Lights dim - HO alternator

[everybodyknowme]

It's not the amount of power, it's how fast it can provide it. It's perfectly normal.

Not saying it's abnormal. Just letting him know if it's bothering him call DC. I broke down and called about my alt and they found a small issue. Fixed for free and no more

issues.

I think OP feels that he spent good money to stop dimming lights or electrical issues and wants his monies worth. I know I felt like that. But I can understand if he doesn't want to call DC. I think the CS is horrible...ugh

[3vil]

It sounds like your alt isn't pushing the amperage that it should be.

X2

Wanna place bets on it?

Incandescent bulbs are easily effected by small voltage changes, no alt is going to stop them from dimming.

It's the part he mentioned about his power windows slowing down that makes me think something is amiss. If the widows cranked fine before the electrical upgrade, and now they're sluggish, that seems like a red flag.

[rockFord_Expedition]

Add more reserve to your trunk IF the dimming is bothering you. with 1200 watts I wouldn't be so O.D with electrical.. If you plan to upgrade to a larger system down the road, then ante up

The lights dim when the voltage drops in the range between charging and resting voltage. More reserve won't help him in that area unless I skipped somewhere where the op said he is dropping below 12.6 or so. If he said that then my bad. If he didnt say that then this advice won't help.

[Broke_Audio_Addict]

It sounds like your alt isn't pushing the amperage that it should be.

X2

Wanna place bets on it?

Incandescent bulbs are easily effected by small voltage changes, no alt is going to stop them from dimming.

It's the part he mentioned about his power windows slowing down that makes me think something is amiss. If the widows cranked fine before the electrical upgrade, and now they're sluggish, that seems like a red flag.

He said his lights dim slightly when he puts his windows down , nothing about the windows being sluggish.

[3vil]

my bad, I misread it this morning

[aBav20]

I might consider calling DC Power to see if they have some input on the matter. The light dimming I'm seeing now when using the power windows is minimal compared to what it used to be. Before, the lights would stay dim until I let up the power window button. Now, the lights dim slightly when holding down the power window button, but recover in a split second to their normal brightness even when still holding down the button. This sounds like a voltage regulator lag that someone else explained in an earlier reply.

[x infektid x]

like someone said, most alts and even specialty types like we run, take a while to recover from the sudden voltage dropof a power window,bass note, what ever.. there are non that will give more voltage the instant something requires more voltage. non! now that being said.. the voltage drop and light dimming is a normal thing..

its part of electricity works as its a supply and demand type of thing.. head lights need say 20 amps and say 13 volts to be bright. when the bass comes along and now the amp needs more current AND voltage than the headlights as the headlights arent REGULATED like the amp is. the amp WILL get what it needs regardless of what the rest of the car needs as nothing in the car is as strongly regulated as the amp is. thats why they dim.

hid lights on my 85 monte carlo ss and they still dim from time to time with a 250-275 amp new mechman alt.. its juts how things work .

i will say make SURE that you ground the engine,alt and BODY of the car to make sure everything is good. that small factory ground from the batt isint good enough for an upgraded system. just my 2 cents