# headlights dim



## 240sxbegginer (Jun 19, 2003)

my head lights dim when my bass hits really hard. i only have a single 12 that goes at 450 rms. i think i should buy a capacitor or either a high amp alternator. does anybody know where to find a high amp alternator for a 89 hatchback 240SX? i think it has a 80 amp current. but i want to get a 100-140 amp alternator


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## Chicago Tony (Apr 15, 2003)

First, you should try your Big 3 wires. 
The Big 3 Are:
1. negative battery wire to ground - just replace the negative batt. terminal and wire and ground it to the factory location
2. engine block to ground - replace the ground wire from the engine block to the chasie with a bigger wire (maybe 4 guage)
3. alternator to batt - add a fused wire from the postive post on you alternator (the one coming from the battery) to the postive terminal on your battery. DO NOT exchange wires just add a extra one. make sure it fused the same size as your factory fuse 

I would stay away from capacitors. They are only a band aid for other issuesof your electrical system. Try doing the wires alot of times that is all you need.

How old is your battery? Your not really running anything that big. I am running a DEI 1100 watt amp and a DEI 500 watt 4 channel amp. With only changing the wires and a opitma battery I have no dimming no matter how loud I play it.


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## droppinbottom (Jun 30, 2003)

i would recomend making sure u have big enough wire for the length u are running it and for the power you are running. i have a stinger 140amp alternator for my 200sx. a spare battery and a 20 volt 1 farad cap on my system. i would definitly recomend the cap. if you do decide to go the route of getting a new alternator you will be upgrading your wires under the hood to atleast 4ga wire. look for a price tag of about six hundred dollars for the alternator plus install and take it to a quallified shop to have it adjusted properly


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## heroin187 (Jun 30, 2003)

before you go spending $600 on a alternator just make sure you have a good battery spend the $80 and get a cca900 that and make sure that you have good clean connections. also you should be running 8 gauge wire don't go to big it will actually pull more power than what it needs. I am running a 1250 watt Planet Audio amp fog lights, neons, and a 1 ferad capasitor and i get very dimming 
p.s. i have a 80 amp alternator and its been running like that for two years


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## 240sxbegginer (Jun 19, 2003)

i have 4 guage power and grouind wires already....im thinking about getting my alternator rewound for higher power. i can get family to install it for me.....ASE certified. i just wonder how much amp it will need to put out i was thinking hopefully 100-140 would that be enough....new battery


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## droppinbottom (Jun 30, 2003)

good battery is always a good must without it your voltage drops and your amps are starving. i was not lucky enough to find someone who would rewire my stock alternator which was an 80 amp as well. even ordering from the shop i used to work at the alternator almost cost 500.


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## Bumpin (Feb 18, 2003)

Just get yourself an die hard battery for $80. I got mine at 900 amps and when I ran my Orion XTR pro 2400 watt amp my lights never dimmed. Trust me the battery is what you want to change. And Chicago Tony a Cap isnt a band aid its there for reasons specifically like these.


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## Token Moron (Mar 28, 2003)

yep, its all about the battery, if u have a cheap battery( like stock for example) u cant pull much power from it, but if u have an optima battery either red top or yellow, you'll be bumpin with no dimming lights, my lights also get dim when my bass kicks, i have a jbl 1200.1 amp and 2 12" infinity reference series subs, my headlights dim and so do my interior lights(pretty bad at times) just havent got around to replacing my battery because the one i have now i got for free, a centennial battery i think it is(its only like 550CCA) and i wasnt running my system when i got it, so why would i spend the extra money when i dont really need to? hehe


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## wolf (Jun 23, 2003)

i have to agree. i have 2 orion xtr pro 1000, 1 xtr 800.4 on my yellow top and one farad cap with no problems. infact i was just thinking the other day that battery has been there for over 6 years. alternators are expensive around $400 for a good one, but they get as high as $3500. my friend had a stinger alt. that was $1300 one of the blades came off and went through his hood. i only spent $100 for my yellow top and my hood still looks brand new.


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## Guest (Jul 14, 2003)

I'm an audio installer at a shop here in Hartford and Capcitors are really more for bass response,unless you use more than 3.Your best bet would be to go with another battery or upgrade your altenator.


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## pearsont74 (Oct 1, 2002)

240....before you go and buy a new batery and att....make sure you have a good ground connection and suffient size gauge wire for the ground and for your main lead to the amp.
that is the 1st thing you need to do and then if you still have problems may relocate your ground and see if that helps. 
I have a higher power system then you and have never had this problem.
Let me know if you have any questions, I did custom installs for over 5 yrs (not saying I know it all but experence helps)


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## Slayer2003 (Jun 4, 2003)

caps are good, but they wont solve this problem. all they do is put a less of a drain on the batt and alternator by storing the power, making the sub react more quickly, thus producing a stronger bass. go to napa, discount autoparts, or even sears, get a larger alternator, check grounds, run a big enough main power lead (8 gauge is good for one sub pushing 450 rms), dont use cheapo fuses/fuse boxes, and cheap distro blocks.


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