Voltage problem!

[Jared759]

YouTube - video-2010-05-02-00-58-03

With my headlights on my voltage sometimes drops from around 14 volts to around 12. One you get above about 2800 rpms the voltage returns to normal, then drops when you go below 2800.

Its not the alternator, I've had it checked. I'm thinking it would be a bad ground in the headlight wiring. I checked the grounds right behind the headlight and the wires are all in good shape. I'm stumped. Could this be something else besides the headlights? My spoiler/wing brake light is out, but I don't think that would be causing this would it?

Oh and sorry for the crappy video, it came from my Droid, but it shows what I'm talking about.

And this is a 96 b16a hatch

 

[Jared759]

Nobody?

 

[paulsen]

how many miles are on the motor?

 

[Magana559]

I believe that's normal, When I on the head lights and just idling the dash dims a bit. Then when i drive it goes back to normal. The alternator makes more power when its turning at higher rpm so leaching power to run the car and head lights might make you drop to 12 volts at idle. Dosent sound like a problem to me unless it was always reading 14 volts.

Or your alternator just might be getting tired.

 

[Fernpatch]

Does the battery light over come on? are you testing at the battery with a volt meter? Have you had the battery tested? I would guess that either your alternator is on the way out or your battery is getting weak. Are you running underdrive pulleys?

 

[Jared759]

No the battery light never came on, ended up finding some broken wires in my harness. Both the right and left side turn signal part of my harness had bare wires. Also there was some shit job wiring done on the behind the cluster, and its now fixed. The lights haven't dimmed since I fixed that but I'm still in the "test" stage of the fix.

I don't think this was normal, this is the first car I've owned that has done this. The lights would be dim and would get noticeably brighter, it was like I was going from low beams to brights.