Lights Dim No Matter What, Help!!
|
New member Username: Bobid77Post Number: 3 Registered: Oct-06 | I have a Kenwood Exceleon 4 channel that puts out 88x4 and a kenwood exceleon mono that puts out 540x1. My lights never dimmed with my old sub amp which put out 300x1, but I put this Kenwood mono in and they dim like crazy! I upgraded all power and grounds to 4 ga. and the lights dimmed just as bad, next, I installed a 2.4 Farad Capacitor and the lights still dim just as bad, is there something wrong with the amp? I am at a loss with this. Any hhelp would be great, thanks! |
|
Gold Member Username: Chaunb3400Huntsville, Alabama U.S. Post Number: 9668 Registered: Jul-05 | |
|
Gold Member Username: Van_manBoston South, MA Post Number: 1078 Registered: Mar-06 | that kenwood mono can use 70 amps or so at full clip, Read what it is drawing on the display when you are playing it. Then see what the 4 channel says. Add them up, then compare them to what your car alt puts out. You will probly need aHO alt if yours is anything around 90-120 amps |
|
Gold Member Username: Basshead86Try Google Post Number: 7595 Registered: Aug-05 | good links Chauncey and the 2.4 F cap isnt helping any..... |
|
Bronze Member Username: James3146Portland, OR USA Post Number: 17 Registered: Oct-06 | To eliminate the dimming get another battery, you need to make the primary source of power different than the primary source of the lights. It sounds like the amp is drawing more than the alternator can produce at that second so it draws from the battery and consequently dims the lights. The reason why the alternator isn't making enough is because it doesnt know it needs to produce until it is too late. (The bass note is gone) Try this, with the car on turn your tunes up, and open the hood. Listen to the engine, it will bog down right after the bass hits, and come back right after the bass is gone. It bogs because the alternator decided to turn on enough to compensate, but then it notices everything is back to normal and goes back down. So I would go with another battery as close to the amp as possible so you have the best response. If you get a deep-cycle battery then keep your cap hooked up, because the caps will discharge and charge many many times faster than any battery. Also use the biggest cable you can fit, like 2 Ga. at the very least. |
|
Gold Member Username: InsearchofbassPost Number: 4909 Registered: Jun-04 | a good fix would be a batcap....they are reasonably priced and can provide 300 amps for 3-5 seconds...they are also small platform and do not need batery isolaters.....on top of that you can sell your 2.4 cap because they work against the batcap |
|
Gold Member Username: InsearchofbassPost Number: 4910 Registered: Jun-04 | Heres a link http://cgi.ebay.com/100-Farad-Cap-XStatic-BatCap-300-Capacitor-FreeShipping_W0QQ itemZ220041328302QQihZ012QQcategoryZ75388QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem |
|
Gold Member Username: Safe_crackerChicago, IL US Post Number: 1804 Registered: Jan-06 | No matter what you put on it there is no substitute for an alternator upgrade. It will be a matter of time before the stock one dies. Adding a second battery will only help if he has the stereo off at time and will add additional strain on the already dying stock alt. Use a test tone and check your voltage at full rock/roll also check your gain settings. A standard cap especially under 5 Farads will have a lower ESR rating than a batcap and can react faster even though the batcap has a higher volume not to mention they are expensive. Stick with your 2.4 and get an upgraded alt. JMHO...Polo. PS- In all honesty if that little amp is causing that much problem then your stock alt is probably on its way out.... |
|
Gold Member Username: InsearchofbassPost Number: 4913 Registered: Jun-04 | Well you may be right about the other points but the batcap is 100.00 shipped...just thought id mention that |
|
Bronze Member Username: James3146Portland, OR USA Post Number: 18 Registered: Oct-06 | He is right about the alternator, if you are constantly drawing more than it can produce it will eventually suck the batteries down to where the alternator can't bring the voltage back up. So in the long term you are probably going to need to get one, and you should just pony up the money and buy a H/O alternator. Wrangler NW in Portland can do H/O for any vehicle look up there website and give them a call. They are spendy but they are also long lasting and they put out on the low end as well as the top end. Note, some companies say they get a lot of high end output but that is only when the engine is reving at maximum RPM, not when you are idle or when you are driving normal. |
|
New member Username: Bobid77Post Number: 9 Registered: Oct-06 | Here is a twist though, My voltage is 14.6 while the car is running, when I play the music with the volume real loud and the sub turned up as much as possible, the voltage does not go any lower than 13.5 volts. Maybe the sub draws a ton of amperage, I have seen it draw as much as 35 amps on the meter. Another question, will a H/O alternator harm other electronics on my car due to the higher amperage at Idle? Thanks! |
|
Gold Member Username: Basshead86Try Google Post Number: 7709 Registered: Aug-05 | my bass amp at full tilt will pull 140amps of current...they need power to make power. |
|
Gold Member Username: Basshead86Try Google Post Number: 7710 Registered: Aug-05 | no, your car's elecrical system will only "pull" as much power as it needs. that being said, an alt will only make enough current to supply the demand, they don't make "push out" full power to everything all the time. |
|
