JeffersonC

Still new to car audio, and completing my first system.
I am in the process of doing a " Big 3 " sometime this week.

Check link for my amps and subs.
Anyways, should I be running a capasitor, or anything like that ?

http://www.canadiancaraudio.com/online/general-discussion/25287-first-system.html

Any imput would be good.
Thanks.

zinger002

iTrader: (1)

no dont run a capacitor for your power.

pointless. if you want the description why send a pm lol.

the best is the big 3 like you said, and if you still have dimming get a better battery and a bigger alternator. more expensive but atleast those upgrades work and ar not just for looks.

Tom.F.1

iTrader: (1)

I know lots of people on this site don't like caps, but they work for me.

I have a 140 amp alt, obviously less at idle. I run 6 amps that can draw a continuous 90 amps. I haven't blown the 100 amp main fuse, but probably could if i tried.
I tried it without the caps, car running, voltage drops to 12.2 to 12.5v. on my AmProbe DMM.

With a 1 and a 2 farad cap, voltage stays over 13v. No dimming, less distortion. sounds better to me.

I'd say the caps are doing exactly what they're meant to do. And they're hidden.

zinger002

iTrader: (1)

maby it helps when you have a bigger alt, but with the 80 thats in my car, and a 0.5 cap, or a 1.2 cap, or a 2 farad cap, nothing will keep the voltage above 13 at idle... or maby my alt is blown.

but whats the principle behind a cap tom?

discharge really fast.

but then whats it do after, recharge really fast,

so i dont think they do very much except shift the draw time over a little bit

but if they work for tom, try one i guess. you can always wrap it up and say bnib on ebay!

Tom.F.1

iTrader: (1)

The principle is is that the cap will discharge really fast when you need high current, usually for bass, or subs. Then it will re-charge drawing from your battery and Alt. The problem is that most batterys won't put out high current fast enough, nor will it recharge from your alt fast enough, so voltage drops. The cap keeps a constant draw.
Caps are used in all power supplies. Obviously, a cap that big won't fit inside every amp, so it has to be external.
This has been covered too many times on this site. Back when there was a big argument going on about caps, (Oct/Nov) just after i installed my HU, I did some experimenting.
I expect i'll have to replace alt and battery before the car is 3 yrs old.
I wouldn't expect a warrantee replacement as they weren't meant to run a mid power system.

zinger002

iTrader: (1)

ah see, me and my friends have not noticed any difference really with caps, or without.