Spyder78

iTrader: (7)

I've done it on my car several times and even went up to redline, I have not seen the battery light since I replaced my battery and my alternator. I am running a very big system and still using a stock length gatorback belt with no issues on DC Alternator. I do have a GS400.

CharlieD93

The only thing I have not done is replace my battery, which it could be. I have had a XS Power D3400 under my hood for about a year and a half. I have accidentally made it spark 1 or 2 times, maybe I need a new battery, just a regular car battery and not a car audio/high performance battery. Spyder do you think that could be it? I have a very weary suspicion that could be it.

Spyder78

iTrader: (7)

Its possible but highly unlikely, if your battery holds charge and doesnt dim much when your audio hits it might not be the culprit. I would take a battery out of any other car connect it and try to rev to 5k to see if you can replicate the issue. If you can than that eliminates the battery.

Personally I am running 3 XS power batteries. 2 3400's in the trunk and a 2400 in the engine bay.

CharlieD93

Okay, yes I will have to try that, I can't just put in any battery anymore though since I did the big 3 all I have is copper lugs that the XS Power Battery terminals actually screw through. I will have to get another XS Power battery to try it out. You probably know what I am talking about with the screw through terminals. I do notice that the alternator gets a lot louder (higher whine) when the headlights come on, a/c, maybe when it has to produce more amps, its gets much louder, you can tell over the engine and exhaust noise. I hope that isn't the alternator on its way out or being overdrawn of energy, I have no extra accessories in my car at the moment. I guess when I get my amplifiers in next month, I will know for sure if the alternator is doing just fine. Thanks for the help Spyder!

Spyder78

iTrader: (7)

Actually you can probably use any battery as long as you used wing nut style terminals. Autozone sells them. They look like this:

I think that if you are having an issue now your issue will get worse when you put in your amps. I would try to get to the bottom of it sooner than later.

Sphan519

I don't think it's the battery, because the day i got the alternator installed i had a regular battery when i gunned it on a straight away and for the first time noticed the battery light coming on for a split second, i thought it was just the belt slipping at the time so i didn't think much about it. A week after that, i got my current belt installed and a brand new XS D3400 battery installed as well, Coincidence? haha. but the battery light came on, on both batteries, my old battery was a regular duralast only 2 years old.

CharlieD93

That is a funny coincidence, I just got an email back from mechman saying that when I sent it in the first time, it was because the pulley bolt was loose. So I'm not sure if that is the only thing they looked at when they fixed it, but they said they would take a look at it and test it at higher rpm's to see if it is the regulator. I'm going to see what happens in a month and if I don't have issues with my amps, then I won't think much of it. On the other hand, if they cut out, I'm sending it back and they will have to figure out what wrong with it.

CharlieD93

Apparently it was the regulator. I was driving to get some food. Decided I would give the alternator a test load, turned on the a/c, all the lights in my car, radio, as well having the headlights on and wham! My volts go down to 12.4 and slowly dropping, I killed the voltage regulator I believe, must have been on it's way out, luckily I was only 3 mins away from home. I'm sending it back tomorrow, hopefully I'll have it back in a week to give you guys some results.

Sphan519

I also noticed on my car that after driving for a bit and parking, my car would vibrate very softy, if i have the E-brake engaged then the brake light on the dash will flicker slightly along with the vibration of the car, almost in harmony. So today i leave my engine on as it was doing it and popped the hood, i hear a squeaking sound coming from my belt tension, i look at it and its rocking back and forth... I'm going to replace soon and see if that makes the problem go away.

Sphan519

Oh man alright, i thought the voltage regulator was suppose to stop the voltages from exceeding a certain amount. Maybe our alternators were from the same batch

CharlieD93

Sphan- Yes I believe the regulator is supposed to stop it from exceeding a certain voltage, my question is, "Is it is supposed to keep it from dropping to a certain voltage?"

Okay now it seems it wasn't the alternator/regulator, I believe it was a grounding issue and the fact that my car would drop to 500 rpms every time I would come to a stop/idle. My voltage would be at 13.9-14.1, coming to a stop it would slowly go down to 13.3 then suddenly drop to 12.5-12.7 and go down from there. I put in my older alternator, gave it a few minutes to warm up and it started to do the same thing. Oh yeah, this was only happening in Drive before but now it was in park, it warmed up and it was fine after that. I am not sure what causes it to happen in drive, but in park I am steady at 14.0 volts. Back to the story, I was kind of baffled at this point, I figured I would add another ground wire, this time engine to frame, connecting both grounds together. My rpms are now 600 or above, drops under for a split second but when the engine is warm it works fine. I went for a drive and it seemed to hold voltage and rpms. I am hoping it was a ground issue, I am going to put the Mechman back in at lunch time today and see if it runs fine once warm. If it finally does, I am going with a ground issue. I am also going to see if the battery light still comes on, if it does, then I will send in the alternator, but I believe I was having a ground issue and the light may not show up now. Fingers crossed.

CharlieD93

Yes, please let me know if it is the belt tensioner pulley, I hope not, but if it is then that could also be my problem.

Sphan519

Any updates? Did you find the problem?

CharlieD93

Well now that I noticed that with a load on either alternator, my voltage is down to 12.8-13.5, varying the load. So I believe it may be a grounding issue with my car, as for the battery light, no dice.

CharlieD93

Now I have another stock alternator, and I have narrowed the situations down. Being in park my car holds a steady charge at 13.9-14.1 with head/tail lights on, A/C on, and interior lights and the RPM's are at 680-790. When I go into reverse or drive, while stationary (holding brake), with all those accessories on my voltage dies down 12.9 and keeps going down and then holds steady at 12.4-12.5, my RPM's are down to 480-520 and it sounds like my car isn't on anymore. The minute I begin to move the RPM's go up and so does my voltage. Is there a way to raise RPM's for our cars while in drive or reverse? I need the RPM's above 550 so the alternator will stay on and then I think I will be golden. I have yet to find a corroded or not connected ground. These situations happen with any alternator I throw on the car, been a real gremlin.