Is it my Alternator?
Thread Starter
10 Second Club
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 117
Likes: 0
From: Clearwater, Florida
Is it my Alternator? Just replaced my battery cables throughout my car. Lights still dim and turn signals really slow as well as windows taking longer than normal to go up or down. I also have a small system and when the bass hits, the volts dip. DO i need a new alternator? 
Any help would be great.
Any help would be great. 
FormerVendor
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 124
Likes: 0
From: www.SparksAI.com
It could be a weak alternator, but I would look towards the battery first. Just like a cap provides additional power for an amplifier when it starts hitting hard, your battery acts as a backup while youre car is running. Introducing aditional load without assistance from the battery will cause a lot of the symptoms you are experiencing. Luckily both parts are usually free to have tested out at a local auto parts store.
11 Second Club
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 300
Likes: 1
From: Central Florida
+1.
Put the battery on a trickle charge overnight to ensure it's full. Check it w/a DMM in the morning. If the voltage is <12.45, you probably have a weak battery. If the volts are >12.45, start the motor and check the output voltage on the alternator. Should be about 14-15 volts at idle. If it's under 14v, your alternator is dying. It's likely that the additional load of the sound system thumping on the electrical system is too much for the battery to overcome with a compromised alternator.
Get it fixed ASAP. I just learned the hard way not to ignore a dying alternator. My car came home on a hook today.
Put the battery on a trickle charge overnight to ensure it's full. Check it w/a DMM in the morning. If the voltage is <12.45, you probably have a weak battery. If the volts are >12.45, start the motor and check the output voltage on the alternator. Should be about 14-15 volts at idle. If it's under 14v, your alternator is dying. It's likely that the additional load of the sound system thumping on the electrical system is too much for the battery to overcome with a compromised alternator.
Get it fixed ASAP. I just learned the hard way not to ignore a dying alternator. My car came home on a hook today.
