Capacitors-need it or not?

[SI_nister]

I just bought a new sub box/subs/amp combo of ebay and I also got a 1.5 farad cap (BMW)cause I thought I'd probably need it. My speakers pound and suprisingly my Honda battery holds up pretty well without the cap. I have to turn up my system pretty loud for my headlights to even dim slightly. I paid $50 for the cap so I figure I should hook it up anyway, or would it be pointless? I've heard it also improves the quality of the bass, in which case why not? Should I bother spending my time or should I just sell this thing and get my $$$$$$ back? I'll probably hook it up anyway and hear for myself, whataya think.

 

[TommyTheCat]

Just sell it. You wont notice the difference in "bass quality".

 

[95civicjdmgsr]

Yea theres not really a point in having a cap, if you ever think you need some extra power, put in a second battery, all around its better, other than you add more wieght, but thats probably not a concern if you puttin in subs and a amp.

 

[Turbo&Auto]

^+1

 

[97hatch]

the only capacitor you need is a flux capacitor

 

[deranger]

why dont you try it theres no harm, they are pretty simple to instal especialy if you do it when you do the rest of the wiring. putting a second bat or even a third wont help, itl just mean you can listen longer with the engine off. putting a big output alt and capacitors wil help only if your system is soo big that you need a trailer to tow it. otherwise i would just do a regular setup, but since you got the cap why not use it. that way youve got more wank rights for your car.

 

[TommyTheCat]

The point is it's used as a band-aid. If your stock electrical system cant handle less than 1000W, you've got a bigger problem. When you need more, you upgrade the alt. Gotta play with the car off, get a bigger/more batteries. Its very simple.

And no, a bigger alt will not "only help if your system is so big it needs a trailer". I know people that daily with 4kW+ systems, its not that hard to do if you dont need back seats.

 

[95civicjdmgsr]

why dont you try it theres no harm, they are pretty simple to instal especialy if you do it when you do the rest of the wiring. putting a second bat or even a third wont help, itl just mean you can listen longer with the engine off. putting a big output alt and capacitors wil help only if your system is soo big that you need a trailer to tow it. otherwise i would just do a regular setup, but since you got the cap why not use it. that way youve got more wank rights for your car.

Wow now since when again will a battery not help, hey there fella what do u think a capacitor is more or less. Maybe before you give advice do a little reading, cause if you look at vehicles that have to be trailered they have a shit load of batteries, not capacitors. And I'd run a 2nd battery over a cap any day of the week in fact thats what I have been doing up till last week when I sold my system.

 

[prelude_racer]

it all depends on if you are happy with your system now or are you going to change it up later. i dissagree sith the ones who say sell it. subs in a car is like using nitrous or putting a turbo on a car. shure your car can handle it now but the life of your alternator is going to decrees alot faster where as a capacitor makes it as if there is nothing there. install it do to preventing a problem in the future

 

[deranger]

Wow now since when again will a battery not help, hey there fella what do u think a capacitor is more or less. Maybe before you give advice do a little reading, cause if you look at vehicles that have to be trailered they have a shit load of batteries, not capacitors. And I'd run a 2nd battery over a cap any day of the week in fact thats what I have been doing up till last week when I sold my system.

im not shore if you no this but a battery has a maximum voltage of 12.6 volts, regardless of how much capacity it has (CCA). When the engine is running the the voltage goes up to 13.8-14.2 this is because of the alternator. the more load you put on the system the harder your alternator works, until a point when the volts start dropping off. you can put a bigger alt on to over come this. when a big amp puts out a fat bass note it draws a lot of current sometimes even more than the alternator can put out, but only for a split second. this brings the system voltage down sometimes enough to make stereo cut out, make the headlights dim, even turn off the ecu in extreme cases. to over come this sudden massive current draw people sometimes use capacitors to keep the system voltage up. this is not the only solution because like you said the cap is kind of like a bat and needs to be constantly charged up, by the alt. batteries do help if the system is so heavily loaded up that the voltage drops off below 12.6.

 

[TommyTheCat]

My advise? Listen to the person who can spell and punctuate a sentence. Also the one who doesn't claim a battery and a capacitor are the same thing.

hint:
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