Dimming Q now need the A

[KylerRelyk 10+ year member]

So my lights dim when my subs are going (go figure) but should really a 600w rms system be dimming my lights when subs hit extra hard? I have a 4 gauge wiring kit now could the fact that it's at two ohms make a difference I know power wise it does but does it just pull harder than 4 ohms?

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[daboyfrumdabx 10+ year member]

What amp are you running? I assume you're on stock electrical? What size is your alternator and what kind of batt do you have under the hood? Have your alt and batt load tested at your local parts store and clean all stock connections as well as do the big 3. 600 watts is likely not dimming your vehicle. You likely have an underlying issue with your stock electrical that you just never noticed before your amp.

 

[KylerRelyk 10+ year member]

Good point I have a rf 1000-d but my subs only run 300rms each so of course only pushing 600rms. So how much will it cost to have a shop test my alt and battery? and don't I have to take out my alt for them to test it?

 

[daboyfrumdabx 10+ year member]

Not sure what you have near you, but I know Advance Auto, Autozone, O'Reilley, and a few other parts store will test them for free. They do this in hopes that if your battery or alt tests bad, that you'll go right inside and buy a replacement from their store. You are in no way obligated to do so if somethings checks out bad so it's worth stopping buy.(Keep this in mind anytime you get a check engine light, they'll scan that for free also in hopes you'll buy from them). You don't have to remove the batt and alt for them to test it, they can do it right in the car. Definitely check your connections though, they get old and corroded over time and if the path of travel is poor, a brand new alt and brand new battery don't mean ish.

 

[KylerRelyk 10+ year member]

Yeahg I went and had them check it and they said it was perfectly fine so I'll check the connections and all that next thanks boy do you think a cap will help ?

 

[daboyfrumdabx 10+ year member]

Yeahg I went and had them check it and they said it was perfectly fine so I'll check the connections and all that next thanks boy do you think a cap will help ?

Search "capacitor" on here and you'll find that answer real quick. Realistically, most cars on the road today, pending their stock electrical is up to par and functioning properly should be able to handle that amp just fine. So definitely check all those connections. What king of car are we dealing with here? Depending on the size of your stock alt, your car may be one of those exceptions that requires a little beefing up of the electrical.

 

[KylerRelyk 10+ year member]

I have a 1991 525i I'm trying to figure out what the stock alt is right now I'm just so surprised the lights dim you know?

 

[KylerRelyk 10+ year member]

Ok so just got under her and I have a freaking Bosch 140 amp so now I'm seriously wondering what the hell!? I get about 14 volts when the car is on which is right so I can't fathom why it is dimming at all! It did read 13.8-13.9 until I turned off the stereo and let it run for a few minutes then it read 14.02. So does that mean my alt is kinda going out?

 

[KylerRelyk 10+ year member]

Wouldn't the battery die really quick with out an alt to charge it?

Scratch that re-read ok but how do you connect it and will it really be necessary? I think A good cap whould work... And don't start saying Caps are crap people cause it's not the point of this thread I might as well try.

 

[Phoenix Risen 10+ year member]

Good point I have a rf 1000-d but my subs only run 300rms each so of course only pushing 600rms.

im really not sure on the logic behind this, what you subs can take power wise has nothing to do with how much power you are putting to them,

what coil config are your subs and what ohm load are you showing the amp.

 

[chillin 10+ year member]

im really not sure on the logic behind this, what you subs can take power wise has nothing to do with how much power you are putting to them,
what coil config are your subs and what ohm load are you showing the amp.

I was going to say the exact same

 

[Phoenix Risen 10+ year member]

I was going to say the exact same

im actually a little surprised that someone else didnt catch that part. (aka the people posting "solutions" to the problem)

but any way, a cap may help you, but for what you would spend on a "good" cap you could easily get a quality battery.

and op, what is likely happening to you is the same thing that a friend of mine has, with the amp running off of the same batt as the lights there is no buffer between the amp and the lights, also check your grounds, make sure you have the amp grounded to a solid piece of the car, not a little piece of tin that holds trim in place.

 

[xoutofmyheadx 10+ year member]

you have an rf 1000bd amp, so you said you're wired up @2 ohms. you're not running 600watts. you're running 1000watts. now another question is, you sure you're wired @2ohms? what's your subs, and what's the voice coil config?

 

[daboyfrumdabx 10+ year member]

im actually a little surprised that someone else didnt catch that part. (aka the people posting "solutions" to the problem)
but any way, a cap may help you, but for what you would spend on a "good" cap you could easily get a quality battery.

and op, what is likely happening to you is the same thing that a friend of mine has, with the amp running off of the same batt as the lights there is no buffer between the amp and the lights, also check your grounds, make sure you have the amp grounded to a solid piece of the car, not a little piece of tin that holds trim in place.

What amp are you running? I assume you're on stock electrical? What size is your alternator and what kind of batt do you have under the hood? Have your alt and batt load tested at your local parts store and clean all stock connections as well as do the big 3. 600 watts is likely not dimming your vehicle. You likely have an underlying issue with your stock electrical that you just never noticed before your amp.

I was a little dumbfounded by that part too but that's why I asked what amp. Once he told me that, I just assumed he was using full power since I knew his logic of the subs dictating the amount of power wasn't very good there.

 

[hispls 5,000+ posts]

Why not use a DMM to measure voltage at the amp when things are going full tilt? Some light dimming isn't really a problem, if you are keeping over 12.5V or so at all times you're not dropping anything dangerously low, though perhaps a battery upgrade would help. A 1 farad capacitor holds enough energy to power that amp at full power for about a fifth of a second. That's NOT a great investment.