Headlights Dim and Voltage Drops
01-08-2011, 03:47 PM
#1
CF Veteran
Thread Starter
Headlights Dim and Voltage Drops
A couple of nights ago I was driving with the heater on. I also had my headlights and radio on. I don't have fog lights.
I noticed that whenever the electric fan went on my headlights and gauge lights would go dimmer an my voltage meter would drop from 14 to about 12. The electric fan stays on for about 15 seconds at a time, and once it goes off again, all the lights get brighter and the voltage meter goes back from 12 to 14.
And like I said, it only does this when the electric fan goes on. The electric fan will go on for about 15 seconds, then go off for about 15 seconds, then come back on for 15 seconds, etc.
Can anybody tell me why this is happening? Could it be the battery or the alternator?
I noticed that whenever the electric fan went on my headlights and gauge lights would go dimmer an my voltage meter would drop from 14 to about 12. The electric fan stays on for about 15 seconds at a time, and once it goes off again, all the lights get brighter and the voltage meter goes back from 12 to 14.
And like I said, it only does this when the electric fan goes on. The electric fan will go on for about 15 seconds, then go off for about 15 seconds, then come back on for 15 seconds, etc.
Can anybody tell me why this is happening? Could it be the battery or the alternator?
01-08-2011, 04:32 PM
#2
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Location: CT
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Year: 1995
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Originally Posted by GreenClassic
A couple of nights ago I was driving with the heater on. I also had my headlights and radio on. I don't have fog lights.
I noticed that whenever the electric fan went on my headlights and gauge lights would go dimmer an my voltage meter would drop from 14 to about 12. The electric fan stays on for about 15 seconds at a time, and once it goes off again, all the lights get brighter and the voltage meter goes back from 12 to 14.
And like I said, it only does this when the electric fan goes on. The electric fan will go on for about 15 seconds, then go off for about 15 seconds, then come back on for 15 seconds, etc.
Can anybody tell me why this is happening? Could it be the battery or the alternator?
I noticed that whenever the electric fan went on my headlights and gauge lights would go dimmer an my voltage meter would drop from 14 to about 12. The electric fan stays on for about 15 seconds at a time, and once it goes off again, all the lights get brighter and the voltage meter goes back from 12 to 14.
And like I said, it only does this when the electric fan goes on. The electric fan will go on for about 15 seconds, then go off for about 15 seconds, then come back on for 15 seconds, etc.
Can anybody tell me why this is happening? Could it be the battery or the alternator?
11-19-2011, 04:53 PM
#3
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Join Date: Dec 2010
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Year: 1998
Model: Cherokee
A couple of nights ago I was driving with the heater on. I also had my headlights and radio on. I don't have fog lights.
I noticed that whenever the electric fan went on my headlights and gauge lights would go dimmer an my voltage meter would drop from 14 to about 12. The electric fan stays on for about 15 seconds at a time, and once it goes off again, all the lights get brighter and the voltage meter goes back from 12 to 14.
And like I said, it only does this when the electric fan goes on. The electric fan will go on for about 15 seconds, then go off for about 15 seconds, then come back on for 15 seconds, etc.
Can anybody tell me why this is happening? Could it be the battery or the alternator?
I noticed that whenever the electric fan went on my headlights and gauge lights would go dimmer an my voltage meter would drop from 14 to about 12. The electric fan stays on for about 15 seconds at a time, and once it goes off again, all the lights get brighter and the voltage meter goes back from 12 to 14.
And like I said, it only does this when the electric fan goes on. The electric fan will go on for about 15 seconds, then go off for about 15 seconds, then come back on for 15 seconds, etc.
Can anybody tell me why this is happening? Could it be the battery or the alternator?
i have the same thing going on with my 1998. any ideas?
11-19-2011, 05:49 PM
#5
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I had this same problem and after doing some research I ended up removing my battery cables and cleaning the terminals until shiny, removing the battery ground and cleaning the surface to make sure it was a good ground, and last I wired my headlights up to a relay, problem solved!! With this setup the battery is actually powering the relay, not the headlights which is a lot less voltage and current draw. I read somewhere that the factory jeep wiring is not meant to handle high voltage or current draw thats the reason for the headlight relay, anyways if you havent fixed this problem yet good luck!!
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