hey ive read that caps are good to have, but i also heard that they suck and only add strain to ur alt. i had a choice of gettin a Kinetik Battery or a 10 farad cap, just because it seemed easier to install and less foolin around with trying to get an isolater or whatever it takes to run 2 batts, i choose the cap. could i still get a kinetik battery, what would i have to do? i have a 02 cavalier, 200 amp alt from mcr alt's, my current batt is a motormaster spiral cell.
Caps don't really do much. I would deffinitley get the kinetik if you have the option. As far as adding it as a second battery just run power wire from your original batt. to the kinetik(fuse on both ends of the power wire between the two batts, as close to each battery as possible). Also, have you done the big three upgrade? If not it is a must.
yepp, i got the big three done, using 1/0 wire. is it ok to run 2 batts like that though, its ok for the alt? the batts wont drain off each other or anything?
ahhh, so i guess i would have to get rid of my cap and get 2 kinetiks. anybody got any idea of which 2 i should get, i got a 02 cavalier so i dont know how big i can go?
I kind of hate when people throw caps aside as junk, if someone already has them installed, or ready to be installed. I say, why not use them if you already went that far? They do have benefits and they certainly can't hurt a system if installed correctly. Saying caps are useless in all cases is a bit like saying that most Pioneer decks fail.... this is a false statement. I think this guy from Yahoo said it best:
A capacitor has two advantages that make it useful in a car audio power supply:
1. Unlike a battery, a capacitor can store a charge at a voltage near the alternator's output voltage. When the engine is running, a typical alternator generates around 14.5 volts, but a car battery can't store a charge higher than about 12.6 volts. Capacitors in car systems can be charged very close to 14.5 volts.
2. Capacitors have very low internal resistance. That means that if power is needed, they can provide it quickly with very little loss.
Unlike most of the electrical systems in your car, an amplifier playing music doesn't always need the same amount of power from the charging system. When it plays a very loud note, it needs a lot of power, but only for a very short time. Alternators aren't designed to provide current in short bursts. When a lot of current is needed quickly, an alternator can get overloaded, causing the power supply voltage to drop. If it can't catch up, the voltage will continue to drop down to around 12.6 volts, when power starts to be pulled from the battery. The lower supply voltage can cause the amplifier's output to clip and sound distorted.
If there's a capacitor in the system, it can store power to keep the voltage up during the musical peaks. Unlike a battery, it can start providing current as soon as the voltage starts to drop. This can help keep the amplifier sounding clean and clear during brief, loud notes.
A capacitor will not make a bass system significantly louder. It won't help at all if the sound system continuously requires more power than the alternator can provide. It might help a bit with dimming lights, but that's not its primary purpose. It can make a difference in sound quality, in some systems.
You'll find lots of people who will tell you that power supply capacitors in audio systems are completely useless. That's mainly because there's been lots of misinformation about what they're useful for. People buy capacitors expecting to get louder bass, less light dimming, and less strain on their alternators. They don't work for those things, but that doesn't mean they're useless.
By the way, the "danger" someone else mentioned is massively overstated. A car audio capacitor can't store enough voltage to be dangerous to humans. A car battery is a much more dangerous device than a capacitor, because a car battery contains sulfuric acid and produces explosive gas; but you won't get a dangerous shock from either one.
2 months ago Source(s): MECP certified car audio installer
i think thats a good explanation of a cap, maybe ill keep the cap and add the kinetic batteries. what happens if i play my system with the car off with 2 batts without the isolater? not like i do this all the time but sometimes i do, mainly when my car is still and iam showin off.
Im in school for electronic engineering, and i cannot see how a cap would be bad for a system. they charge very fast, most fill up easily in under a half second, and can hold alot of charge. 10 farads is a shitton in the electronic world. 1/2 a farad is a shitton. i think that most people just dont understand how a cap actually works, and just go on what people tell them. brad warren said it well. to me it seems like adding a cap would be better than adding another battery, because of the way it charges so rapidly
" It can make a difference in sound quality, in some systems. "
Ive been led to believe that they can smooth out voltage ripples from the spikes and lows from the alt and give a consistant supply voltage. Presuming your running your equipment at mid to modarate volume levels. I belive they subtract points form you in SQ comps if you dont have a cap.
They do have some usefullness in thier intended purpose, but not as most ppl belive they do. If your buying a cap to stop your lights dimming, it would be bettr off installed on the lighting curcuit then the audio end.
ill back up m.s. statement i like to relate electricity to water pipes lets say i have a T connection in one side a hose with 90 psi and on the other side a feed with 30 psiwhen both forces meet the hose with 90 psi over powers the smaller. so if a 1000cca battery needs juice it will pull it from anything smaller then it until both batterys are equal in power
" why would different batteries drain eachother? "
Different internal resistances. Essentially each battery sees the other as a load and current constantly flows between them until both are drained. Mind you that takes quite a while and the problem only happens when the car is off (alternator not charging). So if its a car you drive every day you could very well not have a problem, although its still not an ideal situation........
" it seems like adding a cap would be better than adding another battery "
Adding battery capacity is always good, something you can't have too much of, and there are plenty of car audio batteries designed to discharge quickly. Ain't no way a capacitor beats that.
" 10 farads is a shitton in the electronic world "
10 farads is minuscule compared to what a battery stores. I like how kenitik calls one of their batteries the cap killer, fits well.
Another thing most people don't realize is amplifiers have capacitors built in to their power supplies..... if the amp needed any more capacitance it would be right there on the board.
"Different internal resistances. Essentially each battery sees the other as a load and current constantly flows between them until both are drained. Mind you that takes quite a while and the problem only happens when the car is off (alternator not charging). So if its a car you drive every day you could very well not have a problem, although its still not an ideal situation........ "
i always thought that batteries should match so when i bought my alty from mech man, i was going to buy batts as well
i wanted to get the biggest i could upfront and get the same one in the back
he had some good deals on some small powermasters and he recommended that i get 2 and to keep my stock batt up front
i ended up buying 3 of the small batteries
now - should i put 1 of the powermasters up front and the other 2 in the back?
or should i keep the stock batt up front and put all 3 small batts in the back?
i dont do comps and i never listen to my subs with the car off
ok well i am confused now i have been telling my buddies with their 500 watt mtx amps, and sony xplod subs with 1 farad caps lol, that they dont need a cap, and they argue with me, and say well why would they sell them? so what is it, if somebody has a capacitor, should it be installed, even if its small like half a farad?