Battery not strong enough

[shox]

Hello Everyone,

Im running into a problem with my battery.

It started when i installed my subwoofer (active) 2 months ago. In the beginning i noticed that all the lights of the car were a bit dimming when i was on low rpm (no gas pressed on neutral).

Today i was on the highway and after accelerating hard and then left the engine on neutral, when the rpm gauge reached the bottom my engine switched off.

Yesterday i installed a parrot bluetooth carkit so probably that is draining the battery juice even more.

I should also note down that for the last couple of days my iPhone charger hasn't been able to charge my iPhone (shows its charging but instead of the battery going up, it goes down).

Anyone knows anything about this? Am i gonna need a new battery with bigger capacity, or is it some engine setting??

Thanks in advance!

[Brummy]

Certainly sounds like you ought to at least get your battery checked.

[shox]

Just checked out my battery with a multimeter. (car idle for more than 4 hours)

Battery level when engine switched off: 12.4V
Battery level when engine switched on: 14.4V

AFAIK these indications are good.....

[luke c]

if the car starts fine it doesnt sound like the battery is at fault specialy with the readings you have got. and if the alternator was sh4gged that would also effect it

[shox]

only other thing i can suspect is the grounding of the subwoofer (right now attached to the seat belt metal connector on the chassis). could that be causing an energy circulation problem?

[shox]

Some more voltage information:

After using the car for 30 KM, subwoofer unplugged:

- Car on, right after usage: 13.80V
- Car off, right after usage: 12.79V
- Car on, after making the prev. measurements and connecting the sub again: 13.80V

That 13.80V sounds a bit low doesn't it??...

[joop200789]

sounds like your alternator cant keep up with demand of the sub. three options id say uprated alternator.install capasitors or remove the sub

[shox]

Originally Posted by joop200789

sounds like your alternator cant keep up with demand of the sub. three options id say uprated alternator.install capasitors or remove the sub

this does make sense...
removing the sub is not an option :P love it :P
upgrading the alternator right now is gonna be pricy and my budget is low atm

capacitors....hmmmmmm......

[joop200789]

they shunt be too dear i think maplins are cheap for owt like that

[tony_tigger]

wat wattage is the amp for the sub? would check the grounds for the batt and alt...

[shox]

Originally Posted by tony_tigger

wat wattage is the amp for the sub? would check the grounds for the batt and alt...

Its an active subwoofer (Pioneer TS-WX22A) specs are:

Built-in MOSFET 150 W power amplifier
Nominal output power: 60 Watt
Max power: 150 Watt

I think its either the subwoofer draining the bat (and in that case ill get a condenser) OR the ground of the subwoofer needs remaping.. maybe i should use the ground of the rear lights...

[DEAN0]

Originally Posted by shox

Its an active subwoofer (Pioneer TS-WX22A) specs are:

Built-in MOSFET 150 W power amplifier
Nominal output power: 60 Watt
Max power: 150 Watt

I think its either the subwoofer draining the bat (and in that case ill get a condenser) OR the ground of the subwoofer needs remaping.. maybe i should use the ground of the rear lights...

I would just find the nearest earth stud/screw on the body and try it for now.
If there are none near enough - make your own earth point - drill a small hole and use a small nut & bolt.

Where have you picked up the POWER from ?
Is there a remote lead to switch on the sub or is the sub live all the time ?

[shox]

Originally Posted by DEAN0

I would just find the nearest earth stud/screw on the body and try it for now.
If there are none near enough - make your own earth point - drill a small hole and use a small nut & bolt.

Where have you picked up the POWER from ?
Is there a remote lead to switch on the sub or is the sub live all the time ?

Thats what i did in the beginning, and the ECU complained that the power was intermittent. Thats when i moved it to the seatbelt (which worked for 2 months good). Tho the light dimming still would happen..

For the record, this behavior was also present in my previous car (twingo) with the same subwoofer...

[tony_tigger]

The traditional advice would be to think about a power capacitor as well as upgrading the wiring of the car.. i mean the battery to earth and batt to alternator. and batt to the sub. make sure the ground for the sub is as good as poss and all should be well!!!

[shox]

Originally Posted by tony_tigger

The traditional advice would be to think about a power capacitor as well as upgrading the wiring of the car.. i mean the battery to earth and batt to alternator. and batt to the sub. make sure the ground for the sub is as good as poss and all should be well!!!

Thanks for the tip. ill look into buying the capacitor today. One question tho, what do you mean with "the sub is as good as poss" ??

[Slimy]

Originally Posted by shox

Thanks for the tip. ill look into buying the capacitor today. One question tho, what do you mean with "the sub is as good as poss" ??

The subwoofer earth is connected as well as possible, IE it's a clean earth...

I would also check the battery earth, all those readings mean nothing if the chassis isn't earthed. Let me guess, you measured across the battery terminals? Try the same reading between the battery positive and a point on the chassis.

[shox]

Originally Posted by Slimy

The subwoofer earth is connected as well as possible, IE it's a clean earth...

I would also check the battery earth, all those readings mean nothing if the chassis isn't earthed. Let me guess, you measured across the battery terminals? Try the same reading between the battery positive and a point on the chassis.

Yeah thats how i measured it. good point there. ill check that today.

[shox]

Would it make a difference if i would get a bigger capacity battery? my battery right now is 44Ah...

[bertrum]

Have you asked in the I.C.E section?

[shox]

Originally Posted by bertrum

Have you asked in the I.C.E section?

not really. Wasnt sure if it was subwoofer related or car related. Should one of the mods move the thread there you think?