Low wattage dimming

[obxsurfisher 10+ year member]

So I installed 200 watt Vibe amp (not the lanzar vibe, the actual brand) in my moms car last april and everything has been fine until I just recently noticed a little dimming on the dash lights and other interior lights. No dimming headlights yet. It's a 02 Maxima 3.5 and i think it has like a 110 amp alt. The amp is wired with a Streetwires zk3 8 gauge kit and the amps gain has been adjusted with a dmm. Surly i don't need to do a big 3 with only 200 watts right?? Why would this all of a sudden be happening? Cheap Fixes to help the voltage drops? thanks

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[butterMilk 10+ year member]

Maybe use ur dmm to see what kind of voltage drop you are getting.

 

[T.I.K. 10+ year member]

I have a 300w amp and a 130a alt, my lights still dim. Interior light dimming really isn't preventable, in my experience. Nothing is wrong.

 

[xShoWTeKx 10+ year member]

What does your ground look like?

 

[obxsurfisher 10+ year member]

What does your ground look like?

Amp is mounted to the back seat and its grounded to the back seat bolt which is bolted directly to the body. It's on tight and the paint is also removed.

 

[obxsurfisher 10+ year member]

I have a 300w amp and a 130a alt, my lights still dim. Interior light dimming really isn't preventable, in my experience. Nothing is wrong.

I hope you're right. But why would it start all of a sudden?

 

[gckless 5,000+ posts]

Lights dimming =

 

[Skoty422 10+ year member]

Lights dimming =
So in other words if he did do the big 3 upgrade and his stock electrical didn't put out more than 14v with the 200w amp then his only option is another alternator? Could the alternator be getting weak from being strained op?

 

[gckless 5,000+ posts]

So in other words if he did do the big 3 upgrade and his stock electrical didn't put out more than 14v with the 200w amp then his only option is another alternator? Could the alternator be getting weak from being strained op?

Definitely don't need a bigger alternator for 200W. Not a Class D amp for sure. My point was that dimming isn't necessarily bad, albeit annoying. If you want to get rid of it, then you need to invest some money on either batteries or a bigger alternator. Big 3 could help too.

 

[obxsurfisher 10+ year member]

So in other words if he did do the big 3 upgrade and his stock electrical didn't put out more than 14v with the 200w amp then his only option is another alternator? Could the alternator be getting weak from being strained op?

I doubt it, i'm only drawing 20 amps max.

 

[obxsurfisher 10+ year member]

So in other words if he did do the big 3 upgrade and his stock electrical didn't put out more than 14v with the 200w amp then his only option is another alternator? Could the alternator be getting weak from being strained op?

I doubt it, i'm only drawing 20 amps max.

 

[obxsurfisher 10+ year member]

Definitely don't need a bigger alternator for 200W. Not a Class D amp for sure. My point was that dimming isn't necessarily bad, albeit annoying. If you want to get rid of it, then you need to invest some money on either batteries or a bigger alternator. Big 3 could help too.

Yeah its class a/b. And if it isn't really hurting anything then i can just overlook it. Thanks a lot for the replies

 

[obxsurfisher 10+ year member]

Definitely don't need a bigger alternator for 200W. Not a Class D amp for sure. My point was that dimming isn't necessarily bad, albeit annoying. If you want to get rid of it, then you need to invest some money on either batteries or a bigger alternator. Big 3 could help too.

Yeah its class a/b. And if it isn't really hurting anything then i can just overlook it. Thanks a lot for the replies