MysticSpade

ok i am gonna explain this in detail.

1. i have juice thru my batt ( i think )
2. it will start if i wait a couple of hours and try again
3. my battery light and my Anti Lock light have been on constantly the past 2 days
4. i just found out the CD/DVD player is powered thru the Alternator Solenoid Valve ( i disconnected too )
5. a buddy of mine hooked up my system ( 2 15's and a 1000 watt amp ) powered thru the stereo.....this was done a day or so back
6. the lights came on RIGHT after the system hook up

The system was disconnected tonight about 9 PM. BUT i noticed that my CD player just turned off and the car was runnin BUT losin juice LITERALLY right before i got home. Pretty much the Lights got dim the CD player turned off, and the car got really sluggish. THIS WAS AFTER THE SYSTEM WAS UNHOOKED

So now my question is.....Is my alternator fried? and why will it start if i wait a couple of hours?

and if my alternator is fried how much could i get a new/used one for?

projekte36

Most likely you need a farad cap. 1000 watts is a lot to be pulling off the car with no farad cap. Have you tried driving with the system off then turning it on? I would say it was the alternator dieing because there is no cap on the system I have had this happen to me before in my many (20+) systems I have had. When the bass lines hit the lights will dim and the car will die. Farad cap will usualy do the trick. ALSO!!! if you buy a farad cap DONT GO CHEEP! Cheep farad caps are just as good as not having one at all. Go with a Stinger, Lightning Audio, Rockford Fosgate, Audiobahn etc. something with a known brand name. You will pay a little more for them but in the long run you will be glad you did.

DRIVE HARD -eric

MysticSpade

all of this happend after i unhooked the System. but i think hookin the system up IMO is what made all this happen.

SoKleaN

well when my tegra didnt start all the time it was because of my spark plug wires.. thier was a bad connection..

MysticSpade

it's not the plug wires. i think the battery is shot cuz if i get the car started and unhook the battery the car stays runnin so the alternator is good....therefore the battery is gone....right?

Garry

hey dude

check the battery connections. Make sure they are secure.

MysticSpade

yeah they are secure.....as it is now when i turn my key on all my dash lights come on but when i try to crank it all goes off.

Garry

ok...
from the top of my head i think your alternator could be stuffed. MOst likely the regulator in the alternator is dead. Regulator ensures that there 12-14.5volts in your system... This power is there to charge your battery, run the ECU and power headlights etc...

The regualtor itself is fairly cheap.... but then again it is honda. Call a auto electricain to fix it. Or you can take your alternator to him/her and they can test it.

For the time being, i think you should try and charge the battery somehow. And see if the car will start. The reason why everything will die before it starts is the starting relay is activated when you turn the key to start. The starter needs all the power it can get to turn. Hence why all electricals shut off when cranking. eg. radio etc.

say if you get your car started, you can do a check to make sure what is going on. All you need is a multimeter.

with the car running check the voltage of the battery, it should read somewhere between 12-14.5v.
go to the alternator (try not to get your fingers chopped off) and there is a connection on the back which runs to the battery. Check the voltage from that. It should read roughly the same as the battery or slightly more. (a voltage difference of up to .5volt is ok) If the alternator voltage is greater than the battery voltage. Then you have a voltage drop between the alternator to the battery. Meaning the alternator power is not getting to the battery.To fix this in a cheap way, you can get some decent wire (proabably about 2mm core) and run it from the alternator to the battery. positive termainal of battery to the back of the alternator. The reason why there is a voltage drop is cos with age the wire breaks down and does not conduct as efficient. So the new wire will help transfer the power.

If the alternator is the same voltage as the battery or is lower, then the alternator is not charging the battery. Alternator should put out from 13 -14.5 volts. To make sure the alternator is dead. Turn the heed lights on, and check the voltage onthe alternator. If the alternator voltage has dropped from the 1st reading. then it means the regulator is dead. The alternator is not charging the battery.

Let me know how it goes

cougar10ag

Batteries should be replaced every 5 years.. the fact that the car stayed running wiht the batt unplugged means the alt is fine. that is how you check them. go buy a new battery, optima makes nice ones. and get a cap like stated above. before the batter the best you cna do is take some brillo and a wire brush and clean the termials on the battery and the ring connectors so they are a nice shiny silver.

PnX-R

When the battery light comes on while you're driving, it means that your alternator isn't charging. This will also cause a random number of lights and malfunctions to occur depending on your vehicle.

The problem is obviously due to the system hookup like everyone has stated before..

cougar10ag

ok. did you ahve a deck hooked up already? or did you do that too? my main concern is the battery is dead. if you did hook the deck up along with the rest of the **** double check that wiring.