keep blowing headlight bulbs

[red-i]

Ok.. i just blew a PIAA bulb 2 weeks ago (under a year so I can get it replaced). in the meantime i threw my old pair of eurolites in and this morning i realized one of those bulbs went also. I've got a 240w rms amp for my sub (2x20A fuses) pushing 1 12'' cerwin sub. using 4 gauge. have an alpine 9811 HU. I got the hypergrounding kit from lockdown also. I do get a bit of headlight dimming but only at very loud volumes. Oh, I've also added a 4gauge grounding wire to the battery (since i'm running 4 gauge power wire to the sub).

What else can I do to prevent my lights from blowing? I do try to turn off the stereo and lights before shutting off the car but sometimes I forget. could this alone be doing it? would upgrading my alternator ground help? Would adding a cap help?

I'd like to get rid of the slight dimming i get at high volumes as well as stop the bulbs from going. any suggestions? I really doubt I need a hi current alt for my setup.

[Myk]

The light dimming is common with big amps. I had that on my Dodge, the headlights dimmed with the bass. Shouldn't need a bigger laternator.

The headlights going must be just back luck and timing.

[CrazyCaker]

I highly doubt that it's your system blowing your head lights. I have never had a problem like that before. A 1 Farad cap should be enough to get rid of the dimming you are experiencing at loud volumes. The general rule of thumb is 1 Farad for each 1000w, I usually do this based on the peak power. With my current setup I am running about 1800w peak with 2 caps, and have no dimming and have never blowen a head light yet. Hope this helps abit.

[red-i]

Thanks guys. I may go and pick up a cap this week from futureshop since i've got a gift certificate lying around.

just seems wierd that i never had any headlight issues but as soon as i got my amp and sub and HU hooked up, i've blown 2 bulbs!

[CrazyCaker]

FS over charges for caps.  Get it somewhere else.  Save the gift cert. for something else you need.  You should be able to find a cap for around $100, unless you want something fancy like digital volt meter on cap etc. Just a suggestion.

I was told that all caps are pretty much the same, you are just paying more because Fosgate (eg.) decides to put their sticker on it.

[ChopstickHero]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (CrazyCaker @ Jan. 13 2004,10:27)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">FS over charges for caps. Get it somewhere else. Save the gift cert. for something else you need. You should be able to find a cap for around $100, unless you want something fancy like digital volt meter on cap etc. Just a suggestion.

I was told that all caps are pretty much the same, you are just paying more because Fosgate (eg.) decides to put their sticker on it.[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
i got a Monster Cable 0.5 farad cap at XSCARGO for $39. they used to sell 1.0 farad caps (both digital and non-digital display) for about $99 and $129. not a bad deal when it was there.... not sure if they have them anymore.

anyways, i've been busy and haven't even installed it yet. i've been meaning to look around for instructions, anybody wanna quickly tell me how to install it? i know the wiring diagram, but how do you charge the cap itself?

[CrazyCaker]

To charge the cap use a small resister, something like 1.5ohms (forget the exact size). Connect the resister between the cap and the power for a few minutes just to make sure it's charged. You could always do what I do and just leave off the battery terminal, connect everything (including the cap) and then put the battery terminal on and watch the huge arch!! http://msg.toprotege.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/crazy.gif J/K don't do this!!

[ChopstickHero]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (CrazyCaker @ Jan. 13 2004,11:16)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">To charge the cap use a small resister, something like 1.5ohms (forget the exact size). Connect the resister between the cap and the power for a few minutes just to make sure it's charged. You could always do what I do and just leave off the battery terminal, connect everything (including the cap) and then put the battery terminal on and watch the huge arch!! http://msg.toprotege.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/crazy.gif J/K don't do this!![/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
ahh.. ok ok... i figured i needed some kind of resitor to step down the power, just didn't know which size. radio shack carries these?

[CrazyCaker]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">radio shack carries these?[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>

I beleive so. You can also get them from any electronic surplus store. They cost only pennies.

[ChopstickHero]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (CrazyCaker @ Jan. 13 2004,11:26)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE"></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">radio shack carries these?[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>

I beleive so. You can also get them from any electronic surplus store. They cost only pennies.[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
sounds good



anyways, getting back on topic... make sure you're NOT touching the glass of the bulb. i always turn off my headlights before i turn off my car. i don't turn off the radio, so i don't think has a bearing on my headlights blowing.

[CrazyCaker]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">anyways, getting back on topic... make sure you're touching the glass of the bulb.[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>

I think he means NOT touching the glass on the bulb when installing.

[Diddy]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (ChopstickHero @ Jan. 13 2004,11:31)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">... make sure you're touching the glass of the bulb...[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
hey mikey...i hope u meant to say &quot;make sure you're NOT touching the glass of the bulb&quot;....
either way....he meant don't touch it http://msg.toprotege.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[ChopstickHero]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (E-Diddy @ Jan. 13 2004,11:36)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE"></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (ChopstickHero @ Jan. 13 2004,11:31)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">... make sure you're touching the glass of the bulb...[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
hey mikey...i hope u meant to say &quot;make sure you're NOT touching the glass of the bulb&quot;....
either way....he meant don't touch it http://msg.toprotege.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
yeah...sorry... DON'T touch the glass bulb when you're installing them. try not to bump them against the housing either. again, a cap may help, but it won't solve the dimming problems.

[CrazyCaker]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">again, a cap may help, but it won't solve the dimming problems.[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>

Actually it should solve the problem.  When the subs hit really low they draw more current, which is why your lights dim.  The cap will act as a backup by suppling that little extra power for those deep bass hits.  The extra power will be drawn from the cap first providing relief to your altenator.

Installing an additional battery is also an option.

[red-i]

thanks for all the feedback.

i'm gonna throw my stock bulbs in for the next couple weeks and see what happens.

[red-i]

damn blew another bulb. now i'm running on fogs LOL. if the stocks go this fast I know something's wrong! gotta get those suckers in tonight.

[CrazyCaker]

Do you keep blowing the same side? I still doubt it's your system causing this. Are you really cranking it up in this type of weather?!

[ChopstickHero]

hmmm... maybe it's the extreme cold. i remember last year when it was like -30C in toronto that i blew 2 bulbs in a week (and those were STOCK bulbs). i had to drive on fogs for a few days.

[red-i]

nope it was different side..

basically. right headlight went (piaa bulb).. swapped out the piaas and threw the eurolites in.. then a fwe days later, left eurolite bulb blew.. then later that day.. right one went.

I was acutally listening to the system pretty loud at times.

it could just be the cold though. http://msg.toprotege.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif