Why do you use a capacitor? what is it good for? And do you realy have nead
for it if you have large batteries?

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Det ER størrelsen det kommer ann på. 18" eller mer.

Kim Inglar

On Wed, 16 Jul 2003 at 09:57 GMT, Kim Inglar wrote:

Why do you use a capacitor? what is it good for? And do you realy
have nead for it if you have large batteries?

Kim,

I am somewhat new to car audio and never used a capacitor myself.
But I do understand the intended purpose of the large caps hooked to
the power line. When the sub amp goes to hit a note really hard,
the amp is going to need a draw a good bit of current. The battery
and/or alterator might not be able to deliever such a large current
exactly when the amp wants it. The first thing that will happen is
the amp gets the power over other things in the car. The capacitor
stores a bunch of electricity. When the amp needs the extra current
to drive the sub it gets it from the capacitor. At a much slower
rate, the capacitor is recharged from either the battery or
alternator.

Do you need one? Don't know. But I do know that if you are driving
down the road listening to your system and the headlights dim each
time a bass note is hit real hard, then a capacitory might just be
the answer.

It is my understanding that you only need a second battery if you
intend to play your system a lot when the car isn't running. If you
are like me and only listen to the system while driving, the second
battery won't do you any good. If the alternator you have and a
capacitor isn't enough to keep your system going, which I think it
should, you will need a bigger alterator.

Sam

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In article ,
"Kim Inglar" wrote:

Why do you use a capacitor? what is it good for? And do you realy have nead
for it if you have large batteries?


They attempt to hold the voltage steady. Unfortunately they have
minimal value for car audio amps. If the voltage is drooping from thin
wire, the better solution is bigger wire. If the voltage is drooping at
the battery, you're drawing too much current for a capacitor to be
useful. (You probably need a more efficient system if you're loading
down the battery!)

A capacitor doesn't do anything to help the alternator. They don't
store nearly enough power for that.

One farad is the capacitance where 1 amp causes a 1 volt/second change.
A 1/60 second surge at 60A would drain a 1F cap 1V or a 2F cap 0.5V.

By now the solution seems to be clear:

1) Largest gauge and shortest run mains possible.
2) High capacity battery.
3) High output alternator.
4) Use money budgeted for capacitors for items one through three above,
unless you want to spend it for "show not go."

Best,

Phil Sharkey

On Thu, 17 Jul 2003 at 15:47 GMT, Phil Sharkey wrote:
By now the solution seems to be clear:

1) Largest gauge and shortest run mains possible.
2) High capacity battery.
3) High output alternator.
4) Use money budgeted for capacitors for items one through three above,
unless you want to spend it for "show not go."

That is one solution, all depending on how you value capacitors.
There is also the issue of price. It looks like a 1 farad caps is
less then $100 normally. A high output alternator for my car is
going to cost somewhere around $300 to $400.

Personally I think a cap is a much better investment then a high
output alternator, assuming your alternator has enough umph to drive
the system, normally. Which it is my understanding most alternators
do until the system reachs the 1000+ watts area.

Sam

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See my links engine for a collection of sites that
might be of interest to you. Your additions will
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http://www.miltonstreet.com/scarleton/links/

Caps provide your system an extra surge of power that the battery or
alternator cannot supply.

Normal Stereos, or minimal systems do not need caps for they do not draw a
lot of power.

To know whether or not you need a Cap or not, throw a bass test CD into your
car, and play the music the way you noramlly would. If your lights in your
car dim, the engine revs like mad and the check battery light comes on in
your car, install a cap.

I have 2 -3 Fadad Caps in my show vehicle. 8,000 watts of RMS Power.
Regardless of what anyone says, the main line fact is that if you need an
instant-power source due to a bass hit or power spike to deal with peak
wattage then get a cap. A Cap. however will not do anything if you are
contantly overpowering your battery or alternator. Getting a bigger battery
might help, but make sure that it is a high powered one, you will probably
need to re-build the battery box in your car, since a stock battery or one
that is the right size for your vehicle will get over-driven and you will
tear though a battery in a matter of months.

K

"Kim Inglar" wrote in message
...
Why do you use a capacitor? what is it good for? And do you realy have
nead
for it if you have large batteries?

--
Det ER størrelsen det kommer ann på. 18" eller mer.

Kim Inglar

Hello,

I have a massive pair of spotlights which cause the engine to rev lower and
it really puts a load on the battery. So are you also claiming that a
capacitor will also help this. The capacitor will not know it's not an
expensive audio amp, unless you can get "intelligent" ones!

I have never read so much rubbish in my life - the reason they are sold is
to make money out of people that are a bit thick. The type that will buy
blue LED washer jets, induction kits to suck hot air from around the engine,
big exhausts and wheels that could fit onto a tractor.

So long as you THINK it does something then good for you. If that's what
you want to believe in!

"Kevin Glass" wrote in message
ble.rogers.com...
Caps provide your system an extra surge of power that the battery or
alternator cannot supply.

Normal Stereos, or minimal systems do not need caps for they do not draw a
lot of power.

To know whether or not you need a Cap or not, throw a bass test CD into
your
car, and play the music the way you noramlly would. If your lights in
your
car dim, the engine revs like mad and the check battery light comes on in
your car, install a cap.

I have 2 -3 Fadad Caps in my show vehicle. 8,000 watts of RMS Power.
Regardless of what anyone says, the main line fact is that if you need an
instant-power source due to a bass hit or power spike to deal with peak
wattage then get a cap. A Cap. however will not do anything if you are
contantly overpowering your battery or alternator. Getting a bigger
battery
might help, but make sure that it is a high powered one, you will probably
need to re-build the battery box in your car, since a stock battery or one
that is the right size for your vehicle will get over-driven and you will
tear though a battery in a matter of months.

K

"Kim Inglar" wrote in message
...
Why do you use a capacitor? what is it good for? And do you realy have
nead
for it if you have large batteries?

--
Det ER størrelsen det kommer ann på. 18" eller mer.

Kim Inglar