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Thread: dimming lights

  1. #1
    LX User crucial's Avatar
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    dimming lights

    Hi i had a question regarding my lights dimming every time the bass hits and if there a a easy way to fix it but no like a band aid. Im running a sound stream 4 channel amp around 100 rms per channel for my doors and a Hifonics mono amp pushing 750 rms to 2 alpine 1042D's



  2. #2
    DX User teamontherun's Avatar
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    Re: dimming lights

    You will probably have to get an upgraded alternator and maybe upgrade your ground wiring for the car with some big ground straps

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    3Geez Veteran ghettogeddy's Avatar
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    Re: dimming lights

    grab yourself a bat cap should help get rid with the dimming but you can also do the ground wire alternator thing still prolly wont make the dimming go away all together like a cap or bat cap will

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    AccordB20A's Avatar
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    Re: dimming lights

    My mate has 1000wrms into 2 ohm running on the stock electrical system in his 1985 civic. upgraded ground wires and thats it. No dimming. But his amp is a d class. very efficient. a Cap will usually fix it.

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    itzdave's Avatar
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    Re: dimming lights

    1 farad capacitor will fix it

  6. #6
    LX User crucial's Avatar
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    Re: dimming lights

    Upgrading the ground wire, The one on the battery to frame and alternator?

    I was under the impression that capacitors were just a band-aid for these problems.
    Last edited by crucial; 12-21-2007 at 11:08 AM.

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    3Geez Veteran ghettogeddy's Avatar
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    Re: dimming lights

    Quote Originally Posted by crucial View Post
    Upgrading the ground wire, The one on the battery to frame and alternator?

    I was under the impression that capacitors were just a band-aid for these problems.
    ya but its an easy cheap fix you could get a batcap theat would be more like adding a second battery to your car a battery that acts like a cap


    i was running about 2700watts rms at one point and had 2.5 farads worth of caps and it never dimmed and don't know were people say caps are just band aids when tech its just a part of the system i never had a pro with it and the only reason my alt went bad was because it was the original lol and i ran my system for so long with out a cap

  8. #8
    LX User crucial's Avatar
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    Re: dimming lights

    I was looking at the prices of several different capacitors a Batcap and OPTIMA Battery's, I mean the batcap and Optima's are not that badly priced if you need to get a new battery but these don't seem to be inexpensive. I would think it would be less expensive to change the grounds out to a heavier gage, like 4 gage, wire. The cheapest capacitor i seen so far was about 30 bucks which was a 1 farad.

    So on the alternator there is the cable that bolts on top which seems to be a positive connection, but what is the wire harness for, I know that if its not hooked up it wont charge the battery, if i just use a heavier gage wire on the bolt down cable or would i have to change out the wire harness. I'm guessing that the cable that bolts down is the cable that charges the battery
    Last edited by crucial; 12-21-2007 at 01:54 PM.

  9. #9
    3Geez Veteran ghettogeddy's Avatar
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    Re: dimming lights

    Quote Originally Posted by crucial View Post
    I was looking at the prices of several different capacitors a Batcap and OPTIMA Battery's, I mean the batcap and Optima's are not that badly priced if you need to get a new battery but these don't seem to be inexpensive. I would think it would be less expensive to change the grounds out to a heavier gage, like 4 gage, wire. The cheapest capacitor i seen so far was about 30 bucks which was a 1 farad.
    dont go cheap get something in the 100 range and the batcap is an add on not a bat replacement

  10. #10
    LX User crucial's Avatar
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    Re: dimming lights

    Why does the batcap have a cold cranking amps rating?

    http://www.caraudiodeals.com/800-far...ping-p-84.html

    The XStatic BATCAP 800 is a battery that discharges as fast as a capacitor!

    On there web site it says that these can crank your car.

    Get something in the 100 dollar range doesn't sound inexpensive to me.

    Know any decent brands to look for on a capacitor?
    Last edited by crucial; 12-21-2007 at 05:17 PM.

  11. #11
    3Geez Veteran ghettogeddy's Avatar
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    Re: dimming lights

    Quote Originally Posted by crucial View Post
    Why does the batcap have a cold cranking amps rating?

    http://www.caraudiodeals.com/800-far...ping-p-84.html

    The XStatic BATCAP 800 is a battery that discharges as fast as a capacitor!

    On there web site it says that these can crank your car.

    Get something in the 100 dollar range doesn't sound inexpensive to me.

    Know any decent brands to look for on a capacitor?
    well like it says it can crank the car just not designed to lol

    stinger makes a good cap so does audiobahn but just go to your local stereo shop not best buy or any comerrical shops go to like mom and pop shops they should have a decent one for cheap

    this is a good brand
    http://www.crutchfield.com/App/Produ...12U&c=3&tp=739

  12. #12
    3Geez Veteran lostforawhile's Avatar
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    Re: dimming lights

    crucial you ought to design upgraded mounting brackets for some of the after market alternators for other hondas. also check into the legend alternator setup,it's pretty easy and gives you a lot more amps off the alternator. thats the only real fix, the caps just help,but you need more amps.

