Electrical Woes, please help

I have a 96 country 4.0 with 192K. Recently, the headlights will just randomly go out while I am driving. I turn off the switch, and then back on, and they are fine. It only does it every now and then, and also, the headlights seem to get dimmer the longer I drive it. Also, I have a fairly powerful stereo, and every time the bass hits when its turned up, the lights dim and the volt guage bounces. Lastly, the volt meter drops more with everything I turn on, especially the fog lights and the blower motor. With wipers, headlights, blower, and stereo on, it gets close to the quarter dash, which makes me uncomfortable. Here's my question: If I were to add a bigger guage battery wires, would that help? Or do I just need a more powerful alternator? How do I fix the headlights, rewire them? How do I do that? Any help is greatly appreciated!

How old is the battery ? Could try an Optima yellow top for a replacment. You need to add up all your current draw and see what the total is or add the watts up, divide by 12 and that gives you your current in amps. Also need to check and clean all your grounds, remove the battery leads, clean them and the battery posts with baking soda and water, don't let the fizzing throw you, it's supposed to do that , rinse with clean water, reinstall the battery cables and grease them to prevent any further corrosion. Grounds though, thats the biggie, check, remove, clean and reinstall every ground you can find, just look for wires that go to the body, engine block and end there not doing anything pretty much, some are flat braided cable. Pull your headlights and clean the plugs with a burnishing tool, apply dielectric grease and plug them back in..the list is endless.

Well, actually, my battery is over 4 years old with over 100K on it, and it only has 425 CCA, and also there is corrosion on the neg. terminal. Should I go ahead and replace it? I will clean all the connections like you suggest. Thanks alot.

Is your battery maintenance free?? If not, don't forget to check the battery itself to ensure it still has enough water in it.

My headlamps had been doing the same thing as yours. Now my low beams don't work at all... I've pointed my highs down and use them at night but now they are starting to flicker every now and then after being on for a while. That problem is most likely your H/L switch. I'm currently looking at completely rewiring my headlights with relays a hi/lo foot switch instead of the column mount.

I would say after 4 years you got your moneys worth and will have a tough time lasting thru the winter/cold weather if it's giving you problems now. The cleaning of the terminals with baking soda should be a normal thing, once a year. The burnishing tool looks like a striker on a match book cover only made of spring steel/super fine file, made by GC precision tools sold in component type electronic shops for a $1 or so, GC part number 00-9338-0000, Large Contact Burnisher, fits right in the headlight sockets and cleans them up nicely, gets rid of all that nasty green oxydation.
As for the optimas, look around for sale prices, Advance Auto has them on sale from time to time for $99 for a red top, $129 for a yellow. Have them in all 3 jeeps now, I used mobil-1 grease out of the grease gun to put a coating on the terminals after I installed them.
Being frugal I go thru the sunday papers looking for coupons so thats another option for pricing and saving a few bucks.

RichP, I have always wondered if high power batteries like Optimas kill starters and other electrical devices like bulbs and power locks faster due to the incredibly high surge of power they provide. Am I an idiot to think this? If Optimas really are great than I will consider one, but my stereo is the only non stock item being powered. Also, my interstate battery has been awesome. Let me know, thanks very much for your help,

forgot to mention, tthompson, that sounds interesting. So you are just going to bypass the stock switch? I would like to do that, but I wonder about the interior lights and how to get everything wired up properly?

Jackhill442 said:

RichP, I have always wondered if high power batteries like Optimas kill starters and other electrical devices like bulbs and power locks faster due to the incredibly high surge of power they provide. Am I an idiot to think this? If Optimas really are great than I will consider one, but my stereo is the only non stock item being powered. Also, my interstate battery has been awesome. Let me know, thanks very much for your help,

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having a more powerful battery will not harm electrical devices.

Your headlight switch need replacement, It has a built-in circuit breaker than can (and does) go bad.

Also, I have a fairly powerful stereo, and every time the bass hits when its turned up, the lights dim and the volt guage bounces. Lastly, the volt meter drops more with everything I turn on, especially the fog lights and the blower motor. With wipers, headlights, blower, and stereo on, it gets close to the quarter dash, which makes me uncomfortable.

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This is quite common and not a real issue. The computer sees the extra draw from the bump, increases output, then, as the output overcomes the surge, the computer recompensates and lowers output, just in time for the high draw to start again.
pulling power directly from the battery to the amp and stereo will reduce this problem. A better CCA battery will help as will a higher output alt. but I wouldn't replace the alt unless you are having a problem with the battery going dead with everything on.

Jack Hill...

I'm only doing that as a last resort. If I can figure out and fix the stock setup then I'll keep it. But if it gives me too much trouble then I'll remove the wiring and install my own setup using the stock setup fuses and terminals, but my own wires and switches and switch placements( ie: the hi beam switch on the floor like the old fords).

i would suggest a alternator by alterstart i have there 180 amp and it works great and was very affordable. as for the battery optima yellow top and for the lights diming when you have a big bass hit well that tells you that you need a capacitor for your amp you can get something like that from crutchfield.

Higher output alternator might be worthwhile but I'd wait and see how it does with a decent battery. As for the headlights, mine have been cutting out as well. My problem is the front light wiring harness connector located under the airbox, apparently this is also fairly common, some of the wires are rotted right off mine (thankfully it's only the driving lights completely gone).