Everyone's Favorite: Dimming Headlights!

[ZMX 0]

2001 Chevy Impala. A friend's car. Aftermarket alternator rated at 220 max, 105 at idle. Overdrive pulley. Had his mechanic install the big 3 with 1/0. Optima Yellowtop 1050 amps.

He only has one amp right now.

2 gauge wire running back to a JL 1000/1v2, 2 farad capacitor, and a 500 amp dry cell, running a JL 13W7.

All of this was put in his car professionally... which could be good or bad.

His headlights still dim, especially on the heavier individual beats.

It's my understanding that the ground wires on these cars connect to a thin piece of metal that's simply folded onto another one, and therefore can't really flow that much current.

...meaning that running a dedicated ground wire would fix his problem.

Yes? No?

[ssh 924]

It would certainly help, but may not fix his problem If there's not enough current being supplied. I suggest he gets a dmm or lcd voltmeter so you actually know how much his voltage drop is at full tilt

[ZMX 0]

What would I do with the information of how large the voltage drop is? How would that change the attack plan?

[tejcurrent 13]

What would I do with the information of how large the voltage drop is? How would that change the attack plan?

If the voltage is dropping from 14.4v to 13.8, other than doing the big 3 upgrade your friend may have no real need to spend more money.

[ZMX 0]

If he didn't do anything, then his lights would still be dimming.

He wants to fix that.

btw, he's already done the big 3.

Edited September 4, 2010 by ZMX

[ssh 924]

take out the cap, get another battery.

[whatnow275 0]

you could try wiring the power cable running to the batt and amp directly onto the alternator for a little better performance. I need to do something of the sort, when i was idling i made my volts dropped so low that my system turned off

[ZMX 0]

take out the cap, get another battery.

Remove the cap? Why?

Why isn't 1550 amps enough?

[ssh 924]

take out the cap, get another battery.

Remove the cap? Why?

Why isn't 1550 amps enough?

Caps aren't beneficial in any way except looking fancy, they do more harm then good, they don't provide enough current to feed the amp, once they discharge (all the time) then there constantly drawing more current until charged, then discharge and cycle starts over...

Put a dmm on the battery and play at full tilt, tell us what the voltage is dropping to....

[DC Power Kyle 21]

It could be the alternator. Just because it's "rated" at 220 amps doesn't mean anything. It honestly sounds like the alternator isn't able to keep up if the wiring is good.

[ZMX 0]

It could be the alternator. Just because it's "rated" at 220 amps doesn't mean anything. It honestly sounds like the alternator isn't able to keep up if the wiring is good.

The alt has been tested. Output is 150 amps at idle because of the overdrive pulley.

[pdubb 5]

more batts

[slim2fattycake 85]

It could be the alternator. Just because it's "rated" at 220 amps doesn't mean anything. It honestly sounds like the alternator isn't able to keep up if the wiring is good.

The alt has been tested. Output is 150 amps at idle because of the overdrive pulley.

Did you test it or did the company give you a test sheet saying its supposed to do whatever they rate it?

Get a multimeter on there and check the voltage.

more batts

no, he doesn't need MORE batteries. I will say he needs to get rid of the cap and the yellowtop and get a better battery. yellowtops are not good for car audio. caps are just too weak to do anything helpful in this situation. they will actually put a strain on the alt.

[pdubb 5]

go big or go home haha

but i agree, quality battery(s)

Edited September 6, 2010 by pdubb

[iLikeBass 0]

okay then... what kind of battery? i have a optima in the front and a CT 1000 in the back next to the amp

[iLikeBass 0]

oh, and i was standing next to the guy with the meter when he tested my alternator. it's not the problem.

[ZMX 0]

Did you test it or did the company give you a test sheet saying its supposed to do whatever they rate it?

He had his mechanic test it when he installed it and did the big 3.

Get a multimeter on there and check the voltage.

Working on it.

more batts

no, he doesn't need MORE batteries. I will say he needs to get rid of the cap and the yellowtop and get a better battery. yellowtops are not good for car audio. caps are just too weak to do anything helpful in this situation. they will actually put a strain on the alt.

What about the 500 amp dry cell in the back? Wouldn't it be better to just get an additional one?

[iLikeBass 0]

By the way, I'm the guy with the Impala that the OP wrote about.

[DC Power Kyle 21]

I honestly doubt it does 150 at idle. If it does, it wont do it for long. Overdrive pulleys are bad news cause they create tons of heat if they're small enough. I still stick to my alternator theory.