light dimming..and it makes no sense?

[TypeRBass 10+ year member]

allright...i have a 200amp excessive amperage alternator, 3 optima yellow top batteries, and 0 awg all around. running ONE orion 2500D amp at .5 ohm...and my lights still dim like crazy...i have the big TWO done (didnt do engine ground to chassis yet)....can anyone explain this to me??

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[Moe Lester 10+ year member]

because your batteries wont float at 14v? your still ******* a shitton of current running that amp at 1/2 ohm. Probably over 200A. Since you are drawing more current than the alt can make im sure that is why you are getting dimming..

 

[PhatTonyDeMarco 5,000+ posts]

Well the engine ground to engine chasis is a major grounding upgrade, it could be part of the problem. Check the ground on your amp, and make sure the gain is correct...

 

[TypeRBass 10+ year member]

yeah i think i'll try to tackle the engine ground to chassis tomorrow...i havent really searched around under the hood for it, i was lazy. and while playing music ive seen voltage drops to 12.6 the lowest...which isn't the greatest. but it isn't the worst. blah

 

[Lakota 5,000+ posts]

yeah i think i'll try to tackle the engine ground to chassis tomorrow...i havent really searched around under the hood for it, i was lazy. and while playing music ive seen voltage drops to 12.6 the lowest...which isn't the greatest. but it isn't the worst. blah

With the engine on? If so, then that's scary. My alternator is stock at runs at 14.6 continiously.

 

[Shinobi 10+ year member]

Crazy part is I know of people running less electrical upgrades with a 2500D at .5ohm and no dimming.

 

[skmfkr 5,000+ posts]

my truck will drop to 11v with a 28hz test tone...all stock elec tho havnt done big 3 yet hopefully will monday

 

[TypeRBass 10+ year member]

hrmm i'll have to go over some stuff on it today...because theres no reason it shou ld be dimming, unless my batteries are shot.

 

[johnecon2001 5,000+ posts]

I would ground directly to the batteries and run multiple runs of wire from the alt to the batts.

Even though 1/0awg is rated at 350a, it would still be better to have more channels for teh power to get through.

 

[Lil Poot 5,000+ posts]

is this at idle or all the time? i've got a 200 amp small case EA alternator, and i get dimming if im slamming while the car is idling, just with a nine.1 and a diamond amp. i'm almost afraid to hookup my crossfire, waiting on another run of 1/0 for the negative terminal, a 3 way splitter for that, some more fuses, and a run of 4 gauge for the diamond amp's power. my idle is set low though, about 700 rpm, i'll probably turn the idle up to around 850 or 900 once i put in the new amp. i dont know how many amps it pulls under normal conditions but the fuses are 2 120s, and my diamond has 3 30's so i dont know if my alt is up to the task.

 

[TypeRBass 10+ year member]

oh yeah btw this all happens while im idling.....man if it dropped to 12.6 while in motion i'd be scared.

 

[TypeRBass 10+ year member]

well i fixed it tonight...decided to upgrade my engine chassis to ground wire...HAD a stock 8 awg on it...threw some 1/0 on it...and i noticed that where the engine was grounded AND the battery was grounded, was the same spot, and when i took the bolt off, it was straight paint...ugh @ ford for doing that. looks like i didnt fix that when i upgraded the battery to ground...well the big 3 is finally completed on my car now //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif and no dimming anymore //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif