So, for about a week now I noticed my headlights, tail lights, and even my interior lights dim while sitting at a red light or just letting off the gas. Imagine your lights pulsing rhythmically but instead of pulsing (insert dimming).

2011 JK Unlimited - 20" led bar - (2) 4" led lights - all wired to power distribution panel. (all wiring installed inside wire loom)

head lights and harness from Susquehanna Motorsports (wired directly to battery and switched with the original headlight harness).

when I turn the ignition, it clicks and resets my radio clock and then clicks again and starts the Jeep. WTF???



I made an appointment at the dealership for this friday. If anyone has any simple tests that I can do at home to see if it is either my alternator or battery, let me know.


Or any other recommendations.


Thanks in advance.

 

Have you tried a deep cycle battery? I wonder if your battery is taxed too heavily and being depleted and only while driving the alternator is kicking in the extra juice the battery needs? Maybe you have a short somewhere?

 

I do drive to work early in the morning and use my headlights. In the afternoon I use my low wattage led fogs as a daytime running light. None of my lights use a lot of watts or amps. The only thing I could think of was either bad battery, alternator, or short . I am pretty retentive when it comes to wiring and "doubt" that I have a short. but, you never know.

 

Might not be anything you wired yourself? Could be in the motor or elsewhere. It just sounds like it is drawing a lot somewhere. Usually alternators work until failure and just fail, but you could check its output just to make sure it's not that, my guess is a bad battery.

 

Surely the factory did not wire something loose and cause a short somewhere... Oh, wait - (insert sarcasm here)...

Dry sense of humor...

I hope it is just the battery. Its still under warranty. I think.

Thanks for the input. It looks like either your the only one awake at the moment or others just don't know.

 

I vote battery.

 

Battery sounds the most likely. A good start would be to take it by your local auto parts store. Most will give a free battery and alternator diagnostic test. Might give you some free insight so you can determine next moves or go to the dealer with a better idea of what's going on.

 

Yea sounds like battery problems...

 

Great - Thanks guys. I will go to the local auto parts place on the way home today.

 

Do you have a dvom? You need to check battery voltage with everything off(12.7 v),at start up(no less then 10v), at idle(13.6-14.2v),engine on with all accessories on(13.6-14.2). If voltage is dropping when all accessories is on the rev the engine up a couple 100 rpms see if voltage go up if so. Your alt. is getting weak for what you need. But it if it has been going on for awhile more than likely I would up grade the battery also.