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Thread: Your opinion on capacitors. |
    
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| Posted on