how do you check the volts or amps coming from the battery?

[sleepersatty99]

hey guys. i have a promblem my lights really dim when my system is up really loud. and i keep blowing fuses in my main line. i have changed the gauge on that line to a bigger wire and so it accamodate 2 amps. but im thinking that when the system is up and the lights dim really low. the battery drops in amps and or volts. cause the lights dim really low at times and then poof there goes the fuse. so i wanted to know what do i check at the battery the amps comming out of it or the volts coming out? im pretty sure it would be volts to check to see if its holding 12 volts. and how might you check it. i know you have to use the volt meter. but what do you hook it too. and how do you test the alternator for amps and volts?
dont get me wrong im great at installing systems and all but this proplem has me perplexed, cause i cant slove this dam promlem. i have never come accross anything like this before in my years of doing installs so a little help would be nice. thanks

[CleanNeon98]

to check the battery put the red cable to positive nad black to negative...turn the key so the lights turn on and such...it should read around 11 or so volts. have someone start the car, nad it will spike up, and then should settle back down somewhere around 12. are you running a capacitor with this system?

[bluengoldsti]

I had the same problem when I had a system in my car. Get a second battery to run the stereo, then you won't have this problem. Worked for me.

[sleepersatty99]

nah im not running a cap i was before and it did nothing. the lights still dimmed in fact the lights dimmed even worse when i had the cap on it. i just wanted to test the battery to make sure its that before i go and get a red or yellow top battery. cause if its not the battery then im just going to get a higher amp alt