what is a Capacitor for and should I get one?
02-20-2009, 04:04 PM
#4
0 Watt CAFz'r
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 44
For the price of a Capacitor, wait until April and buy a Yellow top Optima battery on sale from Lordco.
Now if you were running 4+ crappy Subs, 2+amps and lots of door speakers, then yeah each blast of bass or sound from the song would drop the power a bit and a cap could help with that....BUT then again it might not.
Start by looking at your setup and see where you might be killing the power
a) Are you gains too high?
b) Are you playing the songs too loud
c) Have you done the big 3 upgrade?
c) Are your lights even dimming on big bass songs?
If your lights are dimming and your tach goes nutz with each bass hit, then try turning down the gains on the amp a little bit. Then turn up the volume on the head unit. 6/10 times this is the issue and you can get better sound quality out of it too.
All a cap does is have a place to store energy for when your sound system needs to draw a lot of power quickly before the next big sound burst.... Think of it like a garden hose pouring into a bucket. Your friend runs up and hits you with the water gun so you throw the bucket of water at him. If you have a cap (second bucket) you could be filling that up and be ready to hit him with the water sooner. For most R&B, you don't drain all your power on a single bass beat or even in a song because there is a delay between the hits and your car can restor power before the next one.
Now on 4+ 12" subs... it might have more trouble gaining power in time... but then we are talking about something more than you have.
So the simple answer... No you don't need a cap. 90% of the people with caps, don't need them.
Now if you were running 4+ crappy Subs, 2+amps and lots of door speakers, then yeah each blast of bass or sound from the song would drop the power a bit and a cap could help with that....BUT then again it might not.
Start by looking at your setup and see where you might be killing the power
a) Are you gains too high?
b) Are you playing the songs too loud
c) Have you done the big 3 upgrade?
c) Are your lights even dimming on big bass songs?
If your lights are dimming and your tach goes nutz with each bass hit, then try turning down the gains on the amp a little bit. Then turn up the volume on the head unit. 6/10 times this is the issue and you can get better sound quality out of it too.
All a cap does is have a place to store energy for when your sound system needs to draw a lot of power quickly before the next big sound burst.... Think of it like a garden hose pouring into a bucket. Your friend runs up and hits you with the water gun so you throw the bucket of water at him. If you have a cap (second bucket) you could be filling that up and be ready to hit him with the water sooner. For most R&B, you don't drain all your power on a single bass beat or even in a song because there is a delay between the hits and your car can restor power before the next one.
Now on 4+ 12" subs... it might have more trouble gaining power in time... but then we are talking about something more than you have.
So the simple answer... No you don't need a cap. 90% of the people with caps, don't need them.
02-20-2009, 04:06 PM
#5
0 Watt CAFz'r
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 44
You could also invest in better subs if you are having power fluctuation problems. Good subs don't require a minimum power to move them. i.e., Sony xplodes required about 100-200 watts just to move the cone. Bostons can run a whole sound system very well on about 150-200watts.
02-20-2009, 05:06 PM
#6
50 Watt CAFz'r
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 384
02-22-2009, 12:31 AM
#8
Aside from the fact the sub can handle twice the power I'm not seeing a problem.....
To the OP, if you're not seeing any headlight problems when the system is running, your electrical system is strong enough to handle the amp. If you are, go look at this thread and get those wires done first. It will cost you much less than a cap and will do a better job not only for the stereo but your car in general.....
....... BTW, I am assuming you are running at least 4ga power and ground wire to the amp...if not, you should.Any other questions, get back to us.........
02-22-2009, 02:03 AM
#9
50 Watt CAFz'r
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 70
Someone on this site told me once.
"A cap can only help if you have the power there to start with" If your drawing more than your alt can handle a cap is not going to help.
Get a better batt. and do the big 3 and you should be fine.
I however got a HC1800 and did the big 3 with 0 guage and it still didn't help. Since my alt only pumps out 105 amps and the don't make upgradedd alts for the Cobalt SS/SC , plus I don't want to do the rewind and have heat issues looks like I'm going to have to get a alt built from the ground up, just finding out where to do it is the problem. SQMonster recomended a place in Surrey with a guy named Rob, but I forgot the name of the shop and forgot to ask a ballpark on how much it going to cost, I know its going to be expensive but I would like to set the money aside before I go there
Can anyone tell me roughly how much I should bank on?
Something around 200 amps
"A cap can only help if you have the power there to start with" If your drawing more than your alt can handle a cap is not going to help.
Get a better batt. and do the big 3 and you should be fine.
I however got a HC1800 and did the big 3 with 0 guage and it still didn't help. Since my alt only pumps out 105 amps and the don't make upgradedd alts for the Cobalt SS/SC , plus I don't want to do the rewind and have heat issues looks like I'm going to have to get a alt built from the ground up, just finding out where to do it is the problem. SQMonster recomended a place in Surrey with a guy named Rob, but I forgot the name of the shop and forgot to ask a ballpark on how much it going to cost, I know its going to be expensive but I would like to set the money aside before I go there
Can anyone tell me roughly how much I should bank on?
Something around 200 amps
