turboslug

Just curious but if one is using a stock electrical system, how much current can be drawn from it before the lights blink?

I can make the lights blink quite severely even if i'm drawing less than 25amps....this is w/ the car running or just drawing current from the battery....i'm thinking it might be time for a new battery but this also happens if the car is running...

So what are your opinions on the cause of this problem? Something that bugs me is the fact that the amp bypasses the ELD since the amp is wired directly to the battery while the ELD is in the fuse box. I can try upgrading stuff like grounding, changing battery, or alternator but I'm drawing so little current that i shouldn't have to, right?

christmaspie

How are you measuring current draw, 25amps is for your audio only or is this at the alternator? What year and trim level to figure out alternator output?

I know there's some capacitor haters out there but you'd be surprised how helpful a properly installed and utilized capacitor can be, especially when using amplifiers.

Current delivered after the alternator has been maxed out comes from your vehicle battery. I run a yellow top (specifically made for our civics) and I have two amplifiers and a 1F cap. I have no blinking issues at all, and I really didn't have any issues before I stepped up to the yellow top. I know the ELD bypass is supposed to be an issue and my voltage is usually 13.8-14.3 (radar detector) but you'd have to be pulling quite a bit of power out of the battery to have blinky lights. Let me know what you have for electronics, audio stuff, etc. and we can go from there.

turboslug

25amps is audio only...if you want more background info, i dont turn on the car's current draining accessories...

heh...current can be measured easily....ie..w/ a a 100Amp current shunt and a good Fluke voltmeter

actually, i know it's less than 25amps just because i shoved a 25amp fuse in line w/ the audio system.. =p

i really dont think the lights should be blinking with such low current draw...

i'll have to do investigate this further but i have a feeling it's a combination of a crappy battery and that stupid ELD that turns off the alternator when it doesnt detect a load...(stereo isn't connected to ELD cuz the ELD is in the fuse box)

christmaspie

Lights shouldn't be blinking with that current draw at all, done a number of amp jobs in these of equal or larger size with no problems. I suspect the battery or a corroded connection at the batt perhaps. Battery voltage??

The only ELD issue I saw in my civic is my battery voltage was usually 13.3 at the least and around 13.7 for the most part with my factory battery. Like I stated earlier, higher voltages with the yellow top even though it is actually a larger drain on the charging system than the factory batt was.

Have to love the Fluke stuff, I always bring my meter and leads to my labs, the stuff they provide at school doesn't compare at all. AC/DC Current clamp is a real powerful tool as well.

turboslug

school actually used cheap stuff? i got to use some pretty nice stuff when i was in school...

battery terminals are fine...i'll have to go out to measure voltage..haven't had time yet...

christmaspie

PXI based DMM is sweet but sometimes a quick reading is more useful. The handheld DMM is locked into this large block so someone won't steal it (this is a $30 meter at most), and the only leads they have are pointy probes. I need some gator clips man.

I usually bring in at least three wire strippers, most other folks dinking around with the all in one spring stripper.

Devani

iTrader: (2)

Fluke DMM is very misleading when measuring AC current with frequency over 100Khz..its only good for 10K and below for any accurate measurement...i dont know what model fluke you use but i can show you the datasheet if you can tell me....

although likely your says on the front that its a true rms...if you read the spec sheet its a diffrent story..

even PXI based DMM is good for only pcb based applicationshttp://www.signametrics.com/software..._specsheet.pdf

this $2395 one that i included with datasheet is not for automotive applications....i am assuming that you are using much more expensive units to test...then i am wrong....

i am assuming that you are using at least 10 guage wires to power your sup...

with GND wire less than 2 feet with 10 or better wire...

what i am saying is that there is no one equipment to measure all readings...

my company uses $30k 3458A HP meter...but its not good for all frequencies...

to get back to your question...since you are using the amp directly from the battery which specs at 80A or so correct me if i am wrong...you are already using significant amount of current..most amps do not tell you the operating current and max current...or the efficiency...so no way of knowing...

its not all about the voltage is what i am trying to tell you...current plays a big part when it comes to audio amps......you have so many variables that it is hard to pinpoint the problem without knowing all....is my whole pont...

the fuse you have is 25A rated..but is it slow blow?? or fast acting? at what temp?? its 25A but it will not necessarily break at 25A...it depends on the transient respone...do you have a cap installed???

turboslug

the fluke 87 is a very common DMM..if i remember correctly, it can measure up to 10khz in the mV range....

christmaspie

Luckily, the currents I tend to measure in a vehicle with my clamp are DC. Frequency is irrelevant.

alpinecivic2

i have a 2004 civic with a 700W alpine amp pulling from the battery. no capacitor. stock head unit, at half volume i notice it blinking. but when the bass is hitting hard other people outside notice it too. so a puny 700W amp can do that, civics just don't have good alternators and batterys. thier made for economy, not pushing big amps

hwt101

iTrader: (12)

i have a JL 500/1 and 300/2 a Kinetics 1400, a 170amp alternator, 2 guage wiring and i still get a light dimming every now and then( really has to be turned up and on for a min though ( DAMN LUDA ).

D17thgen

iTrader: (1)

try additional grounding points using whatever power wire size you have running to your amps, and preferably the "big-3".

auto84

iTrader: (2)

I have a single strand of 4ga that goes from my (stock) alternator, to my battery, then to the trunk. I have a 4ga ground strap for the battery and one for the engine. I have a Crossfire VR1000D (1000w rms [1300 actual]), Crossfire VR202 (200 rms) and a Crossfire VR354 (350rms) and a stinger SP1000^2 battery. It can be turned WAY up (at least 100A of constant current draw) without any headlight dimming.

I know that doesnt help the stock wiring question, but hey, it lets you know what that peice of crap stock alternator can do.

hwt101

iTrader: (12)

i have 4 gauge wires grounding and i also upgraded teh power wires

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

i just hold two of the power window switches up when the window is already closed and it dims the lights pretty good. our cars suck for electrical system.