Dimming dash lights

After driving to WV on Saturday to meet Alex (shepherd79) to get my idle worked out, I'm having another problem. It just started last night. When my car idles with the lights on, the dash lights get dim. Then when I start moving again, they go back to normal brightness. My battery is fine. We tested it on Saturday and it's putting out 14.4 volts. One of the guys here at work said my alternator is probably going out. It's been in the car for less than a year so I have my doubts. I just wanted to find out if this is the main cause or if some other electrical gremlin is going on. I don't want to spend 80-90 bucks on an alternator and that not be the problem. Also, if it is the alternator, how much easier is it to get out since I've got all the vac lines removed?

sounds like the Regulator in the alternator is on its way out. You have a monster stero or anything else that could be causing excessive drain on the chargin system???????

No, I just have one 200 watt amp.

I had the same problem right before my alternator took a shit. Id go get one fast before that ones takes a shit.

Mine actually does that too when I turn on the rear defroster, should I be worried as well?

This car gets weirder and weirder every day. On my way home from work this evening, the dash lights did not dim at all. It sounded like it wasn't gonna start but did and I drove half way with the radio off and everything was fine. I turned it on and everything was ok after that. There was a weird ringing noise before it warmed up and was idling at stop signs. When I pushed the gas to go, the ringing stopped.

My lights(inside and out) have dimmed when I sit at idle compared to moving since I bought the car over a year ago. I have cleaned the engine grounds, and installed a stereo since and nothing has worsened or improved the condition. I believe the problem is weak grounds (since mine are very frayed). My alternator looks pretty new and before I bought the car there was no "system" installed so I think it's a ground problem. I also plan to replace my "tiny" stock battery with a larger one soon, but after some research I am almost sure that won't help the condition.

Update on this problem. I noticed that the lights only dim when the car is not at normal operation temp. Once it's totally warm, everything is fine and dandy. Since alternators are expensive, I'm gonna try to ride this one out as long as possible. Thanks for the help guys.

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Originally Posted by SteveDX89

Update on this problem. I noticed that the lights only dim when the car is not at normal operation temp. Once it's totally warm, everything is fine and dandy. Since alternators are expensive, I'm gonna try to ride this one out as long as possible. Thanks for the help guys.

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I have an 86 accord, when my alternator was going out, weird things happen, things that may not even seem related, sensors not getting teh correct voltage or something causing strange things. Car may idle wrong, mine mainly idled too high all the time not just when cold.

Remeber, i hate saying this over and over, but if you put an alternator in without charging your battery fully u may have knocked off the life of your alternator.

-JT

mine does that and i have a brand new alternator but i have a 1500 watt stereo system.....but it only idle but i think my idle is low...