Lights dimming

[PuZo 10+ year member]

So I just added another IDQ 12" so now im running 1000 watts for the subs and 200 for the comps, and I just noticed my lights started dimming.

Before it never did with the 1 sub. Now I added another battery(YT in front, PM D975 in back) and did the big 3, 1/0 gauge wiring. Is this normal? I have an 80amp alt, so I guess thats normal?

Also when its dimming its running at around 12volts. Is that bad? How long can I play it at 12v? When should I be worried? Thanks

Click to read more...

 

[dman4486 5,000+ posts]

So I just added another IDQ 12" so now im running 1000 watts for the subs and 200 for the comps, and I just noticed my lights started dimming.
Before it never did with the 1 sub. Now I added another battery(YT in front, PM D975 in back) and did the big 3, 1/0 gauge wiring. Is this normal? I have an 80amp alt, so I guess thats normal?

Also when its dimming its running at around 12volts. Is that bad? How long can I play it at 12v? When should I be worried? Thanks

it will play at 12v until the battery can no longer sustain 12v and then it will play at 11.9999999v

 

[IDSkoT 5,000+ posts]

So I just added another IDQ 12" so now im running 1000 watts for the subs and 200 for the comps, and I just noticed my lights started dimming.
Before it never did with the 1 sub. Now I added another battery(YT in front, PM D975 in back) and did the big 3, 1/0 gauge wiring. Is this normal? I have an 80amp alt, so I guess thats normal?

Also when its dimming its running at around 12volts. Is that bad? How long can I play it at 12v? When should I be worried? Thanks

It's normal. Your alternator isn't putting out enough power. 1000 = 12*A [That's the watt formula, W = V * A, where W = Watts, V = Volts, and A = Amps], so 1000/12 = 83.33 [Round to 84] That alone is more than what your alternator is putting out, not including your car's electrical to run.

This puts an extra strain on your battery, and will lower it's life time considerably.

The only way to "fix" this is to upgrade your alternator. I believe they might have alternators that aren't 300amps, you should only need about 150-200 amps. You should check online.

But I think an average 300 amp alternator costs about $200 bucks. Not including install. But that depends on you, whether or not you have the right tools to do it.

BTW-- your amps will play at 12 volts all day. Cheaper amps start to fail around 11 volts, and there have been some amps that play all the way down to like 8.8-9 volts.

 

[quins90lac 10+ year member]

buy a cap with lots of lights and a cool led read out it will add hella dbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbes and you wont care about your lights dimming cause you'll have the lights on the cap

 

[WildSebring 10+ year member]

It's normal..it will shorten the life of the cells though over time.

I had 2 SAZ 3000D's on 3 DEKA 9A31's and a YellowTop and with each amp at 0.5ohm, 1/2 gain, I got no dimming, but I knew my 110amp stock alt wasn't feeding the amps properly... even thoug the dropped my voltage to 9.6, they never cut off or went into protection. I sold everything though, nothing in my car except a 4 channel, and some components..

It all depends on the make/brand of your car for pricing on an alt......When I had my Silverado, a 200 amp ALT was $175...for my Chrysler Sebring a 225amper was going to cost me $350..//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

But you should be ok...1000 watts isn't a ton of power...imho..

 

[WildSebring 10+ year member]

buy a cap with lots of lights and a cool led read out it will add hella dbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbes and you wont care about your lights dimming cause you'll have the lights on the cap

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/laugh.gif.48439b2acf2cfca21620f01e7f77d1e4.gif Caps ftw...//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/laugh.gif.48439b2acf2cfca21620f01e7f77d1e4.gif

 

[KHARPS 10+ year member]

What kind of amp do you have on your subs? Some amps are just less efficient as others and draw more current. I have the big3 done in 1/0 and a powermaster xs1200 up front and my JL 1000/1 makes my lights dim way more than when I had a cadence daytona 1000w and no big 3 and stock battery.

 

[DBBOOM 10+ year member]

It's normal..it will shorten the life of the cells though over time.
I had 2 SAZ 3000D's on 3 DEKA 9A31's and a YellowTop and with each amp at 0.5ohm, 1/2 gain, I got no dimming, but I knew my 110amp stock alt wasn't feeding the amps properly... even thoug the dropped my voltage to 9.6, they never cut off or went into protection. I sold everything though, nothing in my car except a 4 channel, and some components..

It all depends on the make/brand of your car for pricing on an alt......When I had my Silverado, a 200 amp ALT was $175...for my Chrysler Sebring a 225amper was going to cost me $350..//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

But you should be ok...1000 watts isn't a ton of power...imho..

If your volts were dropping to 9.6, how were your lights not dimming?

 

[oldschool4me 10+ year member]

anytime your amps are trying to draw more current than your alternator puts out. its going to shorten the life of your alt and batts considerably. it will be cheaper in the long run to upgrade your alt.

 

[PuZo 10+ year member]

It doesnt dim when i play it at my listening volume only when i put it deafly loud. Last question, say one of the fuses pop that is on my pos wire connecting both batteries, how will i know? Will i? Thanks