Headlights dimming

[nate1017]

what kinda car u got?

 

[jar1zx 10+ year member]

I know a lot of people just buy a set of HID headlights and run them. No more dimming, but if you ever drop the voltage massively, they will cut off, and you will have to wait for them to cut back on.
Sup Bro!

HID's can still be dimmed I know I've done it. But DC alt helped

 

[NASTY08IMPALA 5,000+ posts]

buumppppppppp

Ive seen lights dim on .2v drop ..they r very sensitive...ur drop isnt horrible..just switch to hids no more dim at all

 

[jar1zx 10+ year member]

Get the alt first bro it will really help. I have beat the crap out of my optima red top(it's about worn out) and driving at 14.8 volts I rarely drop below 14 volts with this DC 275xp alt.

 

[NASTY08IMPALA 5,000+ posts]

U can get all the batts and ho alt u want and still have dimming ...i had a 240 alt and 3 batteries with 4 runs of 1/0 never dropped below 14.4 still had dimming ..switched to his boom gone

 

[Popwarhomie 5,000+ posts]

Lol hids are not a fix for voltage issues. (My other hobby is building hid projector headlights)

Have you done the big 3 upgrade?

Throw a 100ah batt in there and call it a day. Lol

 

[NASTY08IMPALA 5,000+ posts]

Lol hids are not a fix for voltage issues. (My other hobby is building hid projector headlights)
Have you done the big 3 upgrade?

Throw a 100ah batt in there and call it a day. Lol

I know they arent but his voltage isnt that bad ..drops into 13s sometimes..like i said ive seen dimming on .2 ...hids took care of it

 

[NASTY08IMPALA 5,000+ posts]

Id hate to waste money on a bigg azz batt only.to still have dimming ...now if he was was dipping low to mid 12s yea id say get ur electrical right first

 

[Popwarhomie 5,000+ posts]

13 volts will dim hids too. Plus it will ruin your ballast in time.

My car drops to 13.4 at idle sometimes. (Gas saving idle drops idle to 500rpms) and my hids dim.

I'm ordering a tuner and custom tune from fswerks to keep my idle steady so I don't ruin my morimoto ballast.

Plus hids in halogen based headlights is a no-no.

 

[cbuts 10+ year member]

a drop to 13 will cause some dimming issues but nothing to be concerned about. a second battery WILL NOT help with dimming since a battery can only help maintain 13V, not 14V. only an alt can give you 14V and hold it. a higher output alt will do the trick.
if you have voltage drop that goes into the low 12's then a second battery will certainly help maintain 13V.

another option is getting a set of 3,000F ultra capacitors. they will eliminate dimming issues. my build log shows them.

hey buddy. my voltage doesnt really go into the low 12s.

im driving an 06 malibu , 110 stock alt, big 3. 0 guage, 2 amps, re audio xxx components in front with hifonics 500w amp and a rockford fosgate 1500 to power my sa 12s.

i just want the dimming issue gone, should i buy a batt, an alt? hids?? i dont know.. i mean i will upgrade my system later,so if an alt will fix it then thats waht ill get if it aint toooo much.

thanks to the rest aswell for the replies

 

[NASTY08IMPALA 5,000+ posts]

hey buddy. my voltage doesnt really go into the low 12s.
im driving an 06 malibu , 110 stock alt, big 3. 0 guage, 2 amps, re audio xxx components in front with hifonics 500w amp and a rockford fosgate 1500 to power my sa 12s.

i just want the dimming issue gone, should i buy a batt, an alt? hids?? i dont know.. i mean i will upgrade my system later,so if an alt will fix it then thats waht ill get if it aint toooo much.

thanks to the rest aswell for the replies

a alt will not stop dimming..i have a ho alt and 3 batteries and before i switched to hids i still had dimmming and i didnt drop below 14

 

[SounDrive Pro Seller]

A HO alt will reduce dimming more than anything else. Get the biggest one you can afford from Mechman, DC power, or Excessive Amperage. You shouldn't see any dimming with a HO alt with only 2000w of power

 

---------- Post added at 05:41 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:41 PM ----------

 

Also, make sure your starting battery is an AGM.

 

[eradicator006 10+ year member]

Get a small 0.5 farad capacitor for the headlight circuit. You'd probably need a relay and diode to make it work properly. Could be a fun experiment.

 

[Sub Woofin 10+ year member]

110a stock alt, and gains n grounds r fine, will a second battery worth $200 make them stop?

what battery u got under the hood?

 

[keep_hope_alive Premium Member]

Get a small 0.5 farad capacitor for the headlight circuit. You'd probably need a relay and diode to make it work properly. Could be a fun experiment.

for the benefit of others: your thought with the diode is so the cap is not used by the rest of the vehicle. it would need to be a 40-50A diode to be reliable, and you would need to intercept factory headlamp wiring (cut). These diodes are around $25-30. Figure another $50-100 for the cap (new) and you are taking a chunk out of a H.O. alt purchase.

I agree it would likely resolve dimming that occurs in pulses, but it will not resolve dimming that is sustained. sustained dimming will still cause the voltage to drop and remain lower.

a good H.O. alt will be able to keep up with demand and resolve dimming by keeping voltage above 14V.

if you experience dimming between 14.4V and 14V, then tough shyt. The A/C will cause that drop as well and some cars have dimming issues from the factory based on fuel economy designs (*ahem* Honda).

a second battery will not resolve headlight dimming.

an H.O. alt can, if large enough.

a 500F-1000F cap bank can if the problem is pulsation and not sustained.

HID is a valid idea since the driver isolates the lamp.