witch battery
Jan 24, 2010, 08:02 PM
#2
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Get a 10 Farad capacitor. That will help a lot!! If you just want to get a battery, go Optima! Red Top for daily driver, Yellow top for weekend racer. Yellow top is Gel and can be very hard to start in winter, but is a deep cycle which means it can be fully discharged and then fully recharged to max capacity. Yellow also recharges much faster.
I have a red top. Love it!
I have a red top. Love it!
Jan 24, 2010, 11:36 PM
#6
I agree with the capacitor. I used to run 2 JL 12's in the back of my Prelude and it would dim the lights sometimes. I got a 3 farad capacitor for mine and it did the trick. 10 might be a little much.
The battery probably isn't bad, you are just overdrawing on its current. Swapping out for a new one likely wont fix anything. Try a smaller capacitor first, it will be cheaper, and probably will fix the problem completely.
Watch the spelling, or else put your flame suit on.
The battery probably isn't bad, you are just overdrawing on its current. Swapping out for a new one likely wont fix anything. Try a smaller capacitor first, it will be cheaper, and probably will fix the problem completely.
Watch the spelling, or else put your flame suit on.
Jan 25, 2010, 06:35 AM
#7
Upgrade your alternator. That's the only true fix. Bigger batteries and adding capacitors are just band-aids that don't fix the real problem. The real problem being that your audio system along with all the other electric needs of the car, are drawing more amps than the stock alternator can provide.
EDIT: And let me just say that an alternator upgrade is an extreme way of solving this issue of dimming headlights. A capacitor or better battery can help. But, in the end, it's not solving the root problem.
Back when I had my IX, I put in a decent stereo. Had light dimming. A forum member set up a group buy for new alternators. I believe it was around $250-275 for the new alternator. So, price is not that bad. You could spend that much on a new Optima battery and a capacitor.
EDIT: And let me just say that an alternator upgrade is an extreme way of solving this issue of dimming headlights. A capacitor or better battery can help. But, in the end, it's not solving the root problem.
Back when I had my IX, I put in a decent stereo. Had light dimming. A forum member set up a group buy for new alternators. I believe it was around $250-275 for the new alternator. So, price is not that bad. You could spend that much on a new Optima battery and a capacitor.
Last edited by atombomb33; Jan 25, 2010 at 11:18 AM.
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Jan 25, 2010, 10:30 AM
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Jan 26, 2010, 08:12 AM
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Which, which is witch? 
Agreed. /thread/ 
Upgrade your alternator. That's the only true fix. Bigger batteries and adding capacitors are just band-aids that don't fix the real problem. The real problem being that your audio system along with all the other electric needs of the car, are drawing more amps than the stock alternator can provide.
EDIT: And let me just say that an alternator upgrade is an extreme way of solving this issue of dimming headlights. A capacitor or better battery can help. But, in the end, it's not solving the root problem.
Back when I had my IX, I put in a decent stereo. Had light dimming. A forum member set up a group buy for new alternators. I believe it was around $250-275 for the new alternator. So, price is not that bad. You could spend that much on a new Optima battery and a capacitor.
EDIT: And let me just say that an alternator upgrade is an extreme way of solving this issue of dimming headlights. A capacitor or better battery can help. But, in the end, it's not solving the root problem.
Back when I had my IX, I put in a decent stereo. Had light dimming. A forum member set up a group buy for new alternators. I believe it was around $250-275 for the new alternator. So, price is not that bad. You could spend that much on a new Optima battery and a capacitor.
Last edited by HR2L; Jan 26, 2010 at 08:14 AM.
Jan 26, 2010, 06:52 PM
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Upgrade your alternator. That's the only true fix. Bigger batteries and adding capacitors are just band-aids that don't fix the real problem. The real problem being that your audio system along with all the other electric needs of the car, are drawing more amps than the stock alternator can provide.
EDIT: And let me just say that an alternator upgrade is an extreme way of solving this issue of dimming headlights. A capacitor or better battery can help. But, in the end, it's not solving the root problem.
Back when I had my IX, I put in a decent stereo. Had light dimming. A forum member set up a group buy for new alternators. I believe it was around $250-275 for the new alternator. So, price is not that bad. You could spend that much on a new Optima battery and a capacitor.
EDIT: And let me just say that an alternator upgrade is an extreme way of solving this issue of dimming headlights. A capacitor or better battery can help. But, in the end, it's not solving the root problem.
Back when I had my IX, I put in a decent stereo. Had light dimming. A forum member set up a group buy for new alternators. I believe it was around $250-275 for the new alternator. So, price is not that bad. You could spend that much on a new Optima battery and a capacitor.
Jan 27, 2010, 07:18 AM
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In the world of car audio capacitors are a joke. They just look cool and some even show you voltage. The quick fix is upgrading you existing battery with a deep cell.
I prefer Kinetik. Optima are decent but not the best.
Along with upgrading the battery you can do what is called the big 3.
Big 3 = upgraded wire from battery to alt., battery to chassis, chassis to engine block
If these two upgrades don't fix the problem its time to upgrade to a high output alt.
capacitor = waste of money
battery = easy fix but can be pricey
big 3 = easy fix and cheap
HO alt = expensive
I prefer Kinetik. Optima are decent but not the best.
Along with upgrading the battery you can do what is called the big 3.
Big 3 = upgraded wire from battery to alt., battery to chassis, chassis to engine block
If these two upgrades don't fix the problem its time to upgrade to a high output alt.
capacitor = waste of money
battery = easy fix but can be pricey
big 3 = easy fix and cheap
HO alt = expensive