I have a 500 watt amp bridged to one HL audio 12" that sounds really nice, but when I crank it up from my AIWA CDC-MP3. The indiglos dim a little and so do the headlights a tiny bit when ever the bass hits hard. Is this an alternator problem or do I need to get one of those lightning bolt caps to store the voltage. Also can this dimming cause any damage?

Thanks Alot

usualy, caps are not needed for systems until you hit the 1000watt area. what kind of amp are you using? some amps draw a huge amount of current from the battery, and some dont. i am running about a 1000 watts from my sub amp alone (but there is a small cap in my amp) and my headlights hardly dim at all. im not an expert or anything, maybe there is something wrong with the alternator.

95 RS Eclipse (Vega-ed Out)
Greddy Exhaust || Greddy Headers || Iceman CAI || NKG Sparks || Magnacore Wires || 16" Enkei Rims || 2" Progressive Drop || Ingalls FR Camber Kit || B&M Short-Shifter || Altezza'a (center painted)

AUDIO/VIDEO-
Pioneer DEH-P7200 || 4" LCD screen (passenger visor)|| DVD Player in trunk || 1" Cerwin Vega Tweeters || 6.5" CV speakers in the doors || Custom fit 6x9 CV in the back panels || 15" CV Stroker in custom made box || MMATS D300HC amp (for the sub)|| MMATS LM4065 amp (for the rest) || ALL CUSTOMED AND DUN BY ME! HEHE

SOON TO COME (WEN FUNDS ARE MET)
Stage II turbo kit (HRC or Star, ne suggestions??? ¦Þ)|| Much needed suspension upgrades || Kits.. Rims.. Money..??? || Pioneer AVX-P7300DVD (indash dvd/screen)|| Pionner AVM-P9000R (gotta have that DTS)

Its a bullshit Jenson amp, its new, I never had this problem until I bridged the amp to just one speaker.

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"The indiglos dim a little and so do the headlights a tiny bit when ever the bass hits hard. Is this an alternator problem or do I need to get one of those lightning bolt caps to store the voltage."
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Since your lights are only dimming when the bass hits hard(i.e. when the amp draws the most current), it sounds to me like you will need a capacitor(Lightning, Rockford Fosgate, Monster, etc.). Adding one certainly won't hurt anything.



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"Also can this dimming cause any damage?"
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As long as you don't add anything else to your system that would draw current, I don't *THINK* it can hurt anything. I'm not entirely sure, though, so don't quote me. I can say that if your lights are already dimming, if you add too much more to the current draw, it's possible to stall your car everytime the bass peaks.

if you were to go the cap route, just remember, it does not relieve the stress from the battery. so if it is an alternator problem, it may make it worse. but as caps go, i think recomended is 1 farad for every 1000watts. so you would be good with a .5 farad cap. just a little info.

95 RS Eclipse (Vega-ed Out)
Greddy Exhaust || Greddy Headers || Iceman CAI || NKG Sparks || Magnacore Wires || 16" Enkei Rims || 2" Progressive Drop || Ingalls FR Camber Kit || B&M Short-Shifter || Altezza'a (center painted)

AUDIO/VIDEO-
Pioneer DEH-P7200 || 4" LCD screen (passenger visor)|| DVD Player in trunk || 1" Cerwin Vega Tweeters || 6.5" CV speakers in the doors || Custom fit 6x9 CV in the back panels || 15" CV Stroker in custom made box || MMATS D300HC amp (for the sub)|| MMATS LM4065 amp (for the rest) || ALL CUSTOMED AND DUN BY ME! HEHE

SOON TO COME (WEN FUNDS ARE MET)
Stage II turbo kit (HRC or Star, ne suggestions??? ¦Þ)|| Much needed suspension upgrades || Kits.. Rims.. Money..??? || Pioneer AVX-P7300DVD (indash dvd/screen)|| Pionner AVM-P9000R (gotta have that DTS)

buy a cap, get a 1farad just because it's only like 10 or 20 more than a .5

and yes, if your dimming gets extreme, it "can" do damage to various components in your electrical system.

back when I had a Reliant K, I could actually kill the motor on a big bass note.

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...just my $.02
95 GS

Thanks alot for the info