Amp cutting out from low power.

Jl audio 1000/1v2 and 300/4.
1/0 power n ground throughout
99 Tacoma with the outlet in the bed so I believe that means I have the better alternator?

Highs have been cutting out at high volume/bass since the first install. Headlights blink pretty bad.

What should I do to fix it? Extra battery? Cap?

 

Check the condition of the charging circuit and of the battery. Cap will help.

I don't know about a better alternator.

 

If ANYONE says "big 3" I will cut you myself.

 

But yes, the real fix is a better alternator.

 

Why?

 

If my alternator ever goes out, I have been thinking about one of these high output alternators: http://shop.mean-green.com/TACOMA_c41.htm

 

What's the amperage on this alt? 140?

 

That's what 1/0 throughout meant.

 

Because it's a stupid non-solution that doesn't solve or do anything, ever. (As you just discovered.)

 

Ouch, pricey unless I can trade in my current alternator.

 

Fair enough. I get very aggravated when people say "OMG DO THA BIG 3 LOL!!!11!1" when someone has a power problem.

Upgrading wiring on your existing factory alternator and battery will do absolutely nothing, unless you have a corrosion problem or something.

 

Also, that alternator doesn't list its output? That's shady...

But you can simply look at the maximum amperage from your battery / alternator and use that to find out what diameter wire you actually need by looking at a chart for the length of run you'll use.

Hint: It's still probably not going to require 0/1 gauge, unless you simply like soldering with a blowtorch

 

Cap is only good for short burst power then it has to recharge. I had a similar setup in my last car with a 500/1 and a 300/4 and with the factory 140amp alt it would pull the headlights almost out going down the highway. I installed a gel cell in the trunk (stinger yellow top) with an 80 amp charging relay and it solved the issue. After the battery went out (5-6 years) I put in a big cap 3-4 farad and it worked OK for short burst but would still dim the lights at night if you were pushing it hard. just my .02

 

Sounds about right. Batteries and capacitors both act as charge-storage devices, whereas an alternator will actually increase the power you generate, so you can solve it with any combination of these.

Basically:
- Capacitor will do like you noted. It stores some charge, but discharges very quickly (but also charges more quickly than a battery.) It sort of works for brief, intermittent, high power draws, but they don't work that great and honestly a 1F capacitor is so big it scares the shit out of me.

- A second or larger battery will provide more continuous power than a capacitor, but it will still need to be charged. If the load from your amp is intermittent enough that it is able to charge more than is drawn on it, this should work fine. (And it sounds like this should be the case, based on the above...)

- An alternator is the only thing that actually provides more power from the engine to your electrical system. Your battery should still be large enough to support what you're drawing, even with a larger alternator, but you'll actually be putting more power to your electrical system.

 

How about a solar panel and a cap?

 

Hah! I like where your head's at.