ok, so i have been into car audio for a while now. not like extreme or anything or competeing or anything like that, just every car i have owned i have some sort of system. with that being said i know a little bit here and there but this one kinda got me.


problem,


when the bass drops really hard on my stereo, like when i listen to rap and it has sections where there are long bass drops, sometimes my head unit with just shut off or turn off whatever you want to call it. it just shuts itself off then restarts itself. my guess is my battery isnt charged enough because i have noticed lately that when its raining, of course i turn my headlights on, my windshield wipers on, and the ac and i notice it seems to do it more. maybe the head unit has some sort of safety thing on it or something idk.


if anyone has a clue that would be awsome.

thanks guys!

 

too much draw on the alternator and it can't hold up.


Put a multimeter on the batt or anywhere connected to the main powering system and then turn on a/c, wipers, engine fans (if you can override them), and headlights/foglights and on highbeams... then do maximum bassssssssssss, watch the volts, I bet they drop to some obscene one digit number.

 

oh yeh, its one of the reasons I put a little voltmeter gauge (just like for boost and oil pressure and that bs) in my altima because of the constant power fluxes i was having. It was kinda cool seeing the needle dip quite a bit on a lot of bass, but never went under too bad (two new batts and a brand new alt helps a lot). Get one at advanced auto for like 20 bucks, or buy mine for 10. ;P

 

im having the same exact dam problem.....when you have the stereo up, you can see the headlights fade in and out. i got a 5 farad cap on mine and it still does it. so is that a definate alternator problem???

 

awsome exactly what i was thinking. i have a volt/ohm meter at my shop ill test it out. would a cap do anything to help this? i have read here and ther a cap does nothing and its a waste and can actually put MORE stress on your charging system. im not a really a bass,thumpin,knockin w/e you want to call it. i listen to metal and sometimes the the bass drops too low and shuts off.

 

when you do find the exact problem, let me know PLZ. it really sucks!!!!!

 

from what i just read, its a power drop. when everything is running and the volts drop too low it kills it. maybe an optima and higher output alt. and possibly a cap if the car audio guys on here will think it will help.


oh and my lights dim so damn bad it looks like im flashing people on interstate. so i usually don't blast it at night on the interstate or at lights. i hate when people blast their shit at red lights and fucking rattle my car. don't get me wrong i love loud music, thats why i have my shit but damn have some respect. i know not everyone whats to listen to death metal rattling their car at a light so i don't do it.

sorry for the rant, just got out of hand for a second....back on track now

 

The problem is voltage and amperage. The cap is designed to keep voltage there during quick voltage drops in the electrical system. However, it recharges itself from the charging system (Alt. and battery) and those slow bass notes need current from the alternator and a good high amperage / deep cycle battery to stabilize it. The problem is that a high output Alt. is pretty expensive and most people dont spend the $. You need to have the charging system checked to see is the Alt. has been damaged from the abuse. Make sure you are using high quality cable and that the connections are clean. Battery terminals and grounds should be clean from debris and the ground cable of the amp should not be longer than 18".
If you can afford it, Get a blue top Optima and have the alternator upgraded at a local alt. rebuild shop. They can tweak and upgrade them pretty reasonably. Good luck!

P.S. The battery voltage in the car is probably dropping below 10volts and that is where most head units shut off like your is doing. It also affects the ECU voltage which affects performance. That is why compnaies like Apexi etc. sell all those grounding kits. They ensure the engine is getting good grounds for maximum output.You can test this by using a digital volt meterand watching the voltage at the radio when the bass hits.

 

soooo cell battery, rebuilt alt. should solve this problem??? i think all i have is a 70 amp or watt alt. i was thinking about getting it rebuilt. how much more power should i try and get from the alt.?

 

Its been a while since I have had one rebuilt but the last time was around $200/ but way cheaper than 600 + for new one from stinger or some other brand. Use a sealed High amperage gel cell battery like the Blue top. Very good for your application however, depending on your car you may have to relocate it to the rear.