Voltage Waving Back and Forth
11-22-2009, 01:17 PM
#11
Retired Administrator
True Car Nut
Sounds like your audio system is pulling more amps than the factory alternator and/or electrical infrastructure was designed to carry.
A few thoughts in order of return on time:
Ensure all battery/ alternator connections are flawlessly clean, seated properly and have no cuts or other damage (allowing the amps the full path of the cable)
Replace alternator with a aftermarket alternator with a higher amp capacity (you may have to then follow up with lower gauge wire from alternator
Go with lower gauge wire to audio system (higher the gauge cable, more resistance in the wire- think of a cable just like a water pipe, except a cable actually resists some electricity when it gets near capacity along with uses electricty on the distance
Replace audio components with ones that offer same performance that use less amps
Off topic- I live on a highway and must be getting old, I get irritated when so many cars drive by playing rap with the base booming. I think it is disrespectful whens a cars music system penetrates my house (even though I have 2x6 insulated outside walls)....
A few thoughts in order of return on time:
Ensure all battery/ alternator connections are flawlessly clean, seated properly and have no cuts or other damage (allowing the amps the full path of the cable)
Replace alternator with a aftermarket alternator with a higher amp capacity (you may have to then follow up with lower gauge wire from alternator
Go with lower gauge wire to audio system (higher the gauge cable, more resistance in the wire- think of a cable just like a water pipe, except a cable actually resists some electricity when it gets near capacity along with uses electricty on the distance
Replace audio components with ones that offer same performance that use less amps
Off topic- I live on a highway and must be getting old, I get irritated when so many cars drive by playing rap with the base booming. I think it is disrespectful whens a cars music system penetrates my house (even though I have 2x6 insulated outside walls)....
11-22-2009, 02:04 PM
#12
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yeah... I'm thinking that when I installed my new alternator and I was attaching the wire to it that runs to the fuse box I didn't make it tight enough or something because as I was tightening it, it started sparking and it scared the **** out of me so i stopped.. lol.
and yes the voltage meter waving back and for between 14 and 16 still happens with the radio off.
and yes the voltage meter waving back and for between 14 and 16 still happens with the radio off.
Last edited by do9105; 11-22-2009 at 02:14 PM.
11-22-2009, 03:44 PM
#14
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if your voltage is fluctuating your voltage regulator in you alternator could be going bad but unless its not working at all don't worry about it.
if your lights are dimming its because your using excess amount of power obviously not designed by GM.
even if your voltage gauge doesn't move its because the instrument cluster reads what the BCM see'* which has a slight lag and "bass" hits wont necessarily be seen.
the high pitch sound is improper installation of an amp. probably has the RCA'* running on the same side as the power wire, or just plan CHEAP RCA'*.
its definitely not your belt we have tensioners so its not slipping. the most id do it check its health.
if your lights are dimming its because your using excess amount of power obviously not designed by GM.
even if your voltage gauge doesn't move its because the instrument cluster reads what the BCM see'* which has a slight lag and "bass" hits wont necessarily be seen.
the high pitch sound is improper installation of an amp. probably has the RCA'* running on the same side as the power wire, or just plan CHEAP RCA'*.
its definitely not your belt we have tensioners so its not slipping. the most id do it check its health.
11-22-2009, 03:51 PM
#15
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if your voltage is fluctuating your voltage regulator in you alternator could be going bad but unless its not working at all don't worry about it.
if your lights are dimming its because your using excess amount of power obviously not designed by GM.
even if your voltage gauge doesn't move its because the instrument cluster reads what the BCM see'* which has a slight lag and "bass" hits wont necessarily be seen.
the high pitch sound is improper installation of an amp. probably has the RCA'* running on the same side as the power wire, or just plan CHEAP RCA'*.
its definitely not your belt we have tensioners so its not slipping. the most id do it check its health.
if your lights are dimming its because your using excess amount of power obviously not designed by GM.
even if your voltage gauge doesn't move its because the instrument cluster reads what the BCM see'* which has a slight lag and "bass" hits wont necessarily be seen.
the high pitch sound is improper installation of an amp. probably has the RCA'* running on the same side as the power wire, or just plan CHEAP RCA'*.
its definitely not your belt we have tensioners so its not slipping. the most id do it check its health.
I know what a whine sounds like when its a bad amp install. I've had that happen before, but I fixed it. Even if it was a bad amp install though it wouldn't make the alternator whine.. It would be a whining noise coming from my speakers. My RCA wires and my power wires are running on opposite sides also. Neither are they cheap RCA wires.
11-22-2009, 03:52 PM
#16
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and of course your going to get sparks when something with an electrical load has a loose connection.
next time make sure the car is off when messing with battery cables/ and or your fuse box. any disruption can cause a surge and fry components like a BCM or pretty much any module.
the ultimate solution to you dimming lights since you have a low wattage setup would just get a Capacitor it will stop the dimming lights.
Installing a higher amp alternator will not necessarily stop the slight dim you see from an aftermarket amp.
next time make sure the car is off when messing with battery cables/ and or your fuse box. any disruption can cause a surge and fry components like a BCM or pretty much any module.
the ultimate solution to you dimming lights since you have a low wattage setup would just get a Capacitor it will stop the dimming lights.
Installing a higher amp alternator will not necessarily stop the slight dim you see from an aftermarket amp.
11-22-2009, 03:54 PM
#18
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have you verified your voltage is actually fluctuating? have you used a VMM at the battery? and at the alternator? amp?.. I've seen bad clusters before.
how do you know its the alternator anyways? just cause of a high pitch noise that could easily come from a bad bearing in the water pump...a pully...
and Im not sure where you hooked up your power wire but the battery is under the backseat (sorry if that sounds stupid but we get several people asking where the battery is.) so running 4guage (or any size) is a breeze.... I have seen people run a power wire from the from the front fuse box for some dumbass reason.
how do you know its the alternator anyways? just cause of a high pitch noise that could easily come from a bad bearing in the water pump...a pully...
and Im not sure where you hooked up your power wire but the battery is under the backseat (sorry if that sounds stupid but we get several people asking where the battery is.) so running 4guage (or any size) is a breeze.... I have seen people run a power wire from the from the front fuse box for some dumbass reason.
Last edited by RPerry435; 11-22-2009 at 04:05 PM.
11-22-2009, 05:50 PM
#19
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x2 on the cap, and or get more Battery. I've seen a lot of aftermarket audio dim lights even with a high output alternator. One of the things the extra battery/and or cap will do is save the alternator diode wear. Grounding lug on Bonnevilles with the rear seat battery is a weak point. Helps to upgrade the lug, sand the paint off the body pan around the threaded area, and use anti oxidant paste.
11-22-2009, 11:16 PM
#20
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x2 on the cap, and or get more Battery. I've seen a lot of aftermarket audio dim lights even with a high output alternator. One of the things the extra battery/and or cap will do is save the alternator diode wear. Grounding lug on Bonnevilles with the rear seat battery is a weak point. Helps to upgrade the lug, sand the paint off the body pan around the threaded area, and use anti oxidant paste.
Any luck yet? We'll get this figured out.
