charging problems

[Die Ford V8]

my car has a new alternator but it charges weird.
i changed the alternator and the battery the next day just to be safe. the weird thing is when my car bogs at all the headlights go dim and the battery gauge goes right down to red. i do have a nice stereo system in it but i started having problems like a year before i installed the amp so that has nothing to do with it. the headlights go dim when it bogs are when i push it hard. the gauge doesnt fluctuate when the headlights are off obviously because not much battery is needed then. its almost like my alternator just shuts off but napa, westbay, schucks and les schwab tested it good several times. then i put it in second gear start and really bogged the engine until the battery gauge dropped again while it was being tested and it still tested as good. its been like this for about 2 years and im really frustrated.
napa wont take it back because the stickers fell off and i dont have a reciept. if you guys have a reciept to a 951/2 96 alternator i would really appreciate it. mine does have a lifetime warranty but any warranty would be great.
also when my car is cold it will make a ticking noise in my dash when i first open the door. "tick tick tick tick tick then the regular door bell. then i go to turn on the car and it goes tick tick tick etc for about ten seconds then i can start the car. a friend said it might be the relay i guess there is like 6 of them. i have checked all connections to alt and battery and they are all spotless. ieven bought some dialectic conducting grease and put that on but it didn't help. any help is much appreciated and sorry for the long message. thanks in advance

[ianwells100]

as far as when u bog, and the voltage gage falls to less than 13, that is normal, or at least mine does it, and i have a brand new alternator on my car... think about it, ur car goes down to say 600 rpm, ur engine isn't turning over quick enough to supply the alternator with enough turns to charge/run all the accesories, as long as it goes back up (over 13V) once the rpms are >900 rpms, then ur fines

[Die Ford V8]

oh ok but it didn't do it before my last alternator went out though. does the fac t that my tranny goes into lockup have anything to do with it.

[Javelin3o4]

check you engine ground strap when i had issues with my gauges that was the problem.

[camaro97]

as said above... check connections especially the ground off the battery. look for any rust or buildup.

Matt

[ianwells100]

it could also be ur battery needing replacement... i was thinking about this, and i think i need a new one too... as i've recently completely drained mine (when alt died), then drained it again, by accident, then jumped someone off her (i think she's 70k kms old too), and this has happened to me too now... so think about it, ur lights dim, well if ur alt isn't giving enough power for a split second, ur battery should still have enough charge to run ur accesories for a couple of seconds, thats why i think ur battery may be on the way out... just an idea

[Die Ford V8]

My battery ia as new as the alternator,no more than two years old, and it started like 4 months after i replaced alt and battery both. i havent had much time with school and all but will check every connection wire and fitting under and around the engine maybe this weekend. thanks you guys

[ianwells100]

good luck, and tell us what u find to be the problem, so that anyone else with this problem can search this up

[Die Ford V8]

ok