HELP PLEASE!! New Batt+ New H.O. ALT= WORSE DIMMING pics included

[jco1385 5,000+ posts]

maybe you need to upgrade the headlight wiring. i know some cars (like mine) it can be done, and yields better output

 

[regal8r 5,000+ posts]

I always heard the blue was retarded for car audio also.
Yellow is where its at.

blue=yellow, optima just says the blues are to be used for marine use

 

[jdawg 5,000+ posts]

I thought it had more to do with the CCA and voltage than the marine/car implications.

Depends on which blue. Some are deep cycle, some are deepcycle/starting. The blues are a little nicer cause the have batt posts and a threaded stud. They have stainless terminals too so they dont corrode.

 

[snb778 5,000+ posts]

ok just to clear the air with everyone for the Optima batteries.. I have been doin a ton of research on em in the last few days...

There are 3 kinds of Blue Tops. The 34M (marine) is rated 800/1000... its strictly a Starting Battery. The D34M and D31M (D=Deep Cycle) are the exact same power ratings as the 34/31 yellowtops... ONLY difference is the Posts configuration.. This is directly from an Optima Tech.

 

[CRXBMPN 5,000+ posts]

if you have a 550cca battery that is MOST LIKELY your problem... that is such a small battery I wouldnt be surprised if a lawnmower brick battery had more juice than whatever you had in there.

 

[snb778 5,000+ posts]

if you have a 550cca battery that is MOST LIKELY your problem... that is such a small battery I wouldnt be surprised if a lawnmower brick battery had more juice than whatever you had in there.

I agree.. But it was a Deep Cycle, so I figure the loss of the CCA for the Deep Cycle would still be better than my stock Batt...

I am gettin the blueTop today though...

As far as the head light wiring.. My Mechanic said the same thing... just because even with the smaller battery, he said it still held a charge of 14.2 Under load....????

For the record, im not 100% sure it was 550CCA... it was an AudioForce 550.. so that could be regular CA...so CCA could have been like 650... still not much though.. I know.

 

[socaliguy81 10+ year member]

To SNB778:

Possible issues-

1. HO Alt wasn't installed correctly.

2. HO Alt has a regulator on it that is keeping it from melting your factory wiring because the gague is too small.

3. Double check your ground to your amp. Increasing the amperage means the ground is going to be tested at higher levels also.

4. As mentioned above, the RPMs and also Temperature can adversly affect the Alts performance.

Good luck!

 

[snb778 5,000+ posts]

Got the blue top.. dunno if im gonna have time to put it in today/ or until after the weekend. Ill update once I get it in...

I dunno how an Alt. is installed, but I thought it was just the 3 bolts and the 1 pulley.

 

[iamamp3pimp 5,000+ posts]

is that with the car on? if so it sure doesnt sound very good.

what?

whens the last time you competed?

 

[fatryan 5,000+ posts]

what?
whens the last time you competed?

never, which is why i asked

 

[iamamp3pimp 5,000+ posts]

o

nah its fine, if your batts hold voltage its fine...

 

[Kenneth10483 10+ year member]

What you might want to try is if you have a battery charger, charge the battery over night on 2 amps and see if it still does it. I had that problem once my alternator wasnt charging my batteries full so i would have to put it on the charger on 2 amps over night never had a problem since

 

[socaliguy81 10+ year member]

Got the blue top.. dunno if im gonna have time to put it in today/ or until after the weekend. Ill update once I get it in...
I dunno how an Alt. is installed, but I thought it was just the 3 bolts and the 1 pulley.

When I say "installed', I mean along the lines of wiring and whether or not the right rague wire was used. If you can provide us with the spec on the alt, it might point toward an obvious problem such as X amperage at Y RPM.