Help, Headlights dim when sub hits

[Melt]

They dont dim significantly so I dont know weather to worry about it or not. I know that there are better alternators that you can get but is there any other option? Will this cause my battery to drain?/

[GScivic7]

mine have been doing that for the last year and a half and nothings happened so far, so i wouldn't worry about it too much.

[Melt]

year and a half huh? Then I am not going to worry about it. Before I got my crossover installed they didnt dim but once it was put in, my sub got bassier to the point that I actually turned DOWN the volume.

[90civicrider]

Sounds to me like you need to buy yourself a Farad Capacitor, or run a seperate battery for your system.

[Melt]

Farad Capacitor? Whats that?

[GScivic7]

Originally posted by Melt
year and a half huh? Then I am not going to worry about it. Before I got my crossover installed they didnt dim but once it was put in, my sub got bassier to the point that I actually turned DOWN the volume.

yah and my battery hasn't died on me yet. and if you really need to, i'd say get a better alternator rather than a cap. i'm saying this with numerous ppl chewing me out when i tell ppl to just get a cap

[SkyNex721]

Originally posted by Melt
Farad Capacitor? Whats that?

A capacitor is a secondary storage unit for electricity. Basically, when the system is running and the bass isn't hitting the capacitor stores up energy. Then when the subs hit hard, the energy is used up from the capacitor instead of the electricall system. That's why the lights dim. It doesn't have anything to do with the battery. The battery is used to provide current for starting the car. After that the cars electrical system runs off the alternator.

As for the term farad. That's the storage capacity. Almost all electronics have capacitors in the circuitry. But they usually have a very small capacity such as a pico farad. The farad capacitors are huge in comparison.

[slammedcivicsi]

just buy a new alternator......theres nothing better than more power.....if will help in every way....not only with your stereo but performance wise it will halp aswell.

[crxlvr]

just run thicker power wire to your system, if you are running like 10gauge to 2 12's then it'll drain power from anything else.

i have 4 gauge running for my 2 12 Alpine Subs, and have no dimming problems.

[90civicrider]

Here's a Massive list of capacitors. They are selling at a decent price too.
http://www.sounddomain.com/shop/list...tors&x=60&y=19

After my Buddy put one on his system the bass hit alot harder. It's proably one of the most forgotten things for a system install.

[Melt]

Thanks for the link and all the help. Right now I am running 10 gauge wire to 1 12.

[ci5ic]

Yeah, just watch out for those terminals! :shocked:

[crxlvr]

Originally posted by Melt
Thanks for the link and all the help. Right now I am running 10 gauge wire to 1 12.

thats your problem right there, forget all these caps, change that wire down to at the very least an 8gauge, but id go 4guage into a distributor block, in case your amp doesnt support 4 gauge wire.

[branman_crx_guy]

Just go up to a Circuit City. You can get a Monster Cable Cap for like $200. You can get cheaper ones too, and they should work just as good, just go to a nearby electronics store. :frog:

[branman_crx_guy]

thats your problem right there, forget all these caps, change that wire down to at the very least an 8gauge, but id go 4guage into a distributor block, in case your amp doesnt support 4 gauge wire.

Yeah, you can do that too. Circuit City/Best Buy etc will carry Monster Cable 8 gauge power cable, now thats the good shit you need. I'd get a cap too, but u could always just wait and see what the cable upgrade does. :frog: