Fog Lights get brighter with throttle
03-04-2013, 10:45 AM
#1
Fog Lights get brighter with throttle
So the background. I have the foglight re-wire mod and that was the only reason I was able to notice this. I have a grounding kit (discontinued blehmco). I have direct replacement PIAA Xtreme White H3 bulbs no aftermarket HIDs. And I have a new battery as of Dec 2012 (previous battery lasted for 5 years).
So Im sitting in the car with the car running and only the daytime running lights (DRL) and foglights are on, and if I hit the gas I can notice the fog lights become significantly brighter. What gives? Is this normal? It was suggested that might be an alternator on its way out. Just wondering. Please remember its nothing you could notice with the low beam HIDs on because they take up the majority of the lighting.
I also have noticed a few other things since the battery replacement, all interior lights seem to be dimmer at idle (dash, ceiling light) and are effected by throttle also. I never noticed this before on the original battery that came with the car.
It is my thinking that a grounding kit should eliminate these kind of fluctuations in the lights etc. and if IIRC I never had these dimming issues before. Could it be a weaker battery type? or is something else going on like the 10 year old alternator?
So Im sitting in the car with the car running and only the daytime running lights (DRL) and foglights are on, and if I hit the gas I can notice the fog lights become significantly brighter. What gives? Is this normal? It was suggested that might be an alternator on its way out. Just wondering. Please remember its nothing you could notice with the low beam HIDs on because they take up the majority of the lighting.
I also have noticed a few other things since the battery replacement, all interior lights seem to be dimmer at idle (dash, ceiling light) and are effected by throttle also. I never noticed this before on the original battery that came with the car.
It is my thinking that a grounding kit should eliminate these kind of fluctuations in the lights etc. and if IIRC I never had these dimming issues before. Could it be a weaker battery type? or is something else going on like the 10 year old alternator?
03-04-2013, 07:20 PM
#5
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Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Jacksonville, FL
Posts: 10,349
And this
03-09-2013, 09:22 AM
#7
Car off = 12.9v~13.2v
Car On @ Idle (820 RPM approx)= 14.2v solid
Car on w/ 1k RPM = 14.1v~14.2v
Car on w/ 2k RPM = 14.1v~14.2v
Thanks for the help all.
03-09-2013, 10:41 AM
#8
The voltages sound good, but I should have been a little more specific on the voltage testing. Immediately after start-up, the voltage will be at the 14 volt level at all rpms until the battery is re-charged. After that, the alternator voltage will vary a little bit with the engine rpm and the electrical load. At idle the alternator cannot produce its full output, the engine has to be at around 1500 rpm (I think).
Anyways, a little bit of the lights flaring up is normal, but bad connections and a weakening battery can make this worse.
Anyways, a little bit of the lights flaring up is normal, but bad connections and a weakening battery can make this worse.
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