Capacitors

alero_ecotec · 04-05-2005, 08:28 PM

Ok, like alot of people with a system, i've got the the whole infamous light dimming problem. And i know i can corresct this with an Optima Yellow Top, or a Capacitor, and im going capacitor since that for the most part is the more economical way. I'm just looking to see who has a capacitor, and how they like it. Brand, models, what you paid, ect. .....any info is appreciated.

wrightie · 04-05-2005, 09:15 PM

Ive got a cap and honestly get a better battery its worth the extra money.I have a 2.4 farad cap and my lights still dim a little.

wrightie

sound_xtreme · 04-05-2005, 09:20 PM

capacitors are worthless. absolutely worthless.

eag182 · 04-05-2005, 09:21 PM

not flux capacitors

GooffeeAlero · 04-05-2005, 09:33 PM

yo I got this thing BATCAP its made Xstatic, it equals to a 300 Farad capacitor. the reason why is because it half capcitor Half Battery. it only cost me about 150 and i get no dimming at all!!!!!!!!!!!

AGT · 04-05-2005, 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by sound_xtreme@Apr 5 2005, 07:20 PM
capacitors are worthless. absolutely worthless.

Quoted post

I disagree. I capacitor will keep a level voltage going thru the system. When you get spikes in the voltage you can damage amps and more.

mike2002 · 04-05-2005, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by GooffeeAlero@Apr 5 2005, 07:33 PM
yo I got this thing BATCAP its made Xstatic, it equals to a 300 Farad capacitor. the reason why is because it half capcitor Half Battery. it only cost me about 150 and i get no dimming at all!!!!!!!!!!!

Quoted post

my brother sells these, and i want to try one out. not sure on the brand, but i know i can get one for alot less than 150...

he said the same thing, half cap/half battery, but i dont know alot about them

a traditional cap is junk. they dont do poop for dimming, and they lower your total voltage. meaning if your amp WOULD see 15 volts, now its in the low to mid 14's. if your going for spl, they do nothing. in competitions where your burping your subs, they dont do anything. a huge cap can help for street bass, but you still get the voltage drop.

jabartram · 04-05-2005, 11:40 PM

I run 3 fosgate amps with a .5 farad fosgate capasitor, and i have no light dimming problems.

FantomForceCustoms02 · 04-05-2005, 11:51 PM

I'm running 1600 watts to 2 1200 watt 12" subs with a 1.2 farad cap and the stock battery. The cap helped a lot. My lights used to dim a lot, but now its hardly noticable. I try to have 1 farad for every thousand watts. But thats just me.

BLK03GXS · 04-05-2005, 11:54 PM

I think to be effective the rule is 1 farad for every 100watts rms,

Oh and PS when will people stop talking about how much watts their subs can handle... when it has NOTHING AT ALL to do with power consumption, or power produced... if pisses me off.. a lot

FantomForceCustoms02 · 04-06-2005, 12:11 AM

^ Dont cry about it. I'm just giving everyone an idea of my setup so they can compare my opinion to theirs

04-06-2005, 12:20 AM

i've replaced the battery and got a 3 farad cap with 2 1000watt amps and i never have my lights dim i did when i had a smaller cap though

alero_ecotec · 04-06-2005, 01:41 AM

what brands are we talking here? Rockford? Streetwires? Kole?

alero_ecotec · 04-06-2005, 01:41 AM

I've heard some bery good things about Rockford Capacitors

mike2002 · 04-06-2005, 09:36 AM

i wouldn't buy a cap, they WILL drop the overall voltage going to your amp

and it is 1F for every 100 watts recommended.

i think its funny when someones says "ive got a 1600 watt system" when they are most likely running 500 watts tops....that pisses me off. alot

(not trying to single anyone out, i dont know what most of you guys have)

sound_xtreme · 04-06-2005, 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by mike2002@Apr 6 2005, 08:36 AM
i wouldn't buy a cap, they WILL drop the overall voltage going to your amp

and it is 1F for every 100 watts recommended.

i think its funny when someones says "ive got a 1600 watt system" when they are most likely running 500 watts tops....that pisses me off. alot

(not trying to single anyone out, i dont know what most of you guys have)

Quoted post

no one will listen.....

found the post about voltage spiking kinda funny though, considering batteries cant spike, and i think ALL alternators have spike suppresion built in now, so uh, there goes that "use" for a capacitor. most amps can handle well over 14.4v and will put out more wattage with higher voltage, most amps are tested in the factories at 15v or so.

capacitors actually put more strain on a system, i mean think about it. ya, it might help for the first good bass hit but after the cap has discharged it does nothing. And now the charging system has to send more power to recharge the cap, power it most likely doesnt have to fully fill it for it to be useful again.

anyways, i could go on and on, but im done explaining myself.

and as i have mentioned before i SELL caps and i dont promote them, if that tells ya anything.

04-06-2005, 10:39 AM

yea i agree...........i wanna know what you guys are running RMS and what your speakers are meant to handle RMS.......not when you buy an off brand amp and the box says 1600 watts when in reality in small lettering its prolly something like 125x2 at 2 ohms rms........

and i dont see a voltage drop at my amps with my cap, i get the same crappy reading at the battery, as i do at the amps and thats due to my crapped out alternator......i still get dimming but when my bass hits at the amps the voltage dont drop as much as it did before.....all you guys thinking a cap is going to solve your problems........just go get a 150 amp alternator or whatever they have out for us, a 4 gauge upgrade.......and a decent battery.....then u will be good 2 go.......

sound_xtreme · 04-06-2005, 10:51 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by bigd6983@Apr 6 2005, 09:39 AM
just go get a 150 amp alternator or whatever they have out for us, a 4 gauge upgrade.......and a decent battery.....then u will be good 2 go.......

Quoted post

exactly, caps are NOT economical in any way. considering they help the very least compared to any other alternative. save your money a bit and do what bigd said, get a new alt.

04-06-2005, 08:08 PM

the only reason i tried the cap was to see if it would work........and hadent it been extremely cheap i wouldnt have gave it a try.......and i dont recommend......it just aint going to solve the problems we have with the dimming, thats solved by more power.......plain and simple....

alero_ecotec · 04-06-2005, 10:56 PM

yeah but let's say i dont exactly wanna slap a high output alternator on my car, and aren't those expensive? would a yellow top solve my problems?