Caps Good or Bad
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Bronze Member Username: KapreseWalstonburg, NC USA Post Number: 29 Registered: Mar-07 | Alright question do you think a amplifier can get more power with the cap or without the cap and explain please I don't won't to waste money and can the cap really help with the amp getting power? |
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Gold Member Username: N2audioLawrence, Ks USA Post Number: 1240 Registered: Mar-04 | in the long run a cap will bleed a small amount of energy away from the amp, it has to. A cap is just a storage device and science hasn't come up with a perfect one yet. What a cap does is moderate the variances in voltage from the car's charging system. Without a cap a standard electrical system may spike to 14.4v and sag to 12.5. With a cap you may see spikes to 14.1v with sags to 12.8. What does that help is the question. IMO, nothing at all. The way I see it - if the amp doesn't have ample internal capacitance -- it's a POS amp. |
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Silver Member Username: KillswitchjdPost Number: 327 Registered: Apr-06 | it helps, only if you have a high output alternator. But I think it could be replaced by a yellow top or similar deep cycle battery. the battery would probably work better. someone wanna back me up here???? |
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Bronze Member Username: Mash4kashLafayette, LA Post Number: 61 Registered: Feb-06 | aren't the batteries for when at idle or the car off? |
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Silver Member Username: KillswitchjdPost Number: 331 Registered: Apr-06 | yes but those are the problem times. when your at 2000rpm's + up the alternator should put out sufficient power. |
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Platinum Member Username: GlasswolfWisteria, Lane USA Post Number: 11667 Registered: Dec-03 | http://www.bcae1.com/capacitr.htm http://www.glasswolf.net/caraudio/capacitors.html http://www.glasswolf.net/caraudio/charging.html http://www.betteraudio.com/geolemon/newmain/battcapalt/ http://www.bcae1.com/charging.htm http://www.bcae1.com/chargin2.htm http://www.bcae1.com/battiso.htm http://www.glasswolf.net/caraudio/batteries.html http://www.the12volt.com/info/recwirsz.asp |
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Silver Member Username: KillswitchjdPost Number: 338 Registered: Apr-06 | who has that much time for reading glasswolf? well i guess I do im just lazy. as for me, I have no battery in back, but I do have a high output alt and a capacitor in back. It keeps the voltage more stable, but during idle times the system can drain the cap pretty quick at full volume. So you have to decide if you will be playing your system driving or at idle... or in park ect... |
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Gold Member Username: FishyTamarac Ft.Laud, FL USA Post Number: 1578 Registered: Sep-04 | Wow, that is a lot of links. I think its pretty simple: Battery - for running your system with the engine off Alternator - for running your system with the engine on Stiffening Cap - for running your system with bling  -Fishy |
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Silver Member Username: SheriffPost Number: 198 Registered: Jan-07 | Yes, capacitator=pretty. Don't do much though. |
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Platinum Member Username: GlasswolfWisteria, Lane USA Post Number: 11746 Registered: Dec-03 | capacitors can reduce propagation times for peak current demands, but shouldn't be used in place of a high output alternator or larger capacity batteries. everything has it's purpose in a charging system, and no one thing can completely replace the need for another. |
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New member Username: Jthegreat1Memphis, TN United States Post Number: 1 Registered: Apr-07 | What is the best capacitor to get? |
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Gold Member Username: FishyTamarac Ft.Laud, FL USA Post Number: 1637 Registered: Sep-04 | Thats actually a really good question. I'd be looking for a cap with the lowest ESR(equivalent series resistance) possible, but unfortunately you don't see this spec often, and when you do........ well, manufacturers HAVE been know to fudge things just a bit. I still think in most cases you'd be better off spending your money elsewhere. Besides a H.O. alternator, which is the first thing that should be invested in when upgrading the charging system, just think how much an extra $100 would get you when buying a h/u, an amplifier, subs, components, etc. -Fishy |
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Platinum Member Username: GlasswolfWisteria, Lane USA Post Number: 11888 Registered: Dec-03 | the low ESR caps are the soda-can shaped jobs (electrolytics) in smaller ranges, usually under 5Fd on average. the big 'supercaps' in 10, 20, 50 and higher Farad capacities are usually made of a different type of material that has a much higher ESR and thus isn't ideal for car audio applications. |
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