Stereo system question - Alternator needed?
 

Hello folks,

I just had a Pioneer Avic z110bt installed, along with its HD Radio, XM Satellite, and MSN Direct tuner accessories, onto a 2001 Boxster S with the premium sound option. The unit is wired directly into the factory amp, and for the most part is doing quite well.

A few things have happened recently that have made me question whether or not I've got enough juice to run all this stuff. Occasionally I will be driving along and the sound will cut out momentarily, sometimes associated with blacking out of the head units screen, and very rarely, a popping noise coming from the engine compartment that sounds suspiciously like an electrical arc.

These episodes last about a second, and it comes back on like nothing ever happened, not even skipping beat.

Surely this can't be good. I suppose my questions are "What could this be?" and "Could it be my alternator isn't strong enough?" and "What can I do about it?"

Thank you all for your input, I appreciate it.

I'm not sure what the problem might be, but it is not that you don't have enough 'juice' to run the system. Amplifier draws the most power in an audio system, and you've still got the stock amp. Everything else draws comparatively little power.

For what its worth, I have an 03 Boxster S with the premium BOSE soundsystem. I installed(well not me personally) an Avic x710bt with an aftermarket amp and have had no issues. So I suppose it could be the amp if your using factory. I went with the alpine pdx-5.

Oops
 

Just realized I posted this in what is probably the wrong forum.

Thank you both for your input, I really appreciate it.

There is a forum for your head unit www.avic411.com maybe post the question there, I have the F700BT in a 2000 base Box and it handles quite well using the standard amp.

What part of Houston you in?

also meant to ask if you already did the 3.0 FW upgrade on the unit, and that popping sound might be rear speakers???

If you are only running the factory amp, i would say no. The only time i would recommend going from a 55 amp or whatever is in these cars to a more powerful one is when you start adding multiple amps. At that time you would also be looking at adding a lightning cap also.