Car starts when it wants to! Help! Options

[Por2geezcelica]

Hey guys, need your help with this problem im having. Currently my car is starting when it wants. This is what is happening: I turn the key and all the lights on the dash will dim and the starter will click once or twice, but wont do anything after. Sometimes when i bring the key back the lights will stay dim as if theres not enough voltage coming from the battery, and other times when i bring the kay back the lights will light up normally. This happened yesterday. I changed out the battery today and it started up fine, then later on in the day it did the same thing with the new battery so it isnt the battery. I changed the starter a few months ago, but im thinking this may be a starter problem since i believe it was a refurbished starter. The only thing is that sometimes when i bring the key back and am not trying to start it, the lights will stay dim as if the battery is not delivering enough voltage. Could a bad starter cause the lights to dim when not trying to start it?

I have narrowed it down to either the starter, maybe a bad ground point, or maybe the battery cables or the connection to the battery cable terminals? Let me know what you guys think.

[Por2geezcelica]

True about the alternator not putting out any power when the motor is not on. Heres another thing, when this has happened, ill try and try and the starter will just click and the lights will be dim, then all of a sudden ill turn the key and it will start. All of a sudden it will have enough power to start.