lights dim
 

When my bass hits my lights dim and I was told to get a capacitor. So I bought one farad cap and installed it but my lights still dim. Should I have bought a higher farad cap? I noticed that on the digital display on the cap that sometimes when the bass hits hard it goes down to the low 12's

RE: lights dim
 

More than likely you need a better alternator. On your amplifiers, what is the total number of amps-worth of fuses you have? I'm going to be running 200 and from everything that I've researched, I'll be getting a new alternator.

Adding batteries and capacitors only helps if you have something (alternantor) that can 'juice' them back up fast enough.

StevePhy

RE: lights dim
 

replacing "the big 3" (batt. to alt., batt. to ground, and engine to ground) will help, do that before you get a new alternator. run like 2ga or 4ga along with the stock wires, it will increase the charging system's output. the next step would be getting a better battery, usually a deep cycle like an optima, and then you would get a higher output alternator

RE: lights dim
 

Thanks for the advice guys. Unfortunately I no longer have my accord :(

RE: lights dim
 

*blinks* deep cycle? A optima red top is not the best battery to have, the yellow top is the one that has the better ability to flow power, deep cycle is more for keeping the ability to start the car, not for a sound system. You dont really have to run both wires, a 4gauge wire is enough. even more so on a stock alternator.

and with the recharge on an alternator a 4 gauge going to flow 150amps with no problem

But a capacitor you should match based on the watt rating of the amp, for example, if you a 1300watt amp you want 1.5farad cap, seeing as there isnt a 1.3 farad cap out there. But assume 1000watts per farad

RE: lights dim
 

anyone with dimming problems should first try the big 3 mentioned in 1/0 gauge wire. Then look into a new alt if that doesnt work. Optima Yellow Top batteries are a good suggestion as well.

RE: lights dim
 

Along those lines what I was told was .1 farad for every 100 watts. So my max output of my systems amps was 430w but since they don't make a .43farad cap closest was .5 farad.

RE: lights dim
 

http://www.betteraudio.com/geolemon/newmain/battcapalt/

Explains a lot

RE: lights dim
 

agreed