Hightlights flashing when having stereo turned up

[tidy protege]

OK peoples in the last couple of weeks since i turned my amps up a llittle so that my speakers had more low down sound, i have noiced then i turn my stereo up the highlights seem to flash the tiniest bit, glowing bright dim bright dim and when i turn it down the problem seems to stop.

If this was to continue im worried that i might fry something, how would i best stop this. I was thinking a capacitor might help but im not sure, there is nothing wrong with the wiring as its all high level fusion and stinger gear. The only thing that comes to mind might be how much power my amps are requiring, as id be only running 810 watts rms but still that might be too much.

[goldsp]

its your friggen mono block you tool , you need a cap

[mcwilly]

u are just draining ur battery man thats why ur lights dim when the subs pump the lights dim because its using more power to power ur subs. wen ur using it for one thing (lights) its taking power out then wen ur subs pump its taking power out which the lights would of been using which makes then dim wen the subs dont pump it increases again

[Q2CDIS]

Originally Posted by mcwilly

u are just draining ur battery man thats why ur lights dim when the subs pump the lights dim because its using more power to power ur subs. wen ur using it for one thing (lights) its taking power out then wen ur subs pump its taking power out which the lights would of been using which makes then dim wen the subs dont pump it increases again

yeah ur rite thats all it is.. mines dose the same thing its nuffin to really b worried about tho.. a capacitor might help a bit.. ive got to get another 1 for mine..

[goldsp]

yeh and james has got a bigger systems then you , so you got nothing to worry about

[twilightprotege]

i thought these problems was due to an alternator not putting out enough amps for all of your stuff? and it cant be the battery - batteries are basically not used when the car is running. the alternator creates all the required electricity.

i'd suggest having your alternator rebuilt.

[Cosmo Dude]

The battery is always in the circuit but if you draw more current than the alternator pumps out then the voltage will drop and the most obvious sign is the lights. Continual abuse will cause a premature end to both the battery and the alternator (not to mention your hearing). I found the HC V6 929 alternator will fit my FE block with little mods and is an 85amp, internal reg, unit but it's a 'V' belt and you would need a multi-V pulley. It’s not a direct fit but nothing an auto-elec can’t do easily.
The battery does the job of a capacitor while driving, it irons out the spikes, whistles and thuds but as it's always there people forget about it.

[tidy protege]

ok im thinking that i may have to upgrade the battery and tosave the alternator a capacitor is meant to do the world of good as i dont want to damage anything on my car.

[Gavsta]

On Car Audio Australia they have done tests that show that caps aren't really worth it.

The best thing for you to do would be to upgrade the grounding wires in the engine bay as this would be the weakest point in your wiring. Theres no point running 0 gauge power wire to the amp when all thats connecting the negative terminal to the chassis is a wire equivalent to 8 gauge. Placing thicker wires between the battery and alternator may also help.

Another thing you could try would be to upgrade your alternator. your headlights only dim when your stationary right? This is because as you raise your revs your alternator will produce more power. Many people who run high drain systems swap to alternators designed for ambulances. This is because ambulances run alot of electrical equipment and need to supply enough current when theyre idleing to run it all. The altenators in ambulances are designed to give a higher current at lower revs.

If that doesnt work you could always install a cheap capacitor for your lights. this is where a cap will most benefit your car as it will keep the current going to your lights constant so they wont dim anymore.

[Dogo]

make sure u have good power and ground to the amps first.

for the amp ground point you should have sanded away the paint to the bare metal to get the best contact.
both +ve and -ve should be at least 4 guage wire too.

Caps are really just for wank factor ,there are a few other things you should do first before looking at getting one of them , a new battery, or alternator.

upgraded grounding wires in the engine bay help headlight strength too.