lights dimming without serious voltage drops?

[des343 10+ year member]

Even running one, not surprised you're dropping down as low as you are. Not at all. What do you plan on running in the future?

But at 6 ohms? Lol as much as people hate on audiopipe that much draw at 6 ohms wouldn't be right...though I'd guess its putting out a lot more than anyone would expect but still its 6 ohms and I believe my alt is fine could be right but I don't think so honestly

And I beleiwv in the future I want to run 2 ap3000s and of course all 4 w7s but I plan to upgrade alt I still need big 3 and better batteries but I'm being patient I'm not loaded so its a work in progress.. I just woildnt expect such dimming with how it currently is

 

[Warren89 10+ year member]

My system is in my beater/commuter/carpool van that sees roughly 50k a year. I typical buy a cheap commuter car every 2-3 years so when I needed an alt I went cheap and had mine rebuilt to 200a. Down time was an issue as well but I just couldn't see buying a purpose built alternator for it. Anyway the point is its served me well with regular abuse and it was cheap. I just picked up a caravan and decided to try an eBay alternator next. I'll let you know how that goes. P.S. don't flame me for cheaping out on alternators. I do invest in knu wires and I picked up a ammeter/voltmeter with shunt to monitor the electrical. I'd be great full if anyone could help me figure out how to wire it to the amp.

 

[robert420 10+ year member]

I'm pretty sure my ground isn't ideal but I know its solid...its grounded to the battery and the battery is grounded to the floorboard sanded and bolted down very tight.
ground it directly to the frame.

 

[Warren89 10+ year member]

The ground could be the problem. Your blazer body is attached to the frame via rubber mounts. Of course there is metal to metal contact but it would be safer to ground to the frame. How are your batteries hooked up. Mine a parallel and I ground my amp directly to the battery. All 0 gauge.

 

[des343 10+ year member]

The ground could be the problem. Your blazer body is attached to the frame via rubber mounts. Of course there is metal to metal contact but it would be safer to ground to the frame. How are your batteries hooked up. Mine a parallel and I ground my amp directly to the battery. All 0 gauge.

just front battery connected to back battery via 0 gage and then amps grounded to battery

but thing is how do you ground to the frame like i can really drill into it very well

 

[Warren89 10+ year member]

Run another 0 gauge from negative on battery 1 to battery to battery 2. Isolate battery 2 and you should be fine. I may be wrong so someone else should weigh in. I say isolate because battery 1 is so far from battery 2

 

[gckless 5,000+ posts]

I suggest you both research what an isolator does. It's nothing more than a relay. It's useful if you're going to be playing your stereo a lot with your car off.

 

[Warren89 10+ year member]

When two batteries are linked together with out isolations they in essence become one. No let's say for fun one battery has gone bad. It can only hold half charge. Without isolation, with the vehicle off, it will draw on the good battery until they are equal. The same thing would happen if you connected two batteries of different sizes. To simplify, if you don't isolate the two batteries they will try to balance each other out. Also, two identical batteries in housed in different environments will age at different rates. Thank you for your advise but I know the point in isolating batteries.

 

[gckless 5,000+ posts]

When two batteries are linked together with out isolations they in essence become one. No let's say for fun one battery has gone bad. It can only hold half charge. Without isolation, with the vehicle off, it will draw on the good battery until they are equal. The same thing would happen if you connected two batteries of different sizes. To simplify, if you don't isolate the two batteries they will try to balance each other out. Also, two identical batteries in housed in different environments will age at different rates. Thank you for your advise but I know the point in isolating batteries.

So then why would distance factor in to using an isolator or not?

 

[Warren89 10+ year member]

I guess I just meant that they are in different environments.