So here's the scenario...the other day I hooked up these new head lights I got off E-bay... They were after market and weren't wired correctly. They had two powers ( i guess a high beam ) and a ground. After some testing I thought I had hooked them up properly.

 

Cut to two days later...I'm driving and my stereo and sub start cutting in and out ...then the whole car .. I noticed my battery was at 4...then it dies . So first it was the stereo because it draws the most power, but then it was the whole car. Alright. I get out and look around. The cable coming from the alt ( the big screw down one, not the clip to the excite circut ) was fried. I assumed it was the headlights...so I unplugged them. I then took the ground cable off my sub ( and disconnected the rest of the power to the sub ) and used the ground cable ( becuase its big and fat ) as a power cable for the alt. I basically just ran the alt to the battery..

 

So problem solved...well, for a minute. Now, it's happened again, only I'm confused. I put the stock lights back in, so I don't get it.

 

Even with just a fatty power cable going from the alt to the battery it's still frying the conncetion and causing the battery to fail to charge..

 

Can anyone help? This alternator was a brand new re-furb from Napa about a mounth ago so either the lights being wired wrong originally fried it and now it's got problems...or I missing something bigger.

 

Any suggestions...??!?! PLEASE!!!?!

You could hook your lights through a relay and that will help a little bit.

check voltage at the alt with it running...

 

if it looks normal, try swapping in a different battery and see what happens...

K, I'm gonna try that.

If you connect the big wire from the batt. to the stud on the back of the alt. and get sparks, the diodes are shorted out. Drawing more current than they are rated for will do that.

Sounds like the VR in the alt is dead - pushing more power than it should. I've seen GM alts with the VR removed power 10, 120v incandescent lamps.... they can put out serious power if not controlled.

 

GD

I would recommend you get the battery checked out to see if it has a shorted cell. If the battery is ok it sounds like you then may need to replace the alternator with one that has a higher current rating. You may need one that is rated for over 100 amps. You should also repair the burned wiring so the charging circuit is protected.

Yea..it was sparking when I connected it so that must be the problem. Damn, this alt is like 2 months old. I hope I can find the reciept so I can return it. We will see. Thanks for the help guys, I really apreciate it.

 

I still don't see why though. It started to spark before I ever changed the wire. I assume it's probably terrible to drive it when it's like that?