Ok, was driving home from the movies (say LotR:Two Towers, ******* awesome movie) and i was bumping, just cuz i like to show off when i'm not in little hick towns and i noticed my lights were dimming quite a bit, but since i am running 2 amps, fog lights and alot of other **** i didn't think anything of it, until i was driving home tonight, and was watching the voltage gauge, it was dropping 2 volts every time i hit, it has NEVER done this be4 the worst it's been be4 was running at 13.5 volts...i dunno what's going on, i accidentally brushed some wires on the side of the car as i was getting out and saw a blue spark......maybe i am grounding out on the body of the car somewhere?? i dunno, but i am not happy

 

Another reason not to buy stereo equipment beyond good speakers/head units. Well ya ur gonna kill that **** pretty easliy with what you've got. Get the whole alternator rebuilt by a good shop, not autozone etc. They only rebuild the broken part.

 

upgrade the Alt. run a straight wire from your + alt to your + battery. and i would really take the time to remove the two wires from your + alt. rip them out the wiring harness and run them across straight to the fuse box on the strut tower and the connector that takes it back to the fuse box in the car. You eliminate about 7 feet of wire.

 

Man, your car sounds like a rat's nest of wiring. You saw sparks meaning you have exposed power wires hanging out near bare metal? Before you buy more parts, I would take the time to check and maybe reinstall safely all of your aftermarket lighting and audio stuff. Make sure all your wires are of proper guage, with proper connectors, fuses, wrapping/tubing, etc. Check your grounds, just do it the right way.



I had an electrical fire in my first car 11 years ago due to my half *** amp install. I didn't know **** so I ran the puny 12 guage radio shack power wire under the seat, on top of the carpet, basically right in line with the seat track.... moved the seat, wire grounded and burned because of no fuse, filled the car with burnt carpet smoke and burnt the **** out of my hand yanking out this wire just to save my car. It sucks to lose your audio equipment over a bad install or even worse, mess up your car's electrical system.

 

I have 2 gauge wire ran with 100 amp fuses after the battery and be4 the amp, alos fuses on ground....i was carrying an eq in to the house one of the wires off of it touched the bottom ot the door sill and i coulda swore i saw a spark, i haven't got my battery tie downs, i went to a way bigger battery and it is a universal, both top and side post and i lost the things that go over the side posts, so i think it may be grounding out on those....

 

this whole thing scares me

Try taking a test light to the body of the car if you think there is currant running thru it.

 

a decent Cap will help some with the dimming, and maybe save you from killing your alternator again, not to mention it will keep the sound quality from dropping on your subs.

 

well i tried the test light on the body and didn't get anything, musta been residual electricity on the crossover...i found out if i don't turn on my subs right as i start the car, let it run for a bit and charge then turn em on it's not as bad, it still drops it about a volt but not to dangerous levels (under 12)...my g-friend is gonna get me a cap for my b-day if i don't get it be4 then, will a 1/2 farad cap be enuff? thanx ppl...

 

A half farad should be fine for your system. I doubt your Pyramid amp is putting out a real 800 clean watts anyway. If the cap doesn't help the voltage drop, then you will probably have to get a higher amp alt.



Where did you run this 2 guage wire to the amp? That is friggin huge.

 

there was a system installed be4 i got it, it was ran thru the boot for the clutch cable i believe, it was a rubber boot i know, i cut the **** outta my hands getting it thru....it runs along side the driver's seat under the carpet to the deck....i forgot to mention on everything but the amps, i am grounded on the battery i was told this is the best way to run...i.e. my fog lights and other lights are connected to both the + and - posts on my battery, my amps are grounded on the hatch latch...they are grounded with 8 gauge wire....