Hi guys,
im having a weird problem as when i turn on the head lamps, the Idling drops drastically until the engine will die off sometimes.

This problem happen after ive installed 3 digital meters and the current to the meters were tap from the on/off lever beside the steering wheel.

At first i thought its time to replace the weak battery but even after replacement, the problem still same and when i switch off the head lamps the power or idling turns normal immediately..

Anyone knows what happen & what should i need to do to resolve this problem?

Thanks

 

is it just the headlights or anything else that draws power. Such as the radio? Could it be your alternator going bad?

 

What RPM does your car normally idle at? Any weather changes?

Obviously the headlamps are doing to draw more current once turned on, and will present a load on the electrical system. They will bog the RPMs down a little on any car made, it is just a matter of compensation. If your idle setting is too low then once the headlamps bog the car down a little and it doesn't compensate correctly, it will stall.

Any modifications added since this problem arose?

 

I dont have a radio and i dont think its the alternator as my PFC commander shown the voltage is normal while idling 13.8...

Will it be lack of earthing or should i put in a voltage stabilizer?

All this happens after my mech taps the 3 meters current onto the headlamp wires...

 

Sure there are no shorts from the meter install that might not be hot except when the headlights are on? A short on a generator (the alternator) will create tremendous drag.

 

my guess is make sure all your engine bay grounding points have excellent contact first.... check points such as negative battery terminal, points by the fender and points connecting the block to the rear firewall.

 

They tapped those wires for guage lights correct?

I say work back from there and make sure its all wired right. A grounded out positive wire could cause engine sensor and ignition havoc.

Hate to see you fry something expensive.

 

Thanks Guys,will check all the grounding and the wirings from the meter gauges.

 

I would start by disconnecting the gauges and see if the problem goes away. If so, you just took alot of guesswork and troubleshooting out of it. When you say you sourced the current for them from the lever next to the steering wheel, were you talking about the backlighting for night driving?

If disconnecting them fixes the problem, either set up a relay for isolation off the headlight wiring to turn on the backlighting, or grab it from behind the radio or somewhere else.

 

Would you explain the relay for isolation part? I've read some electrical installs call for a relay.

 

Get the power from somewhere else....Another relay that works when lights are turned on.

 

get the illumination from the ring around the cig lighter. search and it will show what wire it is. FWIW I think its a green wire.

 

Thanks Liqquid, superb idea...

 

we could get into testing voltage drop on that wire, and the presence of ground yes/no when the headlights are off and see how that effects the cars behavior, but if moving the power source fixes the problem, then we'd just be wasting time trying to figure out "why" when you could just move it and be done with it.

Post up if disconnecting them fixes the issue or not

 

Check your battery cables.