headlights dim when bass hits

[cb7 justin]

I just changed my altinator so i dont think that is the issue but it could be. Not really sure could yall shoot some ideas this way

[illinois_erik]

big 3 upgrade,
This upgrade replaces or augments three key cables in the electrical system with 1/0 or 4 gauge wires: the battery ground to chassis wire, the chassis to engine block wire, and the alternator plus to battery plus wire.


stiffening cap



and/or a h.o. alternator


you can probably get by with just a cap near the amp.

[lbus9168]

Sorry mate but recommending a capacitor is bad advice. Yes, it will stop headlight dimming, But it will also increase the likelihood of your amplifier being damaged!

Basically, they make sure everything before the capacitor has enough current, everything after it will not get enough I.e. your amplifier!

So will it fix the headlight issue? Probably. Is it a good idea?

Hell no.

Here's a good article about it:

https://axleaddict.com/cars/Car-Audi...They-DONT-Work

Start with the big 3 and go from there, I hope it helps!

[sonikaccord]

That article is questionable... Your amp already has caps built in. Adding an external cap simply adds more capacitance to the 12v line.

Caps are not diodes. By that, I mean they don't care which "side" of the circuit is drawing more current. ( Read: Norton's Theroem). They're only job in this application is to try to keep the voltage rail up. Now if you exceed the time that the capacitor can hold the rail up, 3 farads is maybe a couple hundred microseconds IIRC, then the capacitor will discharge to the lowest voltage which will be your battery voltage. It'll take a whopping <1 sec to recharge the cap. I'll do the math later.

That being said, a cap will keep your headlights from dimming under these circumstances:
1: The rate and length of discharge is much shorter than to charge. It's no point in using the cap if it's just going to steal it back from the battery.

2. Fast hits like kicks drums will be the strong point. Long bass lines will drain it.

[F22Chris]

Well that answered my question. I won't use a capacitor. I'm lucky and can use a 120a VR6 alternator.

[lbus9168]

I know they dont work like diodes man i was just trying to simplify, apologies if i created misinformation. Now w

hat your saying is basically the same as i am saying, because most Electonic Music (what most people would use subs for) have long Intricate bass lines that barely stop, Using heaps of power. in that situation, a cap would be worse, right?

[MortsAccord]

Capacitance

Maybe I can simplify this for the non electrical crowd.

Capacitors are just like batteries in the sense they take time to charge and discharge. They are faster than the chemical reaction of batteries however, but they do not continue to provide electric power because they do not make it, they only store it.

Since they only store power and dont actually create it, it does not help the charging systems ability to supply continuous power, but it can help to level voltage out.

To get an increase in continuous power flow you must either decrease the resistance of the circuits in use like "the big 3"(which doesnt often work well unless you had faulty wires), or increase the power production such as a high amp alternator, or getting a smaller pulley put on your current alternator and adjusting your idle up a couple hundred rpm, still theres regulator lag in most alternators.

Here check this out

http://www.bcae1.com/charging.htm
AND
http://www.bcae1.com/ on the right hand side scroll down and click on 123 which is labeled "charging systwm upgrade"