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Dim Lights, flickering.

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Old Aug 7, 2007 | 10:40 PM
  #1  
hondastrtracr's Avatar
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From: Cheyenne, WY, USA
Default Dim Lights, flickering.

What would cause my lights, dome light, cluster, gauges and so on to flicker. Its very subtle kind of like an up and down dim bright and not drastic but still there, even more noticeable whe you turn the dome light on though whens its pitch black dark. I do expect some dimming aka headlights and all due to a larger alternator pulley but is that causing that flicker effect?
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Old Sep 14, 2007 | 12:15 AM
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From: Meridian, MS
Default Re: Dim Lights, flickering. (hondastrtracr)

Hey, bro... I've got the same problem and am currently awaiting a sensible explanation.

I've been to AutoZone and the Honda Dealer, both of which are scratching their heads claiming the alternator and battery are operating within specs.

I suppose we shall wait together...
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Old Sep 14, 2007 | 04:51 AM
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King V's Avatar
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Default Re: Dim Lights, flickering. (mathetas)

Alternators don't charge for **** if you're at an idle. If you have a larger alt. pulley or a smaller crank pulley, you can get all kinds of strange electrical phenomena at an idle, especially if the battery is weak. Either that or your ELD (electronic load detector) **** the bed.
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Old Sep 14, 2007 | 07:58 AM
  #4  
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Default Re: Dim Lights, flickering. (hondastrtracr)

If your car has an ELD, then the ECU has some control over the alternator. If the battery is charged and the ELD shows little or no load, the ECU can shut off the alternator completely. That might cause a noticeable sudden dimming rather than the gradual dimming that you don't notice. Thats even if the ELD is working correctly.
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Old Sep 14, 2007 | 08:06 AM
  #5  
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<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">due to a larger alternator pulley</TD></TR></TABLE>
what did you mean by that?
do you have an aftermarket set? if so remove them, they cause problems on street driven cars.

flickering usually means there is a bad connection somewhere. grounds and battery connections especially.
raising and lowering (more of a slow transition) tend to be problems with the alternator's internal voltage regulator, the idle being speed too low or the aftermarket pullies spinning the alternator too slow.
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Old Sep 14, 2007 | 08:37 AM
  #6  
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From: Meridian, MS
Default Re: (Relic1)

Well, I have a completely stock system. So, I'm kinda cluedo as to what you guys are talking about with the performance mods. There is nothing modified on my car--it just exhibits that issue of flickering/dimming.
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Old Sep 14, 2007 | 12:17 PM
  #7  
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Default

have you checked the quality of the ground cables? they go bad over time.
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