So today I installed a 180 amp alt in my '99 grand prix gtp(stock was 105 amp). I have the big three done in 4 gauge. I have 4 gauge to sub amp and 8 gauge to component amp. Before the new alt,I would almost shut the car off at idle when I was pounding away. The lights in the dash would go completely dark when the bass was hitting. Now,it sounds great,but the lights are still dimming a little. Will adding a second battery help,even if I never listen with the car off? What else could I do? I already know that I can turn it down a little with no problems.
Anytime an amp draws an instantaneous amount of current, the llights canl dim. A HO alt will NOT stop the issue. Its just how electricity is. By installing the alt you effectively allowed your charging system to help provide the voltage and current your thirsty amps want. Alternators cannot respond to the instantaneous demands of a amp. The voltage regulator is not that fast! But it will sense the decline in voltage in your battery and kick the field voltage up so as to help meet the demands of the RMS current needed to run your car and stereo. A second battery located close to the amps would be a VERY good thing to do! Keep in mind though, it will not stop ALL lighting issues....but it will help and provide the instantaneous current needed. Also keep in mind that just cause you have a second battery does not mean that you have the ability to play the stereo at max volumes all night! Let the alternator do its job and keep them charged by reducing the volume a bit once in a while...
Thanks Viking,I don't blast it all that often.But when I do,I don't want my lights blinking.Before the HO alt,it was cutting the power to my h/u for a second or two.At least now it's just a bit of dimming.I have wondered about adding a second batt,and I will read your sticky before doing so. Thanks again for your committed contribution to the forum.
I haven't tried this, but what about instead of adding a battery near the amplifiers, adding 1 or 2 farads of capacitance near the amps instead? I'm thinking this might work since the lights are only dimming a little bit now.
Capacitors do something that's for sure,they put more of a strain on your charging system from what I've read.
Yup. And yup. Why do people get so woried over minor dimming lights? Hmmm idk. Mine dim a little but it don't bother me any.
I agree. Again I haven't tried using big caps with a car system, but i'd expect the cap to put a larger yet more constant current draw on the charging system, and provide a lower resistance path for the amp to draw power from during big bass beats. A capacitor is a type of battery, it's just a very low resistance one that can charge and discharge very quickly. Going by the responses around here, i'm guessing it would take many farads of capacitance to stop the lights dimming, or just try using a battery or two. Another method which I think would work, is to use a capacitor of say half a farad, hooked up to to the 12v source for dash and interior lighting, and fit a high wattage yet low value resistor in between this cap and 12v. That way the cap will charge to just slightly below the voltage the rest of the car receives, and all the lights will run off this lower voltage, which would still be over 12v when the car is running btw. Whenever the amp wants to suck some bass pumping power, this low value resistor will mean the amp can't quickly drain our half farad lighting cap. I know, I know, you'd really have to hate dimming lights to go to this much trouble
i have 2 65 AH batts in the back of my truck, and i still get a hint of a flicker. i have friends with 8 plus batts and 8K watts and HO alts and they still get some dimming too. it happens. now if your lights are severely dimming you have an issue. slight dimming means turn your bass down.
