lights dimming
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=172
Printed Date: May 29, 2024 at 4:05 AM
Topic: lights dimming
Posted By: nazmy08817
Subject: lights dimming
Date Posted: March 28, 2002 at 10:01 PM
Hi guys i am sure somebody will help me with this.....i had a problem with the lights dimming in my car so i bought a 1 farad cap. and i still have the same problem i have rocford amp.600a5 5 channel and i am running all six speakers on the hi pass and a 2 12" rockford seald box on the sub low pass..............and the cap didn`t make a diffrence on the lights thanks a lot guys.
Replies:
Posted By: Velocity Motors
Date Posted: March 28, 2002 at 10:54 PM
Where did you install the capacitor ? You should be as close to the amplifier as you can get without it interferring with the amp. You may have needed another 1/2 farad . ------------- Jeff
Velocity Custom Home Theater
Mobile Audio/Video Specialist
Morden, Manitoba CANADA
Posted By: nazmy08817
Date Posted: March 28, 2002 at 11:19 PM
Thanks a lot for your help actually i do have the cap. next to the amp but i think that the cable that`s going from the cap. to the amp is a little bit long because it`s going across the amp. to the other side cause that`s the only way i can mount my amp in the car . i really appreciate your help thanks.
Posted By: stick_this
Date Posted: March 29, 2002 at 1:37 AM
Hows the over all grounding of the car?? In other words have you added enough additional grounding from the battery to the chasis?? The ground should always be done when adding amps especially with larger amplifiers or multiple amps. Most times this small fact is over looked. I've even gone as far as running ground straight from the battery to the amp, especially on some older Orion amps that needed to be grounded well. Hope this helps!!
Posted By: NyxBass
Date Posted: March 29, 2002 at 10:57 AM
It could be that a Cap is not enough for your vehicle. You didn't tell us what kind of car you have, so I can't give you good facts, but often lights dimming is a symptom of the charging system being insuffecient for what is being drawn. A Cap can only supply current for an extremely short time - The attack of a bass note, for example. Then, it has to recharge itself off of the battery. Adding a cap may only delay the dimming to just after the hit instead of in sync with it. It may be a good idea to check out you alternator - How much is it rated to put out (amperes)? With a little more info, like what kind of car you have and such, I could help more. It seems from first glance that your alternator can't keep up, and that woudl be the first thing I would check. /NyxBass
Posted By: nazmy08817
Date Posted: March 31, 2002 at 8:20 PM
Thanks a lot for your help my car is 1991 mercury couger 6 cyl . 3.8 ...it might be the alternantor i have to check i really apriciate your help thanks.
Posted By: nazmy08817
Date Posted: April 01, 2002 at 8:23 PM
thanks a lot it was a ground problem with my capacitor i had to move the ground cable .....and i might change my alternator too . can you help me with another problem i bought an after market fog lights and i taped it to the low beam but while i am driving on the high way my headlight keep shuting off and flickers can you tell me what`s the best way to hook it up and if not using a relay is creating that problem. thanks a lot.
Posted By: NyxBass
Date Posted: April 01, 2002 at 11:05 PM
Sounds like a short somewhere...I woudl make sure that you are tapped nice and cleanly and your grounds are cleanly attached, and that there are no exposed wires or anything. You aren't blowing fuses are you?
Posted By: nazmy08817
Date Posted: April 02, 2002 at 5:59 AM
No all the fuses are fine but it seems like it`s happining after driving on the hiway for a while. is there any way to hook it up so it will come on with both hi and low beam and shuts off when i turn the headlight off or the ignition....thanks a lot .
Posted By: the12volt
Date Posted: April 02, 2002 at 9:49 AM
Hi nazmy08817, your situation is not uncommon and now is as good a time as any to offer a friendly word of caution/advice......before you add any more accessories, I'd upgrade your alternator to accommodate the total demand you plan to put on the electrical system. The main purpose of the battery is to start the vehicle and the purpose of the alternator is to supply all current needed by any device and to keep your battery charged. While beefing up the ground from the battery to the chassis is a very good idea, it's just as important to beef up the power lead from the alternator to the battery and the ground from the case of the alternator to the chassis and battery. When the vehicle is running, absolute ground is at the case of the alternator. If your total current draw exceeds the hot output of your alternator, you'll always have a problem with supplying enough current to any given device when current draw exceeds the alternators output, as well as keeping your battery charged. If the alternator can keep up with the total demand, adding stiffening capacitors will help when the alternator can't supply the immediate demand for current, but if the alternator can't keep up with the total demand, over time the dimming problem will reoccur as your battery will be drained. Continuous demands for current that exceed your alternator's output can also cause damage to the diode bridge in the alternator, dead batteries, and possibly leave you stranded. oO(....whew!) the12volt
Posted By: nazmy08817
Date Posted: April 02, 2002 at 12:33 PM
thank you very much i will upgrade my alternator so i don`t have to worry about it in the future
Posted By: stick_this
Date Posted: April 02, 2002 at 1:42 PM
For the fog light fix, did you use a relay? I know on my older car it has a bimetal thermal overload. So when you have the lights on for a while with the increased load, it gets hot and opens the circuit. Until it cools and then restets itself. Like an auot reset breaker. If you hooked your fog light directly to your low beam this could be the case. Use a relay and take the power from your battery, don't forget to fuse it. Also make sure you have a good and secure ground. I've also seen some really cheap fog light that the bulb isn't actually that secure in the socket and the constant vibration of the car would cause similar symptoms. Good luck!!
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