guys with lots of electronics, please help!

[KCoppola]

hey folks, quick question.......my car is an 88gt, and i am experiencing headlight dimming, excessive votage draw, especially at night ( headlights, etc) i have an electric fan, a crane coil, an MSD 6AL box, as well as a 100 watt sound system. the car has a capacitor for the system, as well as a 130 amp alternator........what can i do to solve this? get a 200 amp alternator? a seperate battery for the stereo? any help is appreciated!
Ken

 

[jrichker]

Do you have a 4 gauge wire from the alt to the starter solenoid? The two 10 gauge wires are not big enough to do the job.

The secondary power ground is between the back of the intake manifold and the driver's side firewall. It is often missing or loose. It supplies ground for the alternator, A/C compressor clutch and other electrical accessories such as the gauges. Any car that has a 3G alternator needs a 4 gauge ground wire running from the block to the chassis ground where the battery pigtail ground connects.

 

[vristang]

100 W shouldn't cause any problems.

jrichker made some good points. Also consider the quality of the battery.


You may get some good responses in the car stereo forum. They have helped me a couple times.

jason

 

[FORCED2DV8]

Follow what jrichter said, the 2 10 gauge wires can not flow enough current to support your setup, remember you need to have the same amount of wire for ground as you do power, if you have a 4 gauge power wire you need a 4 gauge ground wire. Check your grounds/ Batt/. At night will be worse because your running lights they can use 30 amps by themselves, plus elec fan, another 30 amps, radio,fule pump, amplifiers,cars ignition and electronics, all of this going at the same time, draws alot of current.

 

[HISSIN50]

I think he meant a 1000 watt stereo (I mean no offense, but I wouldnt consider a 100 watt stereo custom, as it is denoted in his sig. Wouldnt need a cap for that either. ).

I agree with going over all the grounds for the car, and adding additional ones. Checking primary charging system cables for rot, voltage drop, etc, is good - all the stuff already said.

Good luck.

 

[KCoppola]

i appreciate the help guys, i will hunt down those ground wires and check em out! i did make a typo, its about 1000 watts or so

 

[vristang]

I think he meant a 1000 watt stereo (I mean no offense, but I wouldnt consider a 100 watt stereo custom, as it is denoted in his sig. Wouldnt need a cap for that either. ).

I still have a hard time with typos, and when responding at lunch I don't spend as much time on responses as I probably should.

Hope it works out for you KCoppola!

 

[Bad92GT]

I have the same thing you do.. 6A box, electric fan, big dawg stereo.. i just put in a big ass battery... i believe its usually used in a tauros like 00'.. i made me a custom metal battery tray to make it fit.. and hold to its weight.. i suggest the same.. it doesnt do it half as bad as the old battery

 

[amplifier28]

I had a similar problem with dimming headlights. I installed a 1 fared capacitor, 140 amp Powermaster alternator that cam with its own power wire that connects from the alternator directly to the battery and an Optima yellow top battery. It fixed the problem. Hope this helps.

 

[JBeezy53]

I have almost everything you have minus the elec. fan. My amp pushes 600 watts rms. I'm about to add another same exact amp and upgrade to a 1 farad cap for each amp. I am though about to switch to an Optima Yellow top and redo all my grounds. I think you should check your too.

 

[vristang]

As far as batteries...
I used 2 Stinger 800's for a few years and they seemed to do quite well. When they died, I went to a el cheapo battery from Schmucks. Cold days cause some issues now, even though I don't use the stereo at all.

What is the dif between a Optima yellow and a red?

jason

 

[superhuaman]

What is the dif between a Optima yellow and a red?

Optima red is mainly for starting (high current for a few seconds)
Optima blue is deep cycle (moderate current for long periods)
Optima yellow is a cross between red and blue, bobw if you will.

 

[vristang]

Optima red is mainly for starting (high current for a few seconds)
Optima blue is deep cycle (moderate current for long periods)
Optima yellow is a cross between red and blue, bobw if you will.

Thank you!