I just recently hooked up two alpine type r's to an xplod 400 watt amp( I know the amp sucks but I will get a new one when I get some money together) My lights dim and sometimes the head unit will cut off when the bass hits too hard. I replace my alternator three times this year and they were all before I got my system hooked up so I know the system will fry this new alternator. I need help cus I don't want to sTALL when my system is bumping. Do I need a power amp or will a capacitor help out a little? I've been getting mixed messages. What kind of amp would you recommend for a 3rd gen max.Thanx in advance.

 

If you have burnt out three alternators it is probably because of a bad ground somewhere. The mechanic who fixed it definitely should have caught it the second time if they were too lazy to catch it the first time. A Cap is all you need. The Cap stabalizes voltage during musical peaks and makes it easier for the alternator. The alternator doesn't even kick on until voltage dips at the battery. By that time the musical peak has passed. If you paid for three alternators and didn't have a car for several days I wold definitely take the car to a reputable alternatoror electrical shop to find the real problem. Get it in writing and then demand a refund from the mechanic who replaced the alternator twice. Do this before you do anything else or it will die again. Ford truck used to have serious wiring problems that would cause this.

 

Thank you for the help. I paid for the first alternator. there was a year warranty on it so the other two times were free. He said that everything check out fine the first time. Do you think that I should still get the car check out for a short or will a cacp be goos enough?

 

With just 400 watts your electrical system shouldn't be straining so hard. But maybe the 3rd gen alternator is significantly less powerful than the 4th gen. The lights definitely should not be dimming with just headunit power. Unless you seriously undersized the power wire and or ground going to the headunit.

 

Get the cap. It is not too expensive and will stop the dimming of your lights.

SuDZ

 

You misread. He said the lights were dimming with just headunit power. Cap typicaly gets installed inline with the amp. Won't help if the headunit is causing the light to dim. That's why I suspect there is a more significant problem in this vehicle. Even my wifes VW doesn't need a cap for 400 watts.

 

well i have 300 watts and my lights dim....however my b/f has 600 watts and his don't...but his h/u does cut off sometimes