SOULMUSIC

iTrader: (8)

Well, me and my bro are just waiting for the final few pieces to be delivered, before diving into the Montana head first. Into the engine bay anyhow.
The 1st step for the day was to take off the door panel and check it out for mounting the components and minor soundproofing with some fatmat.
Well.
The Bad - The new Daimond Audio components are NOT going to fit in the stock location behind the skins, the biggest that will fit are 6" (not 6.5) and fairly small magnets . The PG 6.0 ZRs we took out, just clear the metal. We would have to cut the grills on the skins out, to build the holes out, for the 6.5 comps. because the stock speaker grills are built into the 1 piece skin.

The Fix - Seems pretty easy to add some 2 driver speaker pods on the door skins over the original grills , and that is the plan. BUT now were overbudget and waiting even longer for more parts!!

So after 10 minutes at the van we were already feeling amaturish, but we solved the first problem more or less. Great, whatever, lets move on

So we check out doing the big three upgrade. Lets start with the good.

The Good -The 2007 Montana SV6 has a 125 amp high output alternator. And I noticed there were no undersized wires that I could see at the battery looked like 0 or 2 and 4 gauge to the important parts...(but I'm not sure, never done "the big three" )


The Bad - The alternator is tucked right back under and behind the the cabin overhang so to speak, I couldn't even spot a wire coming out of, or going to it, because I could hardly see any of it !! There is NO way I can work on that thing.

The fix - ???? Well , the best me and my bro came up with was

1 - Run the new 0 gauge power wire from the battery to the back of the van (currently 4 gauge stinger hpm)
2- add 0 gauge ground in the back
3- any helpful hints???

Were going to install some new aftermarket battery terminals to simplify the wiring.

What do you figure the stock charging system is capable off wattage wise?
The new system, output wattage wise is about 1500 total - approx 160 amps of fuses in the 3 amps
If pics could be a big help , I'll take some, I just need to know what to shoot.

About the post title. Back in the day, me and my bro ruined(blown,fried,broke) alot of equipment, we used to laugh at ourselves and call ourselves Hillbilly Hookups.

Now we're back, not much better than ever (thank gosh for the net, info and you guys ) , so now since we're all grown up we need a new pet name for our messups.
Welcome to Redneck Rewires !! Only now we're willing to ask for help.. PLEASE , I dont wanna be Hillbilly anymore !!

Denonite

iTrader: (1)

if you can't access the alternator, forget about it. The last thing you want to do is a hack job on a hard to get at alt. Atleast you have decent output, 125 amps is pretty decent for oem, do the big 2 for now. Assuming when you crank your tunes you're not using most of your Montana's accessories...a/c or heater and blower, wipers, defrost, etc...then a large portion of your alt's output will be used for the system. You should have anywhere between 70-100 amps to play with, which translates to a steady delivery of about 900-1300 watts gross(at full output rpms..above 1500 typically). Under heavy demands your battery will supply the rest. Keep in mind that your amps are only about 50-60% efficient for a/b types and around 80% for class D, so your steady delivery of 1300 watts ends up more like 800 watts with losses. However, your music rarely needs all that power due to it's dynamic nature...loud and soft parts as compared to a continuous tone...so your system will be fine for normal daily use with the occasional cranking, and again your battery will kick in the extra juice as needed for those dynamics.

SOULMUSIC

iTrader: (8)

Right on Bro. That sounds like we lucked out. Using the % given for class d, a/b etc.
I assume that the stiffening caps will help a bit also as far as damaging the alternator with too high a load( we've kill at least 4 alternators on the other CARS we've set-up . My bros wifey will have our ***** if we blow another!

Just a few questions for now concerning the alternator, since it looks like its what we're using no matter what.
We will be running 2 caps , a stinger 1 farad (reg) and a stinger 5 farad hybrid. The hybrid will go on the class D for the 2 12s and the reg. on the other a/b amp running a single 10".
If the stock battery ISN't up to the task, will it damage the alt faster if we overload it?
Would a new battery " protect " the alternator at all?
Would we see any gains with a aftermarket battery even if the stock one is OK to use?

I haven't checked the stats on the stock battery yet, I'll get that done today at some point. If I had the cash I'd just get an optima yellow or a kinetic, but if I don't NEED to , I'd rather keep on budget.

Owe you another Denonite.

SOULMUSIC

iTrader: (8)

The stock battery appears OK but it 4 years old and defineatly a weak link now!!... We've been looking at this Odessey battery. It was recommended after a few email exchanges. Its the - pc1500dt

http://www.batterystore.com/Odyssey/OdysseyProducts.htm
Its a direct replacement for the Poncho, about $400 from right here within Ontario..
Thoughts?

The wiring harness and aftermarket double din surround we've been waiting an extra 2 weeks for, came in today. Yippee, $100 for door chimes..MF!!!