Gold Member Username: Basshead86Try Google Post Number: 7711 Registered: Aug-05 | wow....fugged that up^^^ no, your car's electrical system will only "pull" as much power as it needs(your light will get brighter with more voltage, but they only need so many amps to operate). that being said, an alt will only make enough current to supply the demand, they don't make full power or "push out" full power to everything all the time.:-) |
|
Bronze Member Username: Bobid77Post Number: 13 Registered: Oct-06 | Ok, but can a H/O alternator put out the power fast enough to supply the sub amps? |
|
Gold Member Username: Basshead86Try Google Post Number: 7718 Registered: Aug-05 | there in lies the problem...not always, especially when it is a LOT of power. i don't have dimming above idle with long bass notes, but with stuff like Bass Drums, you have that slight flicker. that is b/c the alt, gets the demand, makes it, and by that time the bass drum is over. so you could get a battery and put it in the trunk back there, or perhaps a Capacitor would help, although some people have mixed opinions on Caps.... |
|
Gold Member Username: Basshead86Try Google Post Number: 7719 Registered: Aug-05 | but yes, the alt itself at least HAS the power to give it, instead of straining to make as much power as possible all the time like a sotck alt. |
|
Bronze Member Username: James3146Portland, OR USA Post Number: 23 Registered: Oct-06 | No, the H/O won't power the amp directly the alternator is going to save and power your battery. Because the energy is going to pull from the battery. It is kind of like a tug o war. The amp pulls from the battery and the battery pulls whatever the alternator is producing. |
|
Bronze Member Username: Bobid77Post Number: 14 Registered: Oct-06 | I found a 160 amp Alternator that puts out 70 to 80 amps at idle from Motor City Reman that cost $170. Do you know if there any good? |
|
Gold Member Username: Van_manBoston South, MA Post Number: 1095 Registered: Mar-06 | Hey Doug. Just to clarify. What sub are you running? Is it wired at 4 ohms for 533 watts? So 13.5 X 35 = 472.5 watts. Sounds about right for a 4 ohm load. And what model amp? I have the X811D running at 1 ohm, and Ive seen it pull 58 amps at 14.1 for 818 watts, and Im running 6 amps in total. (Zapco, Memphis, JL, Kenwood, and 2 Optimus) My alt is rated for 140 amps, and I have no dimming problems. also, I am using 2.5 fd caps as well 0/1 wire. So in conclusion, sounds like your amp has poor ground, poor power supply, or internal power supply issues. Very common in Kenwood mono amps. |
|
New member Username: FunbeagleLocust Hill, Ontario Canada Post Number: 1 Registered: Oct-06 | Hello everyone.I'm new in town,and I really,really,need help on getting dishnet,on a #3100 Bell expressvu reciever. Or an old Echostar#3000. I'm only getting drib's and drabs,of Information.I live way out in the countryside,and even an attenna,"HARDLY" works at all.Please,don't go technical on me.Thank's |
|
Gold Member Username: Basshead86Try Google Post Number: 7731 Registered: Aug-05 |  try this https://www.ecoustics.com/electronics/forum/home-video/2.html |
|
Gold Member Username: Van_manBoston South, MA Post Number: 1097 Registered: Mar-06 | Hey doug page, You may get better help in the other sattalit forum for Echostar#3000. this is car audio. If you want to hook up an amp to it we could probly help you. |
|
Bronze Member Username: Bobid77Post Number: 16 Registered: Oct-06 | My sub is an Alpine SWR-1222D wired for 4ohms. My amp is the X812D, i guess the next model above yours. You are correct about the voltage and amperage. My main Power from Batt. to trunk is 5ga. All other power and grounds are 4ga. and are as short as possible. I have a Legacy 2.4 Cap, which didnt help with the lights dimming, maybe my amp is bad. My Speaker outputs to the sub are 12ga. My alt. is rated at 125 Amps |
|
Gold Member Username: Basshead86Try Google Post Number: 7745 Registered: Aug-05 | it's cool....just don't let it happen again. lol |
|
Gold Member Username: Basshead86Try Google Post Number: 7750 Registered: Aug-05 | sailor chica, looks like something from a 50's calendar or something. lol |
|
Gold Member Username: Van_manBoston South, MA Post Number: 1099 Registered: Mar-06 | Try using bigger power wire and ground wire. Aslo up grade the big three. Also, my amp has had some tweeks installed. I had solder built up on all the power supply paths on the circuit board and changed some caps with higher value ones. Again, Sounds like power and/or ground issues. |
|
Bronze Member Username: Bobid77Post Number: 17 Registered: Oct-06 | Thanks! |
|
Silver Member Username: CaraudioToronto, Ontario Canada Post Number: 720 Registered: Sep-05 | Will a "BIGGER" battery from a Local Canadian tire help? |
|
Gold Member Username: Safe_crackerChicago, IL US Post Number: 1821 Registered: Jan-06 | Hey, is that Jenifer up above me? I always like woman on top ;). I have a 300A alt 2200 CCA battery and on the hard, short bass hits I can make my HL bounce like a set of mars lights, lol. If the alts voltage regulator had ESP it would be able to tell when the hits are coming and supply the voltage before the bass hit, then the problem would be eliminated.  Polo.. |
|
Gold Member Username: Basshead86Try Google Post Number: 7972 Registered: Aug-05 | what the hell is going on here.... |
|
Gold Member Username: Safe_crackerChicago, IL US Post Number: 1847 Registered: Jan-06 | Hey Jen, can you still do this? Polo.. |
|
Gold Member Username: Chaunb3400Huntsville, Alabama U.S. Post Number: 9740 Registered: Jul-05 | Gold account??? TRY PLATINUM |
Main Forums
Today's Posts- Home Audio Forum
- Home Video Forum
- Home Theater Forum
- Car Audio Forum
- Accessories Forum
- All Forum Topics