battery, capacitor, or ho alternator?

Printed From: the12volt.com
Forum Name: Car Audio
Forum Discription: Car Stereos, Amplifiers, Crossovers, Processors, Speakers, Subwoofers, etc.
URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=114863
Printed Date: May 20, 2024 at 2:32 PM

Topic: battery, capacitor, or ho alternator?

Posted By: mustanglife
Subject: battery, capacitor, or ho alternator?
Date Posted: July 05, 2009 at 8:06 AM

I have an 03 Mustang GT with the factory mach 460 installed which consists of 8 speakers and 3 factory amps. I have a Pioneer CD player and 2 12 kenwoods and a kenwood 8104-d mono d amp thats stable at 2 ohms wired in parallel to 250x2 rms with the kenwood recommended 8 gauge wire.

Problem - Lights are dimming to bass at high volumes.

The amps gain is adjusted down to around .5 to 1 somewhere around there. To keep it from shutting off from time to time which is did when the amp was cranked up. All connections have been double checked and secure. The ground is solid and on bare unpainted metal.

I was on a $500 budget and this was my best option.

So do I upgrade to a better powerful battery like Kinetic or Optima, get a 1 farad capacitor, or HO Alternator or upgrade to a 4 guage wire. WHich is the best option to keep the lights from dimming?

Thanks in advance, Josh

PS. I'm not going to upgrade the big 3

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2003 Modded Mustang GT

Replies:

Posted By: DYohn
Date Posted: July 05, 2009 at 9:29 AM

Upgrade the Big 3 and install a HO alternator. And check the thread in the Hot Topics area about setting your gain.

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Posted By: mustanglife
Date Posted: July 06, 2009 at 2:31 AM

I'm gonna try the other routes without upgrading the big three. Its something I've never had to do because of a little amp. If i go past a 500 watt amp than possibly. I'm educated on how to set the gain. HO Alternators for mustangs are $250-$400

Posted By: glass22
Date Posted: July 06, 2009 at 7:24 AM

Big 3 is what you need to do and a HO alt as stated already. You could put a cap in, but it will just band-aid and not solve any electrical problems, but most likely solve you dimming headlights. Big 3 is pretty simple, I would start there.

Posted By: glass22
Date Posted: July 06, 2009 at 9:11 AM

mustanglife wrote:

PS. I'm not going to upgrade the big 3

Why are you refusing to do the big 3? Just wondering.

Posted By: DYohn
Date Posted: July 06, 2009 at 10:46 AM

mustanglife wrote:

I'm gonna try the other routes without upgrading the big three. Its something I've never had to do because of a little amp. If i go past a 500 watt amp than possibly. I'm educated on how to set the gain. HO Alternators for mustangs are $250-$400

I gave you the correct answer, but if you would rather try other things, have a wonderful time and good luck!

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Posted By: i am an idiot
Date Posted: July 06, 2009 at 5:27 PM

Hey DYohn, do you think he needs a capacitor? Maybe you are invisible today.

Posted By: DYohn
Date Posted: July 06, 2009 at 6:55 PM

i am an idiot wrote:

Hey DYohn, do you think he needs a capacitor? Maybe you are invisible today.

You mean instead of you being the invisible one? posted_image

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