damn...sys. dimming - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

doperunner · 04-15-2004, 03:06 AM

so when i was driving home tonight i flipped my hella driving lights on and noticed that they dimmed with the bass (2 12's with a 200 W amp)...not alot, but it was really noticeable when they were shinning on the garage wall, and only the hella lights were dimming, at least you could tell they were.... is this bad for the alternator or battery? should i get a capacitor, or a bigger battery (optima)? will my truck crap out sometime when im driving because the alt. can't keep up?

Erbe · 04-15-2004, 11:43 AM

even though i dont have a sub...yet....my friends lights dimmed in his 91 accord til he got a cap....that shold take care of the dimming

finese1 · 04-15-2004, 12:06 PM

A cap might help but think most of the people here might say, would go with a battery upgrade, or alternator upgrade. It is more cost effective being that a cap cost about 80-100 dollars. Aternator upgrade is about the same but worth more to your car. I am about to do mine hopefully in a week. JUst need some time.

ONe.

***Hamsterman*** · 04-15-2004, 01:23 PM

the eternal debate... get an optima battery, you will not see dimming....

doperunner · 04-15-2004, 03:20 PM

what exactly is happeneing? is the sys/lights loading up the alt. more then it can produce, or is the sys. drawing too much from the batt. so that if i kept driving my batt. would die?

Stealth · 04-15-2004, 03:50 PM

both? just get the battery that should fix it.

TakeABao · 04-15-2004, 08:23 PM

Don't waste your money on a cap. Just a sorry-ass excuse for "upgrading" your car's electrical system.

For now, get an Optima yellow/red top battery. Later on, you might want to consider moving to a high-output 200 amp alternator.

Adam · 04-16-2004, 03:09 PM

what high output alternator do the y have for a 97 camry 4 cyl?

finese1 · 04-16-2004, 05:02 PM

hey don't you think a 200 amp alt is a little to much for a 200 watt amp. Even 2 200 watt amps.

TakeABao · 04-16-2004, 09:24 PM

^ Yes.

I'm only kidding. I didn't know he had 2 200 watt amps...but still...there has to be some strain on the stock alternator and it's going to fail eventually...

JaJay721 · 04-16-2004, 11:21 PM

He either has a really peice of shit amp or a really bad electrical system.

doperunner · 04-17-2004, 02:46 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by JaJay721
He either has a really peice of shit amp or a really bad electrical system.

WTF? this isn't some ricer POS, it's a 4runner, bitch ...my sys. is just loaded up too much...hella lights, dvd/cd, 2 12's, wipers, heater...etc. so when i flipped the hella's on i could see them dim a little.

JaJay721 · 04-17-2004, 11:25 AM

Then you have shit equipment. 400 watts shouldn't be dimming your lights enough to where you would complain. What amps are you running? Rather than upgrade the electrical system to accomodate your ineffecient amps you might want to get a 400watt amp that won't put strain on your car like that.