Wink

i shoudl also have an "extra" that can be rebuilt. i'll sell it to you for what i's get for it's core charge ($200 rings a bell)... let me do some math. you'll have to rebuild it, but it'll be cheaper than some of the grifters that try to sell them for $650.

Rob E UK · Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2005 8:51 am Post subject:

thanks i'll consider it, who rebuilds them?

i was thinking of getting my stock 6v vw one rewound to 12volts, anyone ever heard of this?

jps1145 · Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2005 9:23 am Post subject:

I'm not sure what kind of wattage the engine requires, I'll guess at about 100 watts. With everything you have on, and your stereo is blasting, your drawing in the nieghborhood of 700 watts.
Remember votage * amperage = wattage.
Your battery will typically be able to handle a bunch of amps at any one time, but your gen has to recharge it.
That 25 amp gen is charging at about 300 watts. It is constantly trying to keep up with the load being drawn from your battery.
Your amp and fog lights are drawing a lot (I guessed that the lights are about 100 watts). You really need a 50 - 75 amp charge from your generator. I don't know if they are available. You'll need to invest in an alternator, but a stock one may not be enough.
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glutamodo · Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2005 9:55 am Post subject:

I agree that you need to upgrade past the capacity of that small generator. The capacities of just the car plus the foglights/amp will use up your 25amp output now. ( by the way, a 200watt amp is the maximum power output driving the speakers and not the unit's current draw from the battery - different specs entirely. You need to look up in your amp's manual what the max current draw is for it. ) If you don't want the look of an alternator, the biggest capacity you'll find from a generator is the 68-71 Bus style which was rated at 38amps - these are longer than the normal type one style and require some offset tin from a bus to fit properly, plus the larger diameter generator stand of course, and they used a different voltage regulator. That might be enough capacity for all you have in your car. However the alternator would be the best bet.

andy


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