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are any of you guys using capaciters with your systems, cause i want to get a 600 or 800 watt amp without killing my alternator
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a snip from a previous reply on caps
SNIP>>CAPS: Do you need one? Very subjective subject. Basically a cap is like a reserve of electrical energy, "almost like a battery" On some systems when a deep bass note is played, the battery can not delivery enough electrical energy to the amp, this cause the bass to be delivered with less than its optimum ability. What the cap does is act as a reserve supply that can be called upon as and when needed.
A battery can not respond quick enough to the instant demands some bass system put on them and this is where the cap helps out because it can respond and recharge much faster than a battery.
There are some people who claim that a cap also helps in clearing up some of the middle and upper frequencies in a multi amp set up.
Before I went over to Digital class D amps I had a 5ch Genesis amp and their big Monobloc amp running my system [www.efmax.c.uk/serv01.htm]I had one Optima battery upfront and a second audio battery for each amp. BUT no cap. Considering this system could drop some REAL bass and that, that Monobloc at full tilt could draw more current than my alternater could put out, there was still no light dimming or degradation in bass output.
The key here is the power supply. Good and correct cable, I used two runs of 4AWG cable, fused at each end, to the batteries. Decent alternator and the consideration of a second battery.
I am not a great lover of caps but they do help some people out. It is worth noting that the better the amp the less need there is for caps. Often I see caps on systems that have very good branded amps, but their owners have been seduced by marketing bullshit.
As for fitting them. Safety is a real key issue here. Done wrong and this things can seriously harm both you and your car.
They should be mounted as close to the amps as possible. They should be earthed well and if possible to the same point as the earth on the amp/s. You need to take the power supply from the battery to the +ve side of the cap, then take a power feed from here to the +ve input on your amp.
SAFETY.. can't stress it enough, these things if shorted out can torch your car as if you set fire to it and poured petrol over it.. SAFETY...
Hope this helps... EF MAX
SNIP>>CAPS: Do you need one? Very subjective subject. Basically a cap is like a reserve of electrical energy, "almost like a battery" On some systems when a deep bass note is played, the battery can not delivery enough electrical energy to the amp, this cause the bass to be delivered with less than its optimum ability. What the cap does is act as a reserve supply that can be called upon as and when needed.
A battery can not respond quick enough to the instant demands some bass system put on them and this is where the cap helps out because it can respond and recharge much faster than a battery.
There are some people who claim that a cap also helps in clearing up some of the middle and upper frequencies in a multi amp set up.
Before I went over to Digital class D amps I had a 5ch Genesis amp and their big Monobloc amp running my system [www.efmax.c.uk/serv01.htm]I had one Optima battery upfront and a second audio battery for each amp. BUT no cap. Considering this system could drop some REAL bass and that, that Monobloc at full tilt could draw more current than my alternater could put out, there was still no light dimming or degradation in bass output.
The key here is the power supply. Good and correct cable, I used two runs of 4AWG cable, fused at each end, to the batteries. Decent alternator and the consideration of a second battery.
I am not a great lover of caps but they do help some people out. It is worth noting that the better the amp the less need there is for caps. Often I see caps on systems that have very good branded amps, but their owners have been seduced by marketing bullshit.
As for fitting them. Safety is a real key issue here. Done wrong and this things can seriously harm both you and your car.
They should be mounted as close to the amps as possible. They should be earthed well and if possible to the same point as the earth on the amp/s. You need to take the power supply from the battery to the +ve side of the cap, then take a power feed from here to the +ve input on your amp.
SAFETY.. can't stress it enough, these things if shorted out can torch your car as if you set fire to it and poured petrol over it.. SAFETY...
Hope this helps... EF MAX
Joined
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2,143 Posts
agreed....
EF MAX hit the nail on the head. you can make do with a 1F cap, and just use it for the sub amp. no need for them on component/speaker amps. wire the cap as close to the sub amp as possible. hope this helps.
SolarSlash
EF MAX hit the nail on the head. you can make do with a 1F cap, and just use it for the sub amp. no need for them on component/speaker amps. wire the cap as close to the sub amp as possible. hope this helps.
SolarSlash
Re: a snip from a previous reply on caps
Also I was planning on putting my cap before my fuse splitter which would then run to two Rockford 360a2 amps. Is this a good idea? I'm running 4G to the splitter and 8G to the amps. Suggestions??? I'll admit I'm not to audio savey and obviously you guys know your $h!t real well! Thanks for any help you can give.
When you say earthed I imagine that means grounded. Doesn't the cap only have two terminals? on connects from the battery and one goes to the amp where would you ground it from??EF MAX said:
I am not a great lover of caps but they do help some people out. It is worth noting that the better the amp the less need there is for caps. Often I see caps on systems that have very good branded amps, but their owners have been seduced by marketing bullshit.
As for fitting them. Safety is a real key issue here. Done wrong and this things can seriously harm both you and your car.
They should be mounted as close to the amps as possible. They should be earthed well and if possible to the same point as the earth on the amp/s. You need to take the power supply from the battery to the +ve side of the cap, then take a power feed from here to the +ve input on your amp.
SAFETY.. can't stress it enough, these things if shorted out can torch your car as if you set fire to it and poured petrol over it.. SAFETY...
Hope this helps... EF MAX
Also I was planning on putting my cap before my fuse splitter which would then run to two Rockford 360a2 amps. Is this a good idea? I'm running 4G to the splitter and 8G to the amps. Suggestions??? I'll admit I'm not to audio savey and obviously you guys know your $h!t real well! Thanks for any help you can give.
[email protected]!e
Just to clear a few things up.
Yes the cap has two connection points. One goes to the earth [ground] the other has two wires going to it, one leads back to the +ve terminal on the battery and the other goes to the power amp. The cap works by giving an instant release of power when it is needed, but it has to be connected to the battery to its job correctly and it just helps boast the +ve input to the amp.
Basically under normal playing conditions the cap is almost invisable to the audio power chain.
In an ideal world the cap should be as close to the amp as possible, so it should come after your splitter.
Remember the notes that I mention earlier, that caps are not the answer, they just help an awkward situation, I still remind people that my system has a true 840wrms @ 12v amp pumping up my rear bass and still no cap, my front has 325wrms @ 12v just for the front bass speakers and still no cap.
Hope this helps you.
Just to clear a few things up.
Yes the cap has two connection points. One goes to the earth [ground] the other has two wires going to it, one leads back to the +ve terminal on the battery and the other goes to the power amp. The cap works by giving an instant release of power when it is needed, but it has to be connected to the battery to its job correctly and it just helps boast the +ve input to the amp.
Basically under normal playing conditions the cap is almost invisable to the audio power chain.
In an ideal world the cap should be as close to the amp as possible, so it should come after your splitter.
Remember the notes that I mention earlier, that caps are not the answer, they just help an awkward situation, I still remind people that my system has a true 840wrms @ 12v amp pumping up my rear bass and still no cap, my front has 325wrms @ 12v just for the front bass speakers and still no cap.
Hope this helps you.
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