2 X 4

[Fat Cat 175]

Can anyone tell me how many watts i should be getting out of a dave made 2 hitting a fat boy 4 with a cb dead key at 2watts and my volts in the truck at around 13.8

[Texas Mobil 219]

I dont have a Dave made. But i do run a 2x4, I get a good 800 out of mine with the truck running. Thats with a 100 amp alt pushing 14.2 volts with a 1 watt dead key.

['Doc]

Nobody can tell you that without know which particular amplifiers you are talking about. There's no 'general' answer for what any "2 x 4" can do without knowing which transistors it uses. I know that "2 x 4" thingy is a very common way of describing an amplifier, but it doesn't tell you anything at all, all by it's self. Sorry 'bout that.
- 'Doc

[SARGE]

I Have two DM 2x4s and both easily do 800w. I run one with a GL the other with a 99V.

[BIGHOG]

My DM 2x4, SWP GL, 200A alt., 2 1000CA bats. will see 1000-1100 pep with voice peaks on my Ameritron meter, but it'll cruise around 900 .

[SARGE]

Even if you're still running stock alternator and a single factory battery, you should still see these same readings. The higher amp alt and battery will just prolong the life of the battery.

[Fat Cat 175]

Thanks for the help. Im about to swap the 2x4 for a 1x4, i think i will have better luck in the big truck with that. I have a funny feeling the 2x4 is starving for juice. Well I will keep u all posted on the results thanks

[SARGE]

What are you seeing out of your setup?

[Fat Cat 175]

im getting around 800-900 swing out of the 2 boxes

[North Texas Mudduck]

they are still both 4 pill boxes
just keep in mind
one box has a 1 pill driver
and the other has 2pill for drivers

the 1x4 only needs a 1 1/2 to 3 watt deadkey and modulate to 15 to 18 watts from radio
the 2x4 is even more particular about drive

even a 1pill is plenty drive for the 4pill section but a 2 pill IMO is on the edge of saturation

you can use the 2x4 but i would have the deadkey from radio around 1 to 1-1/2 watt
this will easeback on the mauling of the box and cruise it all day

if you are running a cb with xtra channels and it can give you probelms
or if running a export it can give probelms as well

[Fat Cat 175]

I swapped the 2x4 for the 1x4. Im deadkeying 2 watts siwnging around 20-22. Im getting around 800-900 out of this setup, and its loud as all that. I guess this setup is working a lot better than the other for me. I talked to my buddy about 20 miles away and was still giving him 7lb on his meter. thanks for the help. Oh is there any way to get more volts out of a big truck? Like turning up the voltage regulator? I dont know, just trying to squeez out maybe 14.2 out of the system. only at 13.8. My deadkey on the 1x4 is around 125w. so i guess im doing good. thats with the veriable cranked all the way up on the box. the guy i got it from has a cb shop and builds them. He says to smack it hard , very hard I dont like running it like that. He wants me to run like a 500 watt dead key. I think thats overkill. I myself think the swing is much better and gets a much better result in the long run.

[drdx]

that's a pretty low deadkey compared to your peak wattage. That's almost an 8 to 1 ratio. It will definitely run cool like that but when your signal is marginal, that low deadkey compared to the massive swing may make you sound funny. Most run closer to a 4 to 1 ratio on an amp, but many go to the other extreme, it just depends on your style of operation, but 125 dk out of a 4 pill amp is low by anyone's standards.

-drdx

[MoJo]

they are still both 4 pill boxes
just keep in mind
one box has a 1 pill driver
and the other has 2pill for drivers

the 1x4 only needs a 1 1/2 to 3 watt deadkey and modulate to 15 to 18 watts from radio
the 2x4 is even more particular about drive

even a 1pill is plenty drive for the 4pill section but a 2 pill IMO is on the edge of saturation

you can use the 2x4 but i would have the deadkey from radio around 1 to 1-1/2 watt
this will easeback on the mauling of the box and cruise it all day

if you are running a cb with xtra channels and it can give you probelms
or if running a export it can give probelms as well

And that extra driver pill doesn't really gain you anything...

Fat boy him self says the only reason he builds them is because people want them. And in business to make money you give customers what they want.

[North Texas Mudduck]

i have asked Tony this all the time about the 2x4 and he tells me the same thing
and then he says hey if they dont run it the way it supposed to be run then it will blow it quicker than a 1x4
and hence the reason he builds them people want them and blow them and get sent back to be fixed
Called repeat business.

as with getting the volts from the truck system you can turn it up a bit but wont go up much and the amp wont show much of a increase either.
anything past 14.8 and you looking to start boiling a battery

[drdx]

I've always wondered if a 2x4 had a long life span, considering the drive setup. I'm a chronic low driver as many know and usually run a 1 to 8 ratio of driver pill to final pill and I'm assuming I get 70-80 percent of what someone that drives the crud out of their stuff. For the difference in the signal it just isn't worth it unless you're really competitive. At that close of a margin, other factors can just as easily make the difference, ranging from antenna, to location, to conditions. Either way, just make sure you have enough carrier to keep you sounding good and not to swingy.

-drdx

[Fat Cat 175]

ok thanks for the help. I turned up the connex to 5 watts. Now the dead key on the 1x4 is 250 swinging around 900. I am still seeing forward swing and i guess this is good. What do u all think.

[-=PEAKABOO=-]

Even if you're still running stock alternator and a single factory battery, you should still see these same readings. The higher amp alt and battery will just prolong the life of the battery.

You will see more with a true high current alternator. The stock alternator cannot sustain the running charge voltage under the load of a 2 driving 4.

[-=PEAKABOO=-]

Thanks for the help. Im about to swap the 2x4 for a 1x4, i think i will have better luck in the big truck with that. I have a funny feeling the 2x4 is starving for juice. Well I will keep u all posted on the results thanks

1 driving 4 is a cleaner design anyway. They both will show the same on a signal meter 30 miles away.

[-=PEAKABOO=-]

ok thanks for the help. I turned up the connex to 5 watts. Now the dead key on the 1x4 is 250 swinging around 900. I am still seeing forward swing and i guess this is good. What do u all think.

That is better and will also sound better