RuthW Posted May 6, 2013 Report Share Posted May 6, 2013 Hey!I've just got myself a wee arosa and I'm putting a double din radio/DVD player into the car.I had just put it in and was using it with the car off, I then switched the car on, it ran ok for a while and then slowly died, I used a booster pack to start car again and concluded the radio was using too much power because the original radio I've had no problems with. Does anybody know a way I can use my new radio without my car dying when it's running?Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skezza Posted May 6, 2013 Report Share Posted May 6, 2013 I can say with a fair assumption that it's not your head unit causing the problem. All head units draw 12v and I think have a maximum of 10 amps, which they never get anywhere near using. Your head unit certainly won't be causing the car to cut out (feel free to correct me if I'm wrong anyone). Sounds like it could be your alternator, or even battery, but I've never had it happen on me so I'm only going on guess work. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete91 Posted May 6, 2013 Report Share Posted May 6, 2013 In my last car I watched one episode of family guy with the engine off. Tried to start it but had no luck Moral of the story is either turn your engine on or don't have the radio playing when the engine is off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt123roll Posted May 6, 2013 Report Share Posted May 6, 2013 (edited) As Skezza said the headunit WILL NOT cause your car to cut out especially while running. I'd be looking towards the alternator.When the car is off, all power comes from the battery. If you run this dry when the car is off there won't be enough power to turn the starter over thus your car won't start.If you car starts and then after a while dies when you're using power eg. head unit, it may be that the alternator isn't charging the battery properly. When the engine is running all power comes from the alternator not the battery, so technically it should run forever aslong as there's fuel to turn to engine and therefor the alternator.However when the alternator doesn't work properly the power will run from the battery while the car is running but obviously the battery has limited charge and when this goes the car will cut out and when you try and turn the car over nothing will happen as there's no power left to turn the starter over.Get a voltmeter on the alternator and hope it's not that as it's about £100+ to replace which is a pain!Long story short... It's probably not your head unit Edited May 6, 2013 by matt123roll Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete91 Posted May 6, 2013 Report Share Posted May 6, 2013 Didn't read the original post properly. As Matt and Skezza said Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dblock Posted May 7, 2013 Report Share Posted May 7, 2013 Is the headunit or amps staying on once keys are out? Also agree its not headunit. Battery or alternator? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mini_ash Posted May 11, 2013 Report Share Posted May 11, 2013 just get a big diesel battery or even better get 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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