Voltage Regulator going bad?

[Blove1991 10+ year member]

Just installed my system today Nd I have a funny electrical issue.

System: 12" Nightshade. AP1500d

Elect: Stock alt, big 2 (didn't do alt to batt because it goes to a fuse panel and I wanted someone's opinion on that before I did that run) 1/0 wiring and deka 8a31 in back.

Issue: Full tilt sitting still 13.4-14.0v. Driving my car with system OFF. It dropped down to 12.6! It would not build back up either. Pulled over and started car up again and it sat at 14.4. Started driving and shortly after I started dropping again. So I cut my lights on and it jumped up to 14.3 and stayed steady and he even at full tilt I never dropped below 13.3.

I figured maybe its my regulator in the alt or something in the my ECM?

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[Kangaroux 5,000+ posts]

could be something as simple as a bad voltage meter

 

[subzero 5,000+ posts]

Just installed my system today Nd I have a funny electrical issue.
System: 12" Nightshade. AP1500d

Elect: Stock alt, big 2 (didn't do alt to batt because it goes to a fuse panel and I wanted someone's opinion on that before I did that run) 1/0 wiring and deka 8a31 in back.

Issue: Full tilt sitting still 13.4-14.0v. Driving my car with system OFF. It dropped down to 12.6! It would not build back up either. Pulled over and started car up again and it sat at 14.4. Started driving and shortly after I started dropping again. So I cut my lights on and it jumped up to 14.3 and stayed steady and he even at full tilt I never dropped below 13.3.

I figured maybe its my regulator in the alt or something in the my ECM?

check your battery. if it is bad it can fuck up the alternator.mine did this. Then you would have a bad alt and bad bat...

 

[Blove1991 10+ year member]

could be something as simple as a bad voltage meter

Hmm could be. Its a Stinger meter hooked directly into the amp.

check your battery. if it is bad it can fuck up the alternator.mine did this. Then you would have a bad alt and bad bat...

Batteries seems fine. Both rest at 12.7-12.8. I have never had a battery problem before.

I think the light thing is what is throwing me off idk,

 

[tpmeredith 10+ year member]

Just installed my system today Nd I have a funny electrical issue.
System: 12" Nightshade. AP1500d

Elect: Stock alt, big 2 (didn't do alt to batt because it goes to a fuse panel and I wanted someone's opinion on that before I did that run) 1/0 wiring and deka 8a31 in back.

Issue: Full tilt sitting still 13.4-14.0v. Driving my car with system OFF. It dropped down to 12.6! It would not build back up either. Pulled over and started car up again and it sat at 14.4. Started driving and shortly after I started dropping again. So I cut my lights on and it jumped up to 14.3 and stayed steady and he even at full tilt I never dropped below 13.3.

I figured maybe its my regulator in the alt or something in the my ECM?

Call me crazy but if this all started today right after you installed your system then it seems unlikely (although not impossible) that your voltage regulator in your alt would be going bad

I'd say first check all of your connections 2 and 3 times over to make sure they're all solid..

 

[Kangaroux 5,000+ posts]

Hmm could be. Its a Stinger meter hooked directly into the amp.

I've always heard that you're supposed to connect it straight to the alt, but maybe it doesn't matter

 

[tpmeredith 10+ year member]

Personally I think it's good to get measurements all the way around, meter it at the amp, battery, and alt, that way you know your amp is getting good voltage and know the voltage is staying similar all the way around

Looking up the stinger meter though, looks like some of the youtube comments do say to hook it up to the alt

 

[Blove1991 10+ year member]

Hook it up to the alt. Wouldn't either be the same? The reason I did it at the amp was so that I would know the the voltage at the amp would not get to low and damage the amp.

 

[tpmeredith 10+ year member]

Hook it up to the alt. Wouldn't either be the same? The reason I did it at the amp was so that I would know the the voltage at the amp would not get to low and damage the amp.

Should be the same if there's no loose connections //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif That's why I like to take measurements all around, ya and thats also why I prefer to meter at the amp and not the alt too, good to know your amps voltage =P