Dimming headlights in my RAM

[ThxOne Premium Member]

There seems to be some major confusion over my single sentence that encompassed more than one thought.
Not sure if it confused you too (hope not), but I'll clarify in case it did.

1. That 1/0 - Is it all copper or CCA (Copper Clad Aluminum)?
The reason I ask is that all-copper can carry more current without failure than CCA of the same wire gauge (i.e. CCA needs to be thicker to carry the same max current).
Many places are selling CCA to people who may not know better.
That can end badly.

2. OFC (Oxygen Free Copper) is hype in the audio world.
There is a price penalty for going from regular copper to OFC. A price penalty that does nothing more than take money out of your pocket. Don't fall for it. Spend your money on things that matter for making your system work, first. Spend on hype later.

Stop giving the guy bad information!! Because of your ego you are doubling down on telling this guy to use dirty copper cables instead of OFC cables. Why would you tell someone asking for help and opinions to purchase copper that will corrode quickly and possibly cause more damage than good down the line????? Just stick to the "Current Events" thread please.

 

[RobGMN Premium Member]

All involved: If you're here to threadcrap, go to the Lounge.

The newbie is here trying to get some help, not see you act like children.

 

[ThxOne Premium Member]

All involved: If you're here to threadcrap, go to the Lounge.

The newbie is here trying to get some help, not see you act like children.

Ahhh then stop giving bad information.

 

[ThxOne Premium Member]

@Jayhull82 It's your money brother. Everyone here except one is suggesting OFC if you can. It is superior in every way to CCA. Plus it takes far longer to corrode than regular copper cables or ETP copper.

 

[Jimi77 Premium Member]

OFC. Doesn't corrode as fast. That should be common knowledge.

 

[RobGMN Premium Member]

OFC. Doesn't corrode as fast. That should be common knowledge.

People are driving around in 20 year-old cars with 1/0 battery cables made with ETP, and no corrosion issues.
Probably millions of miles of ETP used in computer wiring in cars around the globe.
120 year old houses wired with ETP in knob and tube setups. No issues.
100-story skyscrapers wired top-to-bottom for data and phone with ETP.

But 99.99% pure copper instead of 99.9% pure will stop that headlight dimming issue.

Got it.

 

[ThxOne Premium Member]

People are driving around in 20 year-old cars with 1/0 battery cables made with ETP, and no corrosion issues.
Probably millions of miles of ETP used in computer wiring in cars around the globe.
120 year old houses wired with ETP in knob and tube setups. No issues.
100-story skyscrapers wired top-to-bottom for data and phone with ETP.

But 99.99% pure copper instead of 99.9% pure will stop that headlight dimming issue.

Got it.

And probably properly chosen for a given amount of power. Not the same as what car audio demands of cables. Houses and buildings are supplying electricity differently. Just stop.

 

[supernov4]

Hey everybody,
So I'm hoping to get some insight on an issue I'm having. My headlights are dimming with the bass. And so are some of the lights on various buttons inside the cabin. The background light for the button so you can see what it is in the dark!
I have a 2009 Dodge RAM 1500 crew cab with stock electrical. I ran 1/0 gauge power to the space where the back seat was behind the driver's seat. I used 1/0 for the ground which I grounded to 2 separate holes that were for securing the removed seat. They were 7/16" bolts. I used a flap disc on angle grinder to get down to bare metal on both spots and used 3 /8" copper lugs.
What I have are 2 Rockville punisher 10D2's in a sealed box with 1.1 cubic feet per side. I have 2 Rockville RVA-M3 V2 amps, 1 for each sub with RCA's individually going into each amp because my head unit has 2 subwoofer outputs. Can't think of the exact model but it's a PLZ 10" single din receiver I got off Amazon. I also have 2 Pyle 5 farad caps, 1 for each amp.
I have everything wired up with 1/0 wiring with 1/0 distribution blocks and copper lugs where necessary. I feel that I have a fairly decent setup and that it's wired real well.
Problem is I can't even get to half volume without the aforementioned dimming.
What would be my next best step? Big 3, bigger alternator, additional alternator, extra battery?
Any and all help will be appreciated!
Thanks,
Jay

Bigger alternator
Decent agm battery up front
OFC big 3
And a xs power cap bank

The pyle caps you have aren't doing anything

 

[Old_Slapper]

I certainly hope you didn't read it that way. I tried to write it for someone new, who seems to be diving in headfirst with both feet.

I asked the singular question if he had CCA or full copper wire, because THAT matters to current capability.

The reference to OFC was that compared to regular copper, the OFC is wasted money. I put it in parentheses because it is an independent thought, but connected to the main thought. And it's a logical step that he may get sold on the hype of OFC vs. plain copper, considering he has two $50 "5 Farad caps" that may be doing more harm that good (sold on the hype).

There is no inference anywhere in my post that CCA is as good as full-copper, or OFC cabling, nor would there ever be.

Testing a "5Farad" $50 capacitor. Voltage drops more under load with cap in place.
This is not the only test on YT that shows this same issue:

Remember: If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.

I apologize. When you said "copper," I under the impression you meant it as OFC. Many people, in the industry, say copper but meaning OFC.

The conductivity, between pure copper and OFC, is almost unnoticeable. However, over time, pure copper will corrode/oxidize much faster than OFC. This will cause a drastic increase in resistance. Due to the exposure of the outside elements, car audio cables will corrode pretty quickly. This is why it is highly recommended to use OFC vs regular copper.

 

[Old_Slapper]

So, there are some questions on whether your capacitors might be draining your system. Run your system without the caps to see what happens. It is possible your caps could be bad. All you need to do is use a bolt to keep the wires connected to each other. I have even seen a few Stinger caps that were bad right out of the box.