The large frame gm alt is a very tough piece.
more dependable for 180+ amps.
the cs130 requires a special rectifier for all high amp applications(70amp diodes)
and i highly recommend the iceberg case.
i've been beating on my own self built alternator for 2 seasons,it's 200amp cs144 externally regulated,run from 14.9-16 volts daily driven [img]graemlins/thumb.gif[/img]
i've built a few for other members of CCA.

I don't know what the ESR on your cap is, but most of those big ones are too high to have any good affect. Are caps a waste of money? Depends on the application. The best ones are usually the plain Jane 1F without meters etc. They will have an affect on most systems that are built for daily driving, are they a substitute for a good battery or a good alternator? No.

I say since you already have the cap maybe check out it's ESR if you can find that spec, then we can see if it is worth keeping in the system or not.

Hmmm very good write up...lol I didnt know this was a hot subject! well I have learned alot guys and I thank you for all your help... Im probably going to get a big alternator (Loud Brown Kicker Colt sounds like a really nice guy and good work) and maybe keep the 15F with the bigger alt it shouldent matter...

Brad [img]smile.gif[/img]

also ya ill check if it ESR or not and go from there ill keep ya guys posted...

Brad [img]smile.gif[/img]

Actually no, that's not true at all. I've had various batteries in my van over the years (she has 370,000 km's), although always gel or better in the rear. I ran a liquid battery up front until just recently. Two years ago I was running two 6v 180ah gels in the back, for the stereo. Before that, a 200+ah 12v. In my 370,000 kliks, you may guess I've pounded through alternators, or at least run high amp ones, yes? No. I'm on my fourth alternator now, stock, 105 amp. I also run a pulley off the late eighties Cougars with 5.0's, a nice small one, to keep it charging at red lights. Works like a charm. The secret? Cabling.

Caps are no substitute for available amperage, although they do have an effect. You can see this yourself with most multi-meters & AVR's. Run the car, and the system, while checking voltage at batteries & amps. You will notice that with a cap, your voltage fluctuation is not as bad as without. Good, even excessive cabling, also improves this.

It is also correct that caps add additional loads to alternators. When calculating amperage availability, treat caps as amplifiers. Like, adding a 1f cap to a simple system with a stock alternator is quite effective. Adding a 15f cap to a stock alternator with a simple or large system would definately be detrimental. You would definately need a much larger alternator then, to keep that cap charged up enough for music, as was already said.
</font>[/QUOTE]If you know a cap is an added drain on the alt then you should realise that a second battery is also an added drain which will shorten the life of your alt. Especially a small factory one.

so all you guys are running no caps with no light dimmin? thats crayness i havent had one install that hasent dimmed the lights...hmmm...
Brad [img]smile.gif[/img]

i had mad dimming until i upgraded the big 3, it helped a lot.

yes do the big 3 and do it well, u wont need a cap after that.

and yes i run a big big amp for daily driving, about 200amp draw with no lights dimmin on stock 130amp alternator

Ya, I shoulda said that too. Batteries, caps, and amplifiers are all added drains to a system. Add any, and you need to make sure you have enough amperage available.

However, my stock 105 amp CS130D is and has been adequete for my uses since day 1, I'm on my fourth alternator now. 2 batteries (sometimes 3), and large ones at that, 1 1f cap, 4 amplifiers totalling 1800w RMS, 370,000 km's. Since I've just got my Orion setup in the last eight months or so, I've noticed when I REALLY work the system hard (can't listen to it at that level for long or you'll go deaf!), I can make the lights fluctuate a bit, therefore, I'm right at the "borderline".

What am I gonna do about it? Probably install a second alternator sometime soon, but there's no hurry.

Anyway, yes, cabling. Get your cabling up to par or better, then test things yourself, test with that 15f cap and without. I'm puttin' my money on that it will make it worse, as 15f is just to much...