Eletrical Problem while Engine is Running

[chibahawk 10+ year member]

So I just noticed this problem... if I have my system going, with the A/C on and I'm stopped at a light or slowing down, my whole electrical starts to die out. Lights dim, and my amps hit caution and turn off. BUt when I'm driving with everything on it's alright.

When I don't have the A/C on but just the system everythings cool. (except me)

What would this be an indication of?

BTW I have a '01 Galant with a year old alternator (80-90a), and 2 of the 3 Big 3 wires in the engine. (One of them burnt out last year and blew the alt. has yet to be replaced.

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[chibahawk 10+ year member]

Also- I might add that I had very minor engine noise before this but it has seemed to increase today when I first noticed this problem.

 

[bass-aholic 10+ year member]

what amps are you running. seems like your drawing to much power with the ac on and the music up. I had the same issue when using the stock alt.

 

[chibahawk 10+ year member]

Yeah I think my systems got 2 60 amp fuses. The alts definitely 80-90 amps.

 

[Fusion_FREAK 10+ year member]

Seems like your alt isn't putting enough amps out at idle/low rpms.

May be the voltage regulator, or the alt is just too small. What's your volts with the car over 2000 rpm and music on?

 

[jrwalte 10+ year member]

You may have a loose or bad ground, too. A ground can act perfectly fine at low current but once you try to pass a high amount of current through it, it will choke up and cause your voltage to drop badly.

If you give us exactly what amp you are running we can help better. What battery(s) do you have? And exactly which big three wire has not been replaced?

 

[chibahawk 10+ year member]

The wire from the Alternator chassis/body I think it was. It burnt up once so I never got around to redoing it right.

I want to look into the ground.. it may have come loose because I am now getting engine noise which was previously not there. I have an Optima red top about 2 years old now and an 80amp alternator.

I've got a Rockford Fosgate 801s and an MTX 2150X so about 1000W RMS running

 

[Korn4Life 5,000+ posts]

ALt is going bad