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Jim
Dodge Dakota
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6/14/2002
01:40:30
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 Subject: Lights Dimming
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Greetings all
I have a 1994 Dakota CC I have 2 pioneer IMPP 12's with a Punch 360.2 bridged pushing them, I also have a 10 disc changer hooked up. My question is when I crank it my lights dims (almost go out) the amp gauge on my dash bottoms out as low as it can go, what can I do to keep it from doing this?
Thanks Jim
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Neil
Dodge Dakota
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6/14/2002
02:06:18
|  RE: Lights Dimming
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First things first get a biger altenator. Once you start putting more of a load on it the standard 85 amp on isnt enough. Go for the 135amp one. If that does not work invest in a cap for the sub amp. A local audio dealer can help with that. Tell me how you have it wired up that could be a problem too.
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R/Truck
Dodge Dakota
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6/14/2002
12:52:45
| RE: Lights Dimming
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Test your alternator (autozone does it for free) if it is putting out enough power then leave it alone for now. Make sure your battery is good also. A 1-farad cap will help out a lot, and is good to have no matter what size alternator you have under the hood. Remember your power is from the battery (not the alternator) so if it can't handle the quick discharges of your amp then you need to get it some help. 1-farad cap or better battery is a cheaper solution then a new alternator.
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Slanty Shanty
Dodge Dakota
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6/14/2002
13:14:12
|  RE: Lights Dimming
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I borrowed a friends car once and he had a little system in it, just a bandpass box and a pretty good size amp... an inline or rather "speaker level to line level converter" connected to his rear speakers, which were in fact still plugged in? And something didn't sound right (of course) So I opened the trunk and he had all kinds of $H!T in his trunk. Guy was a big packrat, and the wires he used to connect his equiptment was whatever he could find around the house. We're talking "ANYTHING" speaker wire (16+ gauge) lamp cord extension cord wire from some radio controlled car gone bad... this $H!T was BAAAAAAD. So as a favor, I took EVERYTHING out of his car and put it all back in right. Using his parts, except for the wire I bought. Sorry for being so jumpy in my story, but I just remembered that he split one of those orange extension cords and pulled out one of the three wires from it and ran that from his battery to his amp.... OMG I dang near died. ANYWAY, I wasn't real happy to use his speaker level converter thingE but whatever, it's his $H!T not mine right? I cranked up the car, cranked up his sterio and the thing knocked the rearview mirror off the windshield!!! Who would have thought that little bandpass and that little amp would hit so hard? Well everything worked for a few days, then the alternator blew up in the middle of an intersection and to make a long story short he was a bit pissed about the alt, but once he got a new one in the car AND A CAP!!! he forgot allllll about it. He still doesn't have a rear view mirror :) S~
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98dakcc
Dodge Dakota
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6/14/2002
16:42:05
| RE: Lights Dimming
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i agree with R/Truck and from experience,wouldn't replace the altenator yet,get a 1 farad cap first,i have fixed that problem many times this way and mabey outta 30 times i had to replace the alt once,and even if that isnt the problem a cap will prevent your alt from burnin out in the future.
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Jim
Dodge Dakota
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6/15/2002
00:58:37
| RE: Lights Dimming
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Hey thanks for the responses everyone, I was actually considering getting a cap just haven't gotten around to it yet. Whats funny is that I'm 24 yoa had a kick @$$ system in every ride I'v had never had this much light dimming and I don't think my amp gauge has ever bottomed out like this.
Back in the day I knew some guy's that hooked up a second battery primarly for thier amp(s) if you have done this or know anything about doing this whats the + & - of doing it.
And if anyine has a good cap for sale I'm going to need one really quick if you have one e-mail me a price to: jdbright66@hotmail.com
thanks again all for you'r help
Jim
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bigdakota87®
Dodge Dakota
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6/15/2002
23:40:59
| RE: Lights Dimming
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farad capacitor
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Jim
Dodge Dakota
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6/16/2002
07:13:30
| RE: Lights Dimming
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Yes a Farad Capacitor, 1 Farad to be exact. If anyone has one they would like to sale I really need to get one. That or I might just have to sell my kick a$$ system. So if you have one e-mail me with a price.
Thanks, Jim
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PopGenie
Dodge Dakota
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6/16/2002
10:33:46
|  RE: Lights Dimming
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Go on E-bay! TONS, I mean TONS of capacitors. 1 farad, 0.5 farad, 2 farad, even seen a few 5 farad cap banks. Digital readouts are on some of em, some better than others, but it's a good deal most of the time as long as you don't overbid yourself. Shipping is usually fast and you shouldn't have any problem finding one on there. Just go to http://www.ebay.com, go to the car audio and electronics, then run a search for capacitor.
Mike T.
01 CC Sport 6A 2WD
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Waltherone
Dodge Dakota
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6/18/2002
14:32:53
| RE: Lights Dimming
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Ehh maybe I got here too late but oh well
A cap, as godly as it seems, it only a bandaid for the problem.
