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Thread: Flickering headlights...

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    Flickering headlights...

    I might give this a try on my crew cab...with my flickering 2004 Silverado crew cab headlights while talking on radio with my 2pill turned on...

    Check this out on Amazon
    NEW 250 AMP HIGH OUTPUT ALTERNATOR FITS VARIOUS CHEVY TRUCKS SILVERADO SUBURBAN 2002-2007 4.3L 4.8L 5.3L 5.7L 6.0L 6.5L 6.6L 8.1L WITH 4 PIN REGULATOR PLUG CONNECTOR https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B06VWZQ1...ing=UTF8&psc=1

    I thought it was from my dying 5yr old battery, but it's still doing it with the new Interstate MTP-78 battery...I don't remember having this issue last yr when DST switched...

    Maybe I have a dying alternator that killed my 5yr old battery?

    Sent from my motorola one 5G UW ace using Tapatalk

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    Could be the alternator...thats a good price for a 250 amp...

    Tho i have never seen headlights "flicker" from power drain...Usually they just dim...flickering could be stray RF messing with the lights.


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    I've got ferrite chokes on alternator wires, power wire to amp and radio...course they may not be correctly sized as it was a choke kit from AMZ.

    Power wire straight from battery. Ground for radio & amp is connected in two places in cab, one on bolt that holds gas pedal to firewall and other is one of studs that driver's seat bolts to the floor. Antenna mount is fender mount also with ground to frame.

    May try another choke kit for some more of them and add a couple to the mic wiring...

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    Last edited by GobblerK5; 11-17-2021 at 04:15 PM.

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    Are these aftermarket LED or Halogen lighting headlights?

    Some of those type light kits just don't work with CB set-ups running amps.


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    Nope...not LED headlights...plain ol Sylvania bulbs in some RockAutocat eye housings...

    My alternator is charging as I get higher volt reading on battery while engine is running...

    I read on SilveradoSierradotcom forum that the voltage regulator in alternator could cause flickering lights, but that was all the time. Mine only flicker with the 2pills being juiced...

    You may be onto something with RF causing the flickering... But nothing has changed in my setup since last time change when I was commuting home from work in the dark...

    Sent from my motorola one 5G UW ace using Tapatalk

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    The newer cars, since '96 can be really problematic with all the sensors and computers onboard when adding a little extra wattage. The only cure would be to split the alternator output and connect a second battery just for the amp and the addition of a larger alternator would help too. But the RF is still going to do strange things to all that solid state.

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    You say your amp and radio run off power directly from alternator?
    What is voltage from alternator?
    What size alternator currently, 105A?

    Having a real PITA with site login. Not to mention attempting to delete duplicate post.
    Last edited by Alabama Buckeye; 03-21-2022 at 10:19 PM.
    All answers are opinions and may, or may not be technically correct.

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    Quote Originally Posted by GobblerK5 View Post
    Nope...not LED headlights...plain ol Sylvania bulbs in some RockAutocat eye housings...

    My alternator is charging as I get higher volt reading on battery while engine is running...

    I read on SilveradoSierradotcom forum that the voltage regulator in alternator could cause flickering lights, but that was all the time. Mine only flicker with the 2pills being juiced...

    You may be onto something with RF causing the flickering... But nothing has changed in my setup since last time change when I was commuting home from work in the dark...

    Sent from my motorola one 5G UW ace using Tapatalk
    You say your amp and radio run off power directly from alternator?
    What is voltage from alternator?
    What size alternator currently, 105A?

    I've given brief consideration to running equipment directly from alternator, for the higher juice rate. But I'm just not sure of the consistency of DC flow. Alternator may charge battery with sufficient voltage but I'm not terribly sure about the cleanliness, that is no sputtering in the flow. I've found no encouragement to not get a consistent clean reliable voltage from the battery; but instead, choose the short leg to the alternator. I often concern myself with pure sure wave power when it comes to powering sensitive electrical equipment; but, sinusoidal wave pattern doesn't exist in DC. An inconsistency, almost inconceivable sputtering, of DC generation however is possible with an alternator.

    This sputtering may have near zero, or unnoticeable, effects on the headlights alone but when coupled with the additional amp draw, pun intended, the sputter is apparent. Do a nighttime close look at your alternator. As you mentioned knowing or reading of internal regulator in alternator therein may be the crux of the matter. The internal regulator may be demonstrating the burden with flickering lights. Imagine what its doing to your electronics.

    Turn on everything electrical in the truck; every courtesy light, every fan, wipers, A/C, butt warmer, stnd radio, power seats everything except HAM/CB radio equipment. Flickering lights?
    Last edited by Alabama Buckeye; 03-19-2022 at 02:05 PM.
    All answers are opinions and may, or may not be technically correct.

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    Power comes direct from battery...not my alternator

    Sent from my motorola one 5G UW ace using Tapatalk

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by GobblerK5 View Post
    Power comes direct from battery...not my alternator

    Sent from my motorola one 5G UW ace using Tapatalk
    Ever figure out the problem?


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