  13. #13
    3Geez Veteran Civic Accord Honda's Avatar
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    Re: dimming lights

    lol every time the bass hit on my old jvc deck my lights would dim lol even did it with my stock deck lol and i have no amps lol

    1988 Honda Accord LX-i Coupe 123k miles.

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    LX User crucial's Avatar
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    Re: dimming lights

    I just drove to Carson City and noticed that everytime i hit the brakes the lights would dim for a sec too. I checked my battery clamps and the positive clamp is heavily corroded. Im gonna change it out but its a pian to get one cause im running 0 gage to my amps.

  15. #15
    LX User crucial's Avatar
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    Re: dimming lights

    Quote Originally Posted by lostforawhile View Post
    crucial you ought to design upgraded mounting brackets for some of the after market alternators for other hondas. also check into the legend alternator setup,it's pretty easy and gives you a lot more amps off the alternator. thats the only real fix, the caps just help,but you need more amps.
    I need to know what the conections are if anyone knows. Theres the one you bolt down and the wire harness with 3 wires in it. It would be nice to swap the stock one out for a single wire one.

  16. #16
    LX User crucial's Avatar
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    Re: dimming lights

    Was looking at the stock replacment alternators and they put out 65 amps. My Hifonics amps has two 60 amp fuse on it and the Sound storm has one 60 amp fuse on it. Now i know that they dont draw that much amperage but i think its around the amps i would want the alternator to push. Well mabey not that many (180) but mabey like 120 amps. I am gonna look at some diffrent alternators that push around that amount.

  17. #17
    3Geez Veteran ghettogeddy's Avatar
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    Re: dimming lights

    Quote Originally Posted by crucial View Post
    Was looking at the stock replacment alternators and they put out 65 amps. My Hifonics amps has two 60 amp fuse on it and the Sound storm has one 60 amp fuse on it. Now i know that they dont draw that much amperage but i think its around the amps i would want the alternator to push. Well mabey not that many (180) but mabey like 120 amps. I am gonna look at some diffrent alternators that push around that amount.
    have fun getting them installed lol when your done do a right up so we can steal your work

  18. #18
    LX User crucial's Avatar
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    Re: dimming lights

    Well im looking at make a new bracket to mount a diffrent alternator with a wire harness to just drop one in. But am still trying to find a electrical schematic on the stock set up, once i get that it would be a piece of cake.

  19. #19
    3Geez Veteran MessyHonda's Avatar
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    Re: dimming lights

    they already make a high output alternator...its on ebay...claims to push out 135 amps...i was going to get it but i could not wait 1 week to install it because my car is a daily driver.

    1989 Honda Accord LX-i
    B18c1 swap since 7/2011
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    Redzone tuned

  20. #20
    LX User crucial's Avatar
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    Re: dimming lights

    How much was it?
    Summit has powder coated and chrome plated 1 wire alternators for $94.95 that are 100 amps.
    Last edited by crucial; 12-23-2007 at 08:54 AM.

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    itzdave's Avatar
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    Re: dimming lights

    Quote Originally Posted by crucial View Post
    I just drove to Carson City and noticed that everytime i hit the brakes the lights would dim for a sec too.
    that could be a battery issue too.

  22. #22
    LX User crucial's Avatar
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    Re: dimming lights

    So heres the schematic i found for it in the Haynes Repair Manual. It looks like the harness with the three wires in it are from a voltage regulator and L and IG go to the warning light. S goes to the out put on the alternator. So i think that it would be really easy to put a 1 wire alternator in.


  23. #23
    LX User crucial's Avatar
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    Re: dimming lights

    Quote Originally Posted by itzdave View Post
    that could be a battery issue too.
    Thats why i was going to replace the battery clamps as they are corroded.

  24. #24
    3Geez Veteran lostforawhile's Avatar
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    Re: dimming lights

    Quote Originally Posted by crucial View Post
    So heres the schematic i found for it in the Haynes Repair Manual. It looks like the harness with the three wires in it are from a voltage regulator and L and IG go to the warning light. S goes to the out put on the alternator. So i think that it would be really easy to put a 1 wire alternator in.

    it's wired like every other eighties honda,you just need to make sure you don't disconnect power to your choke in the process or your choke won't open. you can buy the gm plug that will plug into even a one wire, use the output to the warning light to close a relay,and still make your warning light on the dash work. you don't even need a one wire,the standard high output GM is really easy to hook up, you have the field wire going into the alternator, the output to the light off the gm would need to make a relay ground for the light, and your output wire. make sure you upgrade the wire from the alternator to the battery for sure. you might want to get a fusible link rated for the alternator output, and run it inline from a cable on the alternator right to the starter lug,then you can use the heavy gauge starter cablel to the battery to charge it. also make sure the alternator is designed to spin in the right direction,or it's cooling fan won't work. i believe you can get reverse flow alternator fans for gm also.

  25. #25
    3Geez Veteran lostforawhile's Avatar
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    Re: dimming lights

    wait a minute let me look at my book just woke up
    cobwebs aren't out of brain yet

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