Rep Power: 0

I have a Alpine 9833 HU and about 2 months ago bought a kicker k600.1 (which is 600wRMS) amp and 15" Kicker Solobaric L Square Subwoofer. No capacitor. About a week ago, the charging system indicator light comes on flashing ocasionally and then stops. There doesn't seem to be any pattern of when it comes on and off but I do notice that when its on, when I tried my wipers they were slow even at the fastest setting. Can someone tell me what it going on. Is the amp too much for the stock alternator / battery to handle and what should I do about it?

 
Rep Power: 786

shouldnt be too much to handle, but look into it, have your charging system checked otu

 
Rep Power: 328

If the car has high miles it could just be that the alternator is finally crapping out and has nothing to do with the stereo. Like megahurtz said, get the charging system checked, it's usually free at places like VIP, AutoZone and PepBoys.

 
Rep Power: 336

alternator might now always be on cause of constant drain on battery from amp pulling power. get alternator checked. then battery. if its not those, then get a capacitor, or down tune the amp.

 
Rep Power: 0

So a capacitor would help? I didn't think I would need one for a 600w RMS amp...who knows...I don't even understand what a capacitor does....

I only have 19,000 miles on the civic

If the alternator wasn't working, wouldn't the car just not run anymore? It's been running with the light on and off randomly for a week...It would be a lot cheaper to get a capacitor than a new higher output alternator (those run at like 399$, right?)

 
Rep Power: 0

btw...how does one "tune down an amp?"

 
Rep Power: 336

600 watt rms amp??? disconnect the amp from the system for a day and drive it. if it goes off, then something is not right with the wiring of the system in general. without the alternator working the battery would die after a little while. go check the alternator and battery. you would not need a capacitor with a 600 watt rms amp

 
Rep Power: 0

caps wont do anything 4 u... well they do but it is not worth the $. get the alt and batt checked.

 
Rep Power: 0

Ok so i went to get it checked out and the guy at the service center said my alternator is dead because i never got a capacitor for it....and he had to order me a new alternator which is coming in monday...

so i went out and bought a 2 fahrad capacitor and now the charging system indicator light went off, wtf?

so i'm thinking about not taking the car in to get a new alternator on monday because it seems ok now...and i don't want to spend 500$

Plus, if my alternator was shot, I wouldn't have been able to drive for 2 weeks like I already have....

If worse comes to worse, I'll just get my alternator replaced at the dealership. I think it'll be covered. I have API warranty as well as the factory honda warranty...

 
Rep Power: 257

ok for one thing $500 to replace an alt. is way too much, but you do need a new one. the stress you have put on the current alt. could be enough to cause it to fail at anytime. so i wouldnt take the risk. dont go to the dealer to replace the alt. you will get over charged and that goes for anything dont ever take the car to the dealer they overcharge for everything. do you know anyone like a friend that is a good mechanic or is familiar with engines. cause replacing an alt. isnt that hard. the cap will only help you for so long

 
Rep Power: 257

oh and by messing with the electrical system your honda warranty is void for that system so i dont think that your coverd

 
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u really think so?

 
Rep Power: 328

If your car has only 19,000 miles on it it's under the factory warranty, and Honda will cover it as long as you disconnect your amp power cable from the battery and pull it back through the firewall. Make it so they can't tell you have a system and you'll be fine. FYI, I got my alternator replaced at approx. 80,000 miles with a higher output (117 amp I think) for about $350, so $500 is a major rip.

 
Rep Power: 336

dude, there is no reason it should be 500 bucks. you can get a new alternator for around 35-100 dollars. 35 normal alt. 100 high out-put. a 2 farad cap is overkill for a 600 watt amp. overkill x4. so for every 500 watts you are running, your supposed to get .5 farad cap. this is from my personal exprrience. i have a 2k watt amp and HAD 2 12"s till i blew them with the amp. lights went out in a buick, with a huge battery, they blinked everytime the subs hit. the amp pulled alot of power. so cap helps. if you don't want to waste money on the cap(which is a waste of cash) get a high out-put alternator for around 70 bucks to 100 and get it installed by a mechanic or yourself. its not that hard. that should help. take the cap back and get a new alt, get a mechanic to install it. not the dealership. you should be ok then. you should know that a high out-put alternator puts more of a load on your motor. so its giving up hp from the parasitic loss to power the car. but 600 watts should not be killing your alternator. if it is then the amp is advertised at alot less wattage than it really is. good luck and stop getting ripped off. btw down tuning is when you put the gain to a lower setting, and everything else to a lower setting so the amp pulls less power from the battery. have fun

 
Rep Power: 0

any reccomendations for buying a good quality high output alternator online?

