#1510115 - 13/10/08 09:03 PM
How can you figure out how much power is going through your wiring?
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hamburglar79
SD Ralph Wiggum
Registered: 14/07/08
Posts: 44
Loc: South Korea
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What is the easiest way to find out how much power is going through your wiring:
Alternator to battery?
Power wire from battery to amp?
Amp to speakers?
I think this is a good start to truly figure out if someone (me) does have a lack of power issue, THANKS ALOT PEOPLE!
Please keep it simple/cheap, I'm still learning and don't have alot of tools.
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Just trying to get sum knowledge from you folks!
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#1510138 - 13/10/08 09:25 PM
Re: How can you figure out how much power is going through your wiring?
[Re: hamburglar79]
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keep_hope_alive
Snooch to the Nooch
SD I chew on Mike Tyson's ear
Registered: 24/04/07
Posts: 8648
Loc: Quad Cities, IL
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the only way to find out how much current is going through the wires is to measure it with an ammeter. you need current to determine power. you need to learn Ohm's law if you plan on doing any of this, as well as some basic electrical theory and application. the links in my signature have lots of information that can help you.
music changes drastically, so the power drawn will also vary. test tones are a good way to get a stable power draw from your system - just be careful because sustained test tones at full volume can damage speakers.
for alt to battery and battery to amp you can use the following:
a clamp-on DMM will measure it, but they are pricey (>$200). at a minimum you will need a basic DMM and a shunt resistor. a "75mV shunt resistor" can be purchases at a variety of places, do a google search. you will need to make sure the shunt has adequate amperage rating. you can buy inexpensive LCD displays that are designed to mate to a shunt resistor to provide a current measurement. i got a display and shunt on ebay for less than $20.
you can get an analog ammeter that sits around the wire, they are less common. i have one that measures up to 50A and it has a channel that the wire sits in. it wasn't very expensive either but i forget where i got it (it's been years).
a shunt resistor produces a specific voltage drop at a specific current. by measuring the voltage drop across the shunt you can determine current with simple DMM. you will need to disconnect the wire you want to measure and insert this shunt. that will be dangerous and require extensive care and general knowledge.
for amp to speakers you just need to know the impedance of the speaker(s) and measure the voltage at the speaker with a simple DMM. Ohm's law will let you calculate power.
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#1510219 - 14/10/08 12:58 AM
Re: How can you figure out how much power is going through your wiring?
[Re: keep_hope_alive]
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hamburglar79
SD Ralph Wiggum
Registered: 14/07/08
Posts: 44
Loc: South Korea
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Thanks for the info. I did a quick google shopping search and found this DMM http://www.iequus.com/products.php?category_id=1_60
Edited by hamburglar79 (14/10/08 01:01 AM)
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#1510280 - 14/10/08 06:25 AM
Re: How can you figure out how much power is going through your wiring?
[Re: hamburglar79]
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keep_hope_alive
Snooch to the Nooch
SD I chew on Mike Tyson's ear
Registered: 24/04/07
Posts: 8648
Loc: Quad Cities, IL
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those DMM's are fine. only the 3340 will measure up to 15A in series. none of them will work as a clamp-on DMM.
Tenma has inexpensive DMM's available at MCM Electronics. IMO Fluke makes some of the best in the industry.
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#1510527 - 14/10/08 10:14 AM
Re: How can you figure out how much power is going through your wiring?
[Re: keep_hope_alive]
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SuperJay
I made this!!
SD OG Playa
Registered: 30/08/07
Posts: 20890
Loc: SoCal
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flukes cost in excess of $500 though. I have one that's 5 years old...it will last forever. You pay for what you get
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more fun than a well oiled midget The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter." - Winston Churchill i say somethin' stupid everyday, nothin' new  - Flattop 
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#1510866 - 14/10/08 02:04 PM
Re: How can you figure out how much power is going through your wiring?
[Re: SuperJay]
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keep_hope_alive
Snooch to the Nooch
SD I chew on Mike Tyson's ear
Registered: 24/04/07
Posts: 8648
Loc: Quad Cities, IL
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my Fluke has been doing great since 1993.
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#1512706 - 17/10/08 12:21 AM
Re: How can you figure out how much power is going through your wiring?
[Re: imtfox]
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hamburglar79
SD Ralph Wiggum
Registered: 14/07/08
Posts: 44
Loc: South Korea
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So will that "3340" work for testing alt/bat/amp?
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#1513141 - 17/10/08 06:33 PM
Re: How can you figure out how much power is going through your wiring?
[Re: keep_hope_alive]
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TtownCLS
Dream it Design it Build it
Team SoundDomain
Registered: 11/02/08
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A meter, O-scope, and amp clamp, are priceless when troubleshooting if you know how to properly use them. For everday monitoring, I use this fuse block. I can tell in an instant what the voltage of the system is, and how many amps the system is pulling.
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