Hey guys, got a problem. Finished my install about a month ago and everything has been working perfectly. 2 nights ago i'm driving back home an my PC powered down and wouldn't turn back on. About 25-30 more minutes of driving I notice my dash board lights are really low. Next thing I know, my car shuts down and I have to pull over. I get a jump start form triple A and drive for another 20 minutes and the same thing happens again. It seems after getting a jump my car has been running off the battery and not the alternator. Spoke to a mechanic and he told me the alternator is dead. I told him I installed a PC a month ago and he said that shouldn't have caused the alternator to die, not within a months time anyway.
So the question is, has anyone ever had an alternator die after installing their Carputer? I doubt its from that, I just wanna be cautious from now on. My car is near 100K miles and i'm pretty sure thats about the right amount of time for a new alternator. I'm running a P3 with about a 120 watt PS, a 600 watt amplifier and a 150 watt Bazooka bass tube.
Can anyone confirm if they've ever killed an alternator with their PC install? I've tried searching the site and there are no posts of anyone mentioning my problem.
Thanks in advance.
It should not kill your alternator.
The only way you're going to kill an alternator is if you're trying to pull the maximum current draw that the alternaor is rated for over a long period of time.
Running a computer will never do it, not unless you're talking about a few thousand watts of a computer.
Jan Bennett
FS: VW MKIV Bezel for 8" Lilliput - 95% Finished
Please post on the forums! Chances are, someone else has or will have the same questions as you!
Whew, thank god. New alternator gets installed and i'm glad I have nothing to worry about. So this little mishap is just basic wear and tear I assume?
Possibly.
Before you go off and buy a new one, have yours tested.
Take your car to a local auto-parts store. They usually test for free.
Jan Bennett
FS: VW MKIV Bezel for 8" Lilliput - 95% Finished
Please post on the forums! Chances are, someone else has or will have the same questions as you!
It probably just needs new brushes. Depending on the type of alternator, it shouldn't be that expensive to fix.
Never let the truth get in the way of a good story
Ive had an alternator die, but I overloaded it. While waiting outside walmart, we powered a huge flat screen plasma, surround speakers, 5 laptops, 3 space heaters, and a few lights all off my little honda. Within a day or so, it was toasted. But well worth it.
Fusion Brain Version 6 Released!
1.9in x 2.9in -- 47mm x 73mm
30 Digital Outputs -- Directly drive a relay
15 Analogue Inputs -- Read sensors like temperature, light, distance, acceleration, and more
Buy now in the MP3Car.com Store
Toaster,
you are
Never let the truth get in the way of a good story
We had to do something. It was 30F at nights, and got up to 50F in the daytime and we were in tents for 2 and a bit days. 10 people in a mega 8 person tent. Walmart wouldnt let us use their power, but after the first night of my car being on the whole time powering everything we decided to just unplug the vending machines and run extension cables to the tent.Originally Posted by meddler
Toaster,
you are
Fusion Brain Version 6 Released!
1.9in x 2.9in -- 47mm x 73mm
30 Digital Outputs -- Directly drive a relay
15 Analogue Inputs -- Read sensors like temperature, light, distance, acceleration, and more
Buy now in the MP3Car.com Store
Eh, too late. It gets installed today while im at work. Thanks for the advice though.
For? I mean, the constant parade of human waste shuffling in and out of our local Walmart is....somewhat amusing, but I wouldn't plan a cookout around it
I have too much time and too little aggravation in my life, so I built a carPC. ;)
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