headlights are still dimming

[Shogen 325]

So.. remove ALL BATTERIES from vehicle and remove them from each other.

Test EACH battery after they have sit for a couple hrs and report voltage level.

I would also let that optima sit for 24hrs and remeasure voltage to see if it's changed.

^^this^^

[RobClay 20]

HID headlights = no dimming

[edouble101 314]

I actually agree with bangin here, looks like his answer was looked over but, in your post you don't have the big 3 done. You can't run 270 amps from that alt if you only have stock wire. Do the big 3 in 1/0 Awg and then see if it helps or not.

The big 3 is always a good idea, but it is too over-hyped. You do realize this same wire is carrying over 500 amps while your car is starting yet you don't see manufacturers putting 2/0 in the car to handle that do you. The fact of the matter is, That alt will very rarely, if ever, be supplying 270 amps, much less be doing it at a constant rate, so many times stock wiring is fine.

I dunno about 500 amps. My 2007 Chevy 2500HD work truck with the 6.0L only pulls 180-200amps when starting, measured with a DC clamp on multiple times for some other testing we were doing to the truck. Plus that 180-200 was only for a second, maybe two, not near enough time to build any real heat on the stock wires. Even 500 amps, given it was only a short burst of a few seconds tops, wouldn't heat the stock size wiring up enough to cause any trouble. Don't get me wrong, I'm not arguing against your point, when it comes to current draw it's seldom ever at high rates for any period of time unless you're playing sine waves instead of music. BUT even so, the current draw whether it's 100amps or 400 amps is more efficiently transferred with the BIG 3. The first thing I noticed in my van when I did the BIG 3 was that it did indeed seem to start a little faster/easier as well as support the audio equipment better overall with less voltage drop than without it. While it could all be debated, one thing is for certain when it comes to current flow is that there's no way the extra capacity to flow will ever hurt anything.

I completely agree. IMO the big three is definitely worthwhile no matter if you add aftermarket amplifiers or not.

I havent seen this mentioned at all and i've seen this happen MANY times...

he said he has an Optima and many Kinetiks and 270a alt..

Optimas that are frequenctly charged over 14.4v AND that are mixed with different technology batteries will fail QUICK.

I cant even tell you how many people have stopped using Optimas because of this.

It is my belief that the OP should REMOVE the Optima COMPLETELY from the vehicle.

Get a DMM, remove ALL kinetik batteries and let them sit disconnected for a couple hours, then measure voltage on each batts terminals.

What i think is happening is this-

The kinetiks are dumping a load into the Optima because the Optima has partially failed.

In this state, it will ALWAYS be requesting a load.

If this battery has an independently lower voltage than the Kinetiks(which it will), then the kinetiks are trying to "charge" it when the vehicle is off.

This will cause the kinetiks to lower their voltage...

when the vehicle is on, all batteries are now low... so the ALT is trying to charge ALL batts and the stereo system.

this is a very likely scenario.

So.. remove ALL BATTERIES from vehicle and remove them from each other.

Test EACH battery after they have sit for a couple hrs and report voltage level.

I would also let that optima sit for 24hrs and remeasure voltage to see if it's changed.

Again 100% agree with this post.