I think this has to do with my battery but im not pausitive. Its fine at lower volume. Also using anything power in the car whether it be the windows, radio, or light they seem to dim on and off. I know this is common on most accord but I was wondering if I should just invest in a new battery since were reaching the winter season. I was looking at buying the optima red battery....

 

The reason that your deck is "flashing" as you call it, is voltage. Think about your car's air conditioning system. Every time the compressor comes on, the headlights (as well as your deck) will dim a little bit. The same thing probably happens at home, when you turn the microwave on, or when the clothes dryer starts up.... the addition of another load on the circuit causes the voltage to drop a little, and hence... the dimming. You state that this happens at high volume. I will assume that you might have some subs in your car, which are an electrical load, just like anything else. When you crank it up, they draw more power, and cause the voltage drop and subsequent dimness. There are a couple of ways to correct this. You could buy a better battery - always a good idea. You - could buy an alternator that has a higher output - could be expensive, but worth it in some cases. The best alternative is to install capacitors in your stereo system. A capacitor acts like a battery and stores electricity, but in a little different way. The addition of capacitors is extremely common in powerful sound systems, and your local stereo shop - or a different section of this board maybe, could assist you in selection and instalation.

 

The stereo system is all stock. No subs or aftermarket speakers. Just an Alpine deck. Im just trying to figure out if I should buy a new battery or new alternator or both?

 

What is the output wattage of the Alpine deck?

Also, how did you wire the power wire? Did you wire it directly to the harness, or to the battery?

Most of the Alpine decks require that the power wire be connected directly to the battery (with a fuse of course), because it will draw more power than the stock wiring/fuse is capable of.

If you ran the power wire to the harness, and your deck is one of the more powerful ones, than it will cause the problems you are observing.

 

Its too loud or your voltage is dropping.

You could get a hypergrounding system (did this in my old accord) and it helped and possibly a deep cycle battery.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by philadd &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">What is the output wattage of the Alpine deck?

Also, how did you wire the power wire? Did you wire it directly to the harness, or to the battery?

Most of the Alpine decks require that the power wire be connected directly to the battery (with a fuse of course), because it will draw more power than the stock wiring/fuse is capable of.

If you ran the power wire to the harness, and your deck is one of the more powerful ones, than it will cause the problems you are observing.</TD></TR></TABLE>

The power wire is wired directly to the harness. Im not sure of the wattage of the deck off the top of my head but its one of the more expensive Alpines ($300). What do you guys suggest? Try a new battery? The optima ones I believe have 14v as opposed to 12v so that might help with the problem Im having right now....

 

yeah you will have to run a power wire from the battery our else you would be blowing fuses if you turn it up any higher.

 

Before you try anything else (i.e. before you start buying things), rewire the power wire with a fuse directly to the battery. This should solve your problem.

 

i never had to run a power directly to my batt wheni had my alpine...just wired tit o the harness...it flashed a little bit when i blasted it cuz i had all aftermarket speakers inside and stuff

 

Your ground is just as important as the hot wire. I have a head unit with a 5 volt output(most head units have 2.5) wired directly to the harness with only my sub amp wired to the battery direct. It is VERY loud with no flashing or dimming of my lights. Check all your connections including your ground. Were these connections twisted, crimped, or did you solder a honda connector onto the head unit?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by y0itzflip &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">i never had to run a power directly to my batt wheni had my alpine...just wired tit o the harness...it flashed a little bit when i blasted it cuz i had all aftermarket speakers inside and stuff</TD></TR></TABLE>

Uh, you just described the same thing as the original poster... thus having the same problem.