You must understand, the cap gets its power from the same place the rest of the electronics do--it isn't a second battery, but some people pretend it is. All it is there for is to stabalize voltage. It does have to recharge after a power discharge, no matter how big or small it may have been, and if your lights dim a LOT (not just on hard bass notes, but on basically every solid thump inthe music) a cap is only going to slow you down more.
Your alt does recharge everything, and if it is having trouble recharging them as it is, you are only adding yet another load onto it that needs to be charged. You lights might stop dimming or dim less, but the stress is still there on your alternator, as bad or worse as it was before (hence the analogy to the bandaid--the wound is still there, just hidden from plain view)
You can get your alternator rewound (probly to about 130 amps) for CONSIDERABLY less than a new alternator OR a cap. Cheapest I have seen a 1farad cap was about 70 bucks, but, an alt rewind can be had for about 110 if you shop around and it will do a lot more good in the LONG RUN.
Just something to think about..
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NJ
Dodge Dakota
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6/18/2002
14:36:22
| RE: Lights Dimming
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Actually, before you even do that, upgrade your underhood wires to at least 4 gauge, if you havent dont so yet. Upgrade your alt to battery, and your batterys ground to 4 or 2 gauge, this usually makes a pretty big difference. And, with the cap, you will be fine with a .5 farad, and good rule to go by is one farad per 1000 watts. And since the 360a2 will actually put out right out or a little under 500 watts, a .5 will be a perfect fit.
NJ
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Radio Shack
Dodge Dakota
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6/18/2002
15:34:05
| RE: Lights Dimming
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I wouldn't go with less then 1 farad, car audio magazines have done tests on .5 farad caps and found that they didn not have enough reserve power to make any noticable difference in any situation. Besides the 1 farad is only a few bucks more and will give you more bang for the buck.
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NJ
Dodge Dakota
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6/18/2002
16:55:21
| RE: Lights Dimming
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Well, I would steer clear of the cap altogether, I am just saying if he must go with one do that, I agree with my ECA buddy Waltherone, get a rewound
NJ
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Waltherone
Dodge Dakota
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6/18/2002
19:46:37
| RE: Lights Dimming
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ECA buddy....jurichar, is that you man???
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NJ
Dodge Dakota
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6/18/2002
19:58:08
| RE: Lights Dimming
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No :P its NJ hence the names :):) I just know you from ECA, since you post all the time :P I read a lot more than I post, although I have like 1300 posts :P
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Waltherone
Dodge Dakota
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6/18/2002
23:31:17
| RE: Lights Dimming
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I did not know you have a dak, do you got any pics of it? Do you have a cool setup? Or are you like me, who can't afford one right now and have my lil crap ass hx2 and bd500 in a box that COULD have looked really nice had I not gotta frustrated with the fiberglass and tired of sanding... :)
How long have you been comin to this board? I am pretty new here, maybe just a couple months, but I don't think I seen you here. I seen you plenty on ECA, but jurichar on eca is the one that told me bout this site so I figured it was him..
ECA RULES!!
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NJ
Dodge Dakota
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6/19/2002
01:54:36
| RE: Lights Dimming
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I dont have a dak, but I rolled my rodeo and Im seriously looking into one. I just found this board like 2 days ago, and I posted and then I read your post and you seemed pretty knowledgable, then I read the name :P
NJ
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Waltherone
Dodge Dakota
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6/19/2002
13:45:52
| RE: Lights Dimming
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Ahh yes, that infamous name that has started as nothing and since has followed me everywhere I go..
Well, great candidate for a new truck, I must commend ya :)
I'll be gettin mine next money (bout 3rd week in july) money permitting, itll be a 4.7l CC auto, hopefully black, but will be used since I can't afford new on my lil teenager salary just yet. Can't wait to get rid of this damn corolla--coke bottles have more displacement than I do :/
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Jay
Dodge Dakota
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8/11/2002
10:47:52
| RE: Lights Dimming
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Get the alternator. Its worth it. There is no way it'll hurt your system. But it'll beat harder on those real loud lows and you don't have to worry about alternator. You can get em cheap. A 1 farad cap(50 on ebay) can be used for up to 1000 watt system. BTW someone said that you're system gets its power from the battery, not the alternator, but thats only if your engine is off. If its running, it uses the alternator, I'm sure most of you guys know this but had to say it that just bugs me.
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Jay
Dodge Dakota
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8/11/2002
10:53:04
|  RE: Lights Dimming
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Hell yeah I was only 6 weeks behind in the posting
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akaproph
Dodge Dakota
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8/11/2002
20:45:52
| RE: Lights Dimming
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Im sorry if I am late for the post... This is a big problem in the car audio world... What you need to do is check your grounds, and upgrade all grounds as much as you up grade your charging and power wire... Compare the amps ground to the ground at the battery and block. Im not trying to promote, the sales of a magazine but we've been using something close to the article in Auto Sound and Security for a while. It deals with troubleshooting a light dimming issue. I think it was last months issue.. I am going to see if I can find it online.
akaproph
"Happiness is the root of all evil"
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