Do i need a Capacitor for my car audio System?
I have a 500 Watt RMS amp and 2- 250Watt RMS 12" Subwoofers.
When i play my music loud everything like my headlights and interior lights dim. will this damage any components in my car?
I know a capacitor will fix the problem but since my lights all dim i was wondering if that affects my music at all? will my subs play better with a capacitor or will it make no difference
Update:i have no idea how to do the BIG3....can i take my car to an audio installation place..will they be able to do it for me?
Comments
caps are a useful piece but are often used to solve the wrong problem. what you want to do is upgrade your "Big 3"
the big 3 are the connections from the
alternator to battery ( + )
battery to chassis ( - )
engine to chassis ( - )
use 4ga or larger with with nice ring terminals. and replace the stock wires. if u need more details email me ill get you pictures.
a cap cant really help more than .1 or .2 volts of drop and they have to recharge every time thus pulling more power from your alternator
Austin C, if you want sustained high output performance, ante up for the alternator. The friendly Kinetik tech guy told me 80% of their warranty returns are for sulfated batteries; in other words, batteries that were not being fully recharged. Also, check the actual potential at the battery at the end of the charging cycle to ensure it is neither too high nor too low. Hondas and Nissans are know to under charge and I have measured several new Schumacher battery chargers at 17+V. Given enough time and enough load, even the biggest battery will be drained if the alternator is too small. Think about it. Can a capacitor help? It can depend upon the dynamics of the music and the way it is played, where it is placed, (presumably quite close to the amp), and wire size/ capacity. If the load is high and sustained, a capacitor will not be of much use. Lots of dynamics/ peaks, a capacitor may help reduce clipping. It is hard to imagine having too much battery if it were not for weight and volume issues. More batteries will not increase the alternator load (unless the batteries had been previously discharged); to think otherwise is just wrong. If anything more would decrease the load because battery conductance are maximized, but this really is not the issue. Using a single large battery simplifies charging and discharging, wiring and component issues. Going to a multiple, but matched batteries can also be a satisfactory solution and gives the flexibility of locating each near the larger power users, such as the starter and the amp. This minimizes component issues. The last is the combining of more than one type of battery into the same electrical system. Ideally when different batteries are used in the same system, each set of matched batteries would have its own Voltage regulator to ensure full charging. What type of battery? Assuming sealed lead acid, gel and AGM are preferred, with the AGM providing the higher peaking current but phosphorus impregnated grid gel providing better deep cycle/ drained recovery performance, (battery recovering from a less than 10.5 V resting potential). For those needing the dynamic range but not sustained, an AGM starting battery can work well and a capacitor may help even more as can a gel coupled with a capacitor. For those needing sustainable high power, a high output alternator coupled with a deep cycle(s) would be best. And remember, more battery + high capacity wiring = higher Voltage at the amp & accompanying lower amps for the same power. More battery + proper charging = longer battery life.
I find it rather interesting that SO many people have no idea what a cap is and how it's used. They are NOT for all situations, but will work wonders used for the right reasons.
Only an oscilloscope will tell whether a cap is actually helpful which is what I have done and I've measured a definate improvement for my situation.
If your total system power is more than 1000 watts RMS
you will need to:
1. Upgrade the alternator to a high output alternator
2. Upgrade to a heavy duty deep cycle battery
3. Upgrade the "Big 3" - that is to replace the power wire between the battery and alternator, the ground from the battery to the chassis and the ground strap from the engine/tranny to the chassis with at least 1/0 AWG wire.
Failure to do this will result in you replacing them
anyway as the alternator will eventually fail.
Here is a guide that will calculate what size
alternator and power wires you need
http://www.datafilehost.com/download.php?file=6d26...
You'll need Microsft Excel to use it.
See my site for more info http://spkrbox1.spaces.live.com/
Ok, So I am amazed that no one bothered to ask what amperage his alternator was rated at? This would be the first place to check (always) if you are having power issues with car audio. The second would be to make sure that your battery is recharging fast enough to supply your power demands (when the BASS hits) In a sense, your car battery is a capacitor. It stores energy for when it's needed. Once your vehicle is started, then you are getting your power straight from the alternator. The battery will only kick in when your alternator cannot keep up with the power demands. So like I said, check the amperage of your alternator and ensure that it is powerful enough to supply the needed power for your setup. I too agree that upgrading your alternator and battery cables is a MUST! but this will not fix the problem. The alternator is most often always overlooked when installing a car audio system and serves as the most vital part in supplying power to your amps, stereo and whatever else you have hooked up.
http://www.zena.net/htdocs/alternators/alt_inf2.sh...
Check the following website out for any further questions regarding Alternator and amps.
Good luck and cheers!
Crapacitors are a waste of money. They just put more strain on the alternator as it is just another object to keep charged. You can have 8 bazillion farads, none of which will do you any good. It takes caps 5 times as long to recharge as is does to discharge.
Do the Big3 Upgrade:
Charge wire from alt. straight to batt. Ground wire from batt. straight to frame. Ground wire from batt. to engine block.
Use 4g wire. Use copper lugs.
This will stop your headlight from dimming. This will stop voltage drop, which kills amps.
This will serve the purpose in which caps are sold for.
Good Luck!
you do not need a capacitor and no damage could be done to other electronics but your sound quility would become better because your subs wont have to strain for power
I recomend you get one.
No you don't.... listen to javin m