Is it normal for a cap to need a constant charge? I mean, I charge it, and then I check what the charge is, and it is using all of its charge up. wont this constant discharge kill my battery?

 

I'm pretty sure that's why everyone says not to spend money on caps. When you're crankin the tunes it just turns into one big ol' piece of wire.

 

Anything more then a couple tenths of a volt in a day or two and Id say the cap is toast....

 

hmmm...i'll check again

 

Well... that don't sound normal!.....I have One farad caps that I pull out from installs and been sitting around for months(4-5) and still measures around 11-12V.

[ March 12, 2005, 10:52 PM: Message edited by: JOE91SC ]

 

Hey Tzu
If you didn't charge the cap through a resistor when you first conected it to the vehicles power system it is likely that you have "fried" (broken down the layer of insulating oxide between the plates) the cap. I had that happen to my first cap - Harrison Labs?, got hot when first connected, then took about 1 hour to discharge when removed from the car. It may be possible to repair it by reforming it.
Good luck, J

 

Go here http://www.canadiancaraudio.com/cgi/...;f=10;t=001173

 

ok i found a new resistor and it seems to charge fully now....

say, just out of curiousity, what would happen if i connected the cap when it was dead? fry the cap i presume?

 

you'll get a big spark... almost if the cap were like a piece of wire.(dead short like)