Why are these head lights pulsing?

[shady]

My kids 04 burb had an odd issue. I'm almost certain it's alternator related but figured I'd ask.
When sitting in park or in gear at idle, the headlights are steady and solid. Just ON.
But as soon as the engine passes about 1000 rpm, moving or not, they flicker.
Kind of a strobe pulsation.

The volt meter stays pretty much solid the whole time. Which to me may be just a product of needle reaction time.

I was thinking regulator issue, but I dunno...?
View attachment VID_20211101_064052227.mp4

 

[shady]

Forgot to mention that the dash lights do it also.

 

[Fastereddie]

I would think a diode or something is bad in the alternator

 

[shady]

It's over here lol.

I would think a diode or something is bad in the alternator

It almost has to be I'm the alt... The only other option I thought of was a coil or other sensor in the motor causing a short quick and repeatedly. But that would cause more issues I'd guess.
And after 1000 rpm, the speed of the pulse always seems the same somehow.

 

[cheavyk10]

Disco burb

 

[Babaganoosh]

Check this thread out, specifically post 11-13

https://ck5.com/forums/threads/alternator-voltage.344212/#post-4195959

 

[shady]

Yeah, I've watched a couple vids now that have the same effect going on. They call it alternator ripple. Alt's bad. It's letting AC current through.
I have the one off of my lq4 that I'm going to throw in it and see if it quits.
I'm replacing the alt from the lq4 anyway, so it's a spare.
I'm kind of wondering if that could cause some of the other electrical issues we've been having.? Throttle position sensor issues and such.

.

 

[Blue85]

I would think a bad diode would be higher frequency. Alt runs at what, 5x engine speed? At 1200 RPM, that's 100x a second. Your pulse looks more like 1Hz, but maybe that's the regulators response to the giant ripple coming from a bad diode. Yes, it could cause other gremlins in the vehicle.

 

[shady]

I took the alt from the lq4 I'm building and put it in this. Lights are smooth and normal now.
I'll use the old one for a core if needed when I buy the new one for my burb.

 

[wasted wages]

Turn down the stereo !!!

 

[shady]

Lol
He wishes it had a stereo that'd do that.
All stocker with a broken CD player lol.

But that's why he got a free alternator, because it wasn't enough for the stereo it would have been running

 

[500$k5]

Most of the time, pulsing in the lights, are caused by a slow acting regulator in the alternator. I've seen lots of cheap regulators doing this. Drive it until you can't stand it, and then try a different alternator.