Car Stereo Dimming lights

[jewels]

I know that this forum is not for Chrysler but under Chrysler there is nil on car stereos. I have a 2004 Intrepid with a 135 amp alternator. I have 2 Pheonix Gold 1200.1 watt RMS amps running 4 - 10inch Rockford fostgate SUbs which are 2000 watts max power each. I also have a Alpine amp which I think is 400 watts running the rest of the speakers in the car. I had an extra battery put in the trunk and have 1 Farad cap for each Pheonix gold amp.

My lights dim when the bass kicks in. Its ok at nominal levels, but if i go too much everything in the car dims. I spoke with chrysler and the biggest alternator I can get is 160 amps which I dont think is worth the upgrade.

I am confused with the opinions i have received from the Car stereo guys who only want to make a buck and dont care about making it all work good. Do i need more batteries.....Isolator.....more farad caps or lastly Upgrade my alternator ??????? ANy help with this would be greatly appreciated......

Thank you in advance

[GundamExpo]

Perhaps your car is just trying to tell you, that your music is waaay too loud.

[b16a3sol]

my guess would be to upgrade the alternator. if that helps the problem, you could even get a smaller pulley for it so it pumps out even more power.

how does the voltage on each of the caps look, are they being charged all the way before being killed when the bass hits?

[l2ice rocketz]

Hmmm... well you could add more length to your wires? Increasing resistance may reduce your performance by like .014%, but maybe it'll prevent the dimming of lights.

[60hz163.5db]

If you have the cash upgrading the alternator is the way to go the 130a that you have now pushes 130 at like 3k rpm. Check out ohio generators they make some powerful alternators. Or yes get yours rewound which should be relatively cheap.

[GSteg]

[quote=b16a3sol]my guess would be to upgrade the alternator. if that helps the problem, you could even get a smaller pulley for it so it pumps out even more power.

QUOTE]

highly not recommend making the pulley smaller. the alternator can go bye-bye quickly.

if anything, new alternator or rewind. you'll need more than 160A for this setup if u want your amps to crank out every last watts it can produce.

btw..how did u wire the 4 subs to 2 amps? i thought those PG 1200.1 were only 4ohm mono stable?

lastly, i imagine u have those in sealed boxes. have u ever tried porting the box using only 2 sub? they should get louder than your 4 sub setup. this way, u will have about 1400 watts to each sub instead of about 700 to each of the 4 sub.

then again, if u have them in a ported box already, ignore all that i said.

[PaulD]

Originally Posted by jewels

Do i need more batteries.....Isolator.....more farad caps or lastly Upgrade my alternator ??????? ANy help with this would be greatly appreciated......

Thank you in advance

extra batteries = more load on your already taxed alternator
Isolator = used for protecting main battery from discharge in multi-battery systems
Caps = works with some cars, doesn't with others (remember not to have any fuses between the cap(s) and the amp(s)

[jewels]

Originally Posted by PaulD

extra batteries = more load on your already taxed alternator
Isolator = used for protecting main battery from discharge in multi-battery systems
Caps = works with some cars, doesn't with others (remember not to have any fuses between the cap(s) and the amp(s)

So i guesse a bigger alternator... I have a stock 135 amp and the biggest chrysler has for this car is 160amp ... is it even worth it ???

If i get it rewound i nullafy my warranty for electrical

I already have an extra battery in my trunk and There is no fuse between the amp and cap

Thankyou again

[jewels]

Originally Posted by b16a3sol

my guess would be to upgrade the alternator. if that helps the problem, you could even get a smaller pulley for it so it pumps out even more power.

how does the voltage on each of the caps look, are they being charged all the way before being killed when the bass hits?

I cannot tell what level my caps are at because they are not digital, also the biggest alternator I can get from chrysler is 160amp only giving me and extra 25amps for the cost of about 600 dollars Canadian...

Also, there is no room in or around my engine for anythind else as per the different alternator and battery places I have gone to. One guy suggested I get the same alternator as what the Firetrucks have but of course they would have to cut away under my hood to istall and that would nullafy my Warranty of the 2004 Intrepid

[jewels]

Originally Posted by l2ice rocketz

Hmmm... well you could add more length to your wires? Increasing resistance may reduce your performance by like .014%, but maybe it'll prevent the dimming of lights.

Thank you for your reply...

one question.

are you talking about power wire or speaker wire... and how much length approx are we talking about?

[jewels]

Originally Posted by 60hz163.5db

If you have the cash upgrading the alternator is the way to go the 130a that you have now pushes 130 at like 3k rpm. Check out ohio generators they make some powerful alternators. Or yes get yours rewound which should be relatively cheap.

The biggest alternator that I can get thru Chrysler is 160 amp for 600.00 CND, also I went to see a few alternator places and they took one look under my hood and said there is nowhere to put anything bigger without cutting out some of the frame....

That would nullafy my warranty for sure

also how much more amps would I get from rewinding and how long does rewinding last for ??? Excuse my ignorance in this field...

[jewels]

[quote=GSteg]

Originally Posted by b16a3sol

my guess would be to upgrade the alternator. if that helps the problem, you could even get a smaller pulley for it so it pumps out even more power.

QUOTE]

highly not recommend making the pulley smaller. the alternator can go bye-bye quickly.

if anything, new alternator or rewind. you'll need more than 160A for this setup if u want your amps to crank out every last watts it can produce.

btw..how did u wire the 4 subs to 2 amps? i thought those PG 1200.1 were only 4ohm mono stable?

lastly, i imagine u have those in sealed boxes. have u ever tried porting the box using only 2 sub? they should get louder than your 4 sub setup. this way, u will have about 1400 watts to each sub instead of about 700 to each of the 4 sub.

then again, if u have them in a ported box already, ignore all that i said.

Thanks for your reply.

PG states that you can go to 2 ohm just not 1

The box is ported and two subs on the left (one on top and one on the side) are hooked up to one amp and the same for the right side

the subs have dual voice coil and they are wired positive to one negative to the other than a positive wire on one sub to the negative of the other.... I think

keeping it at 2ohm

160 amp alternator apparently as per chrysler is the biggest Alternator I can get or Fit under my hood is it worth the 600.00 Canadian for the extra 25 amps ??

[60hz163.5db]

no
CHECK out Ohio generators the alts. they make cost prolly about that much in us currency but make way more current at idle...
Rewinding the alternator usually lasts for years it's pretty much like refurbishing just with higher current in mind..

[PaulD]

Originally Posted by jewels

I cannot tell what level my caps are at because they are not digital

good thing, the electronics mounted on the top of a cap increase it's ESR to a point where the cap becomes worthless