izzy_domain

I just bought a new capacitor, its a 3 Farad, although knowing that most likely wont help with my question. I would like to know how to charge it, so that I don't go blowing myself up, the reason im asking is because my capacitor did not come with instructions, and I've never installed one before. If anyone can help me out it would be much appreciated. Thanks

Westec

iTrader: (1)

use a relay to charge it, 85 to 12volts and 86 to the (+) on the cap...

izzy_domain

i dont know what a relay is, could you explain?

Sassmaster

iTrader: (2)

it's real simple... screw the thing down where you want it, and hook the power up to it, don't be afraid of a little spark, 12 volts isn't gonna hurt you.

izzy_domain

ive heard that if you dont charge it properly that it can harm both the capacitor and your battery, so i dont know if hooking up the postive (12 volt from the battery), to the (+) on the cap and grounding it, is a good idea.. is that a proper way of charging it?

Brad-S.A.

iTrader: (35)

Some capacitors come with a resistor to charge it. Reason is mainly finish. Some caps are nice and chrome finished and if you hook it up it will damage the finish.

Grimmis1027

Basic electronics tells me that a capacitor acts like a dead short when fully discharged, now are you going to connect a 700 amp battery to a stick of dynamite ?.

hofulstrof

irrc when i had my cap i charged it with a 12volt test light.

i connected the negative on the cap to the negative on the battery, then connected the test light to the positive on the battry, then touched the end of the test light to the positive terminal on the cap. when the test light goes out the cap is considered charged

Sassmaster

iTrader: (2)

actually... basic electronics (mind you I'm only an electrician, so what do I know about electricity) tells you that any capacitor in a DC circuit acts as an open circuit.

the only resemblence to a short is that it will draw a large spike of current to charge itself, this current stays in the capacitor, and does not go back to the battery. However, since the current does not return to the battery, it in no way acts like a dead short.

Smartass: you're right, sometimes it is nice to protect the finish.... which, in retrospect makes me say... unhook the fuse by your battery (I'm assuming you're smart enough to have one) then hook up the cap, amps etc, and then hook the fuse back up.. again, you'll get a spark, which is your capacitor charging, as well as the capacitors in your amplifiers.

and WTF is this dynamite thing? if you hook up a cap in reverse poliarty, there is a chance that it'll explode, yeah, but hooking it up directly to a battery properly presents absolutely no danger.

freakin voo-doo believing noobies who have no clue how to use a cap and are trying to give advice to someone who wants to learn.

splescort

iTrader: (16)

sassmaster is right. I am MECP silver and everything that i have learned over the years says that sassmaster is right.... saying that "hofulstrof" how he is saying to use a test light which would act like a load would slow the rate that the cap is charged... any time that i have just connected a cap with out charging it then disconnected it and put a DMM (volt meter) on the cap seconds after disconnecting the wires there has been very little voltage.. but when i have but any time that i have used a test light and the disconnected the wires the cap would stay at round 12.6-12.2 volts for a few hours..

caps need to be charged slowly in order for them to do the job they are intended to do