headlights dimming

[mr2turbo300]

Hi,
Reading all the posts about bulbs made me think of a quirk my car has , just wondered if anybody elses does it. When the fans come in (I think) I get a voltage drop and the headlights dim slightly, also my radar detector notices the low voltage.

Normal or not ?
Rob.

[m12_nathan]

Normal - nothing you can do about it, those massive fans must drain a lot of power!

More interesting was the glitch I had - whenever you put full beam on all lights went off, that made for an amusing expression on the father in laws face the first time I took him out in it - was the first time it happened, didn't do it just to scare him

[jipsom]

You'll probably notice a little when you let off the gas aswell. It's like a mobile disco.

[kevgee]

i also have the same problem when i let off the gas my lights dim & heater fan also slows for a couple of seconds then comes back to normal i was also wondering if there was any cure for this , its as if the voltage regulator is malfuntioning can anyone help.

[joust]

kevgee said:

i also have the same problem when i let off the gas my lights dim & heater fan also slows for a couple of seconds then comes back to normal i was also wondering if there was any cure for this , its as if the voltage regulator is malfuntioning can anyone help.

AFAIK that's the problem, there is no main regulator on the battery to car supply, and given the drain on the battery of lights, fans etc and the small size of the battery you are going to suffer this.

You could stick a whopping great big regulator in there, but I wouldn't worry about it too much.

Just a thought, if the car's more than 2 or 3 years old, then it could point to a worn out battery.

J

[joust]

mr2turbo300 said:

Hi, Reading all the posts about bulbs made me think of a quirk my car has , just wondered if anybody elses does it. When the fans come in (I think) I get a voltage drop and the headlights dim slightly, also my radar detector notices the low voltage. Normal or not ? Rob.

TADTS.

[kevgee]

thanks i'll put up with it for now but will get it checked out at the next service in april thats when the car is 2 years old

[mr2turbo300]

Me too, TBH honest it doesn't really bother me and had always assumed TADTS, but wanted to check.
Cheers,
Rob