Also received the US Amps xt2000d D today .. a little bigger and heavier than I thought, maybe a good buy ..
Hopefully a quick test with with O2 audio 10" at 2 ohms ported will happen tomorrow, and the second amp will be on its way

We traded the orange screen Clarion HU for a similar but blue screened Panasonic, just for looks because the indash eq is blue also.
With the EQ the HU is just a cd player and tuner. The amp/eq etc wont be used. Set everything at 0 and forget it right?

So we're now Clarion free... No offence Clarion ppl but I'm ready for a change.

Me and my bro have 3 hrs of corresponding time off from work, kids and wives tomorrow, here's the plan

- plug in harness and rock out to the door chimes !!
-install HU and EQ
-There's a 1 din pocket that we need to cut in half to fit under the EQ (its 1/2 din) .. Thats where the wired remotes will be put perhaps.
-sounddeaden the rear hatch with Fatmat
-debadge the orphaned poncho, all but the hood nose emblem, its recessed into the metal anyways and probably rivetted.
We're still looking for blank rim center caps. So I guess they stay for now also.
- drink 3 heinekens(items not necessarily in order)
- test the xt200d

Since the budget went **poof** anyhow, the plan in the coming weeks/months is to ditch the O2 10" dual4Odvc and get a 15" dual2Odvc to go with the 12s instead. Running on the other xt2000d at 1 ohm. How quickly the spl addiction comes back!!

I will be taking some pics tomorrow, before and afters I guess. Will post em here.

Denonite

iTrader: (1)

I'd keep the battery as long as it's working properly, when it starts to fail get a new one..and maybe upgrade at that point. Otherwise, sounds like it's all coming together...post them pics!

SOULMUSIC

iTrader: (8)

Well, yesterday we got moving with about 2.5 hours left of time to thrash, Its a driveway install so the wicked cold wind made debadging or applying the Fatmat alot tougher. We'll wait for a warm day, the new comps arent here tll next week anyhow.

Sooooo, we got the stock HU out, went to fit the Panasonic to the adaptor plates and read on the plate instructions.." Use screws suppied with HU...lol yeah right. So off the Home Hardware we go. Actually found the perfect tapered head machine screws.

We fit the HU onto the plate, not adjusted for fitment yet, Now we go to mount the EQ , cool, the screws and washers/lock washers are there...
They didnt freakin fit!!! Tiny things. WTF!! I think the chrome plating on the EQ case that was overhanging the screw hole slightly, perhaps was the culprit.
Made in China the other culprit..

Well, it's a 30min drive to home depot and the 'local' car stereo shop. We barely have time, we go anyhow.
We find what appears the right size of machine screws at Home depot fairly easy, off to the shop. I'm grumbling the whole way.. I don't dig this place man..

We needed 2 pairs of 17+ rca's ...nope didn't have it
We could get some O gauge I guess, start the big 2 ... nope don't have any til tomorow, well umm maybe Monday. Thanks Man.

That was yesterday..lol.. Here's some pics.
The victim(The Poncho) and the grand amount of work we accomplished, in picture...we were sooo ready.


So we couldn't manage to do much of anything yestday..lol here's some pics

SOULMUSIC

iTrader: (8)

pics didnt take..It'll says 'sending request to Canadiancaraudio.com', the loading bar comes up but doesnt move. After a few minutes it says upload failed... Guess I'll Figure it out and post the pics of yesterday then.
We got the US Amps xt2000, the Stinger Hybrid cap, and the untested 6x9's hooked up today, They all work. WOW.. so we hooked up and the soundstream on the original mids/highs today, while we wait for the pods and the comps., we also need to get the dual 12 box so we can run both RE's, and make it to a better stocked shop so we can use the EQ. We are using the XT2000d at one ohm to the ported 10dvc and the seal 12 dvc. With some luck we'll get the wiring and the box this weekend. We have nothing worth pictures, but I took some anyway... I'll figure the problem out.

D - We're gonna do just that, thanks. $400 is the SXX 15
" 1000 w rms 2ohmDVC we want..hehehehe ... Then we'll think about a battery.

Anyone have a ballpark figure on what a sealed custom made/fit, MDF built/carpeted with 2-12" and one 15" all in seperate chambers sub box would cost, any recommendations for ppl in Ontario that can make it?

Would the programs online make it possible for ME to make a proper box?

Uploads keeps failing!!!
I need computer help too

sam.hollis

you should put a battery in the back or run 0awg ground all the way back because they say your chassis ground is only equivlent to a 4awg.

sam.hollis

Radioactive in Burlington always has 0awg

SOULMUSIC

iTrader: (8)

Thanks Sam...0 Is the plan

Here's the pics, the victim, before,after... Three hours and thats the accomplishments.. Dang machine bolts