weird power problem

[hondajunkie01]

so as some of u may know when i bought my car it had a gnarly system in it that didn't have a capacitor and if u subbed to hard the head lights would flicker......well i sold the subs and now when i have my headlights on and roll up or down any of the windows the headlight will dim also to the point where it looks like someone switch from "lowbeams" to "brights" .....

so i was kinda thinking maybe the sounds system killed my alternator,but the battery light doesn't came on at all....and im the morning it somtime seems like the battery is drained and the car take a min to crank over....also the car has a stupid 4gauage ground kit on the motor

what do you guys think it could be,and also im not really down to pull the neg off the battery to test the alternator cuz im not trying to fry anything

 

[bgibb68]

check your bat....that's also common for a bat when it's about to die.....get the bat checked....autozone and check the alt while it's in the car....it's not as effective as pulling it and having it checked but it can help narrow down.....i bet it's just your bat

 

[P-Funk!]

^werd.

 

[hondajunkie01]

ok cool ill check into it thanks guys

 

[kboutsider]

My lights did that right from day one when I bought the car 2 years ago. No system in the car and I doubt there ever was the car was owned by an older man. Haven't replaced the battery or alt and the voltage in the car is fine. I don't have the random hard starts though. I have a system now with a 1200watt amp and when the bass hits my lights won't dim only time seems to be when the a windows roll up. I just assumed it was one of those weird things our cars do like "eat headlight bulbs" I just check my minivan too and it does the same thing.

 

[hondajunkie01]

ok so i bought a new battery guys do you think it could be the alternator??

i have a new cobra radar detector and it has a volt meter built into it

normally it stays at 13.8 volts
but when i roll up the windows it does down to 12.8 and when i do all the windows at once it goes down to 11.7

 

[bgibb68]

that sounds like the alt is dying dude.....sorry to say.....it should be more than able to keep up with the window motors

 

[hondajunkie01]

that is kinda what i think....i dont care about paying for a new one but damn i dont want to put one it...i hear it is not fun at all on these cars

 

[ucMP3]

My car has same issues, I need a new battery, mine has crapped out. Let me know if your alternator is the problem tho as I will plan on replacing mine as well.

 

[P-Funk!]

The windows are curent limit switched (in that when they get to the end of the travel (full up or full down) the window motor suddenly has to try much harder and pulls more amperage. The switch senses this and pulls power from the motor to turn it off.

We already have a relatively weak alt and battery (when new) so this draw of all the windows hitting the stops at the same time will pull power (enough to dim the lights). Long explanation to say 'it is normal - no problem'. Avoid doing all the windows together (or rev to 1500RPMs to do it).

 

[ucMP3]

Mine dim when I do just two windows at once, and not when they go up and are done, its while they are going up.

 

[hondajunkie01]

yeah if i do any at all they dime while they are going down.....
i just replaced the battery and still same thing

 

[P-Funk!]

Inspect your body-to-bat ground for corrosion. If it looks iffy - replace it.