I think thats the route i'm going to go because if i get another factory alternator, its just going to do the same thing in a matter of time... Plus I don't know how to pull the wires back through the firewall. I didn't do the installation....

 
Rep Power: 0

I didnt until I read I certain thread where it got all technical and broke it down for me and it really made sense. But I do have 3 1F rockford caps right now so.....

 
Rep Power: 257

maybe this will help you better understand how your electrical system uses power

http://www.betteraudio.com/geolemon/newmain/battcapalt/

let me know if you have more questions

 
Rep Power: 0

Ok, I read it... i'm still stuck in a rut because my charging system indicator flashes when I'm not high RPMs. I don't know if having the kicker k600.1 amp without any sort of capacitor for the last 2 months might of damaged my alternator beyond repair.

The people at the service station seemed to think I wouldn't be able to make it home from the service station but i had been driving 2 weeks with the light ocasionally coming on without any sort of problem. I had my alternator died on my 6th gen civic and the car just wouldn't start whatsoever....so if the alternator that is dead, how was i able to drive the last 2 weeks?


The article says the last thing that should be upgraded should be the alternator and i believe all the wiring is ok...so i just don't know whether to take it to honda with the cords out for a warranty repair (i also have api extended warranty), or just buy a high output alternator and install that...

Sometime i regret even buying a subwoofer at all or I wish atleast I knew a little more about this kinda stuff (although that article was informative)

 
Rep Power: 257

ok well like i said earlier you do need a new one. the stress you have put on the current alt. could be enough to cause it to fail at anytime. so i wouldnt take the risk. dont go to the dealer to replace the alt. you will get over charged.

and do you know anyone like a friend that is a good mechanic or is familiar with engines. cause replacing an alt. isnt that hard.

 
Rep Power: 0

I can have my roomates dad replace it but here is the question:

1. can i get a stock alternator or will it die again?
2. will honda replace the alternator with the amp going to the battery or no (still under factory warranty....)
3. will an extended warranty (api) cover it with an amp wired to the battery?
4. if you suggest a high output alternator what kind and where to buy one for the best price?

 
Rep Power: 257

well now that you have a cap (a 2 farad cap at that) you can do a stock alternator just as long as you have that cap and may i recommend that you upgrade your grounding its in the diy here on 7thgen and when you get your new stock alternotor installed ask if he can upgrade your power wire from your alternator to your battery+ and upgrade means replacing or adding a larger guage wire

 
Rep Power: 257

oh and your just going have to go to honda and see if theyll do it but i dont think they will so the extended warranty may come in handy

 
Rep Power: 328

The alternator could be not charging at low RPM...thats how mine was when it died. Was fine on the highway in 4th gear but if I was in the city it would flash, then it finally just died. A 600 watt amp is not taxing your alternator to the point where it would die. I ran 1500+ watts for 2 1/2 years on my stock alternator before it went at over 80,000 miles. A cap will not help at all, it's MORE of a drain on the electrical system.

If you pull your wires out of the engine bay and Honda cant see them, it will be covered by your warranty.

 
Rep Power: 289

Definately have Honda do this so you can use your warranty, pull the wires and the speakers out if you have to! When they fix it, you can do two things 1) Use the cap you bought with the set-up and be fine or 2) Buy a yellow top optima with the cap and the set-up and be even better off!!!

 
Rep Power: 0

Ok... so i have an appointment for service on wednesday and I'm going to have the wires pulled full the firewall before that... i should be ok...

I just don't want all this to happen again....

 
Rep Power: 328

just make sure you hide the wires under your carpeting so they dont see them.

 
Rep Power: 0

the guy at circuit city seemed to think the amp / sub has nothing to do with the fact that the alternator is on its way out but who has a civic alternator die at 19K miles!!!

Shows you how much circuit city knows

 
Rep Power: 0

OK so all is good but it was just the battery and they replaced it free of charge....was it because i didn't get a capacitor at first?

 
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Ok, so i go to start my car today and the flashing light comes on again. I'm stumped for ideas now :-\

 
Rep Power: 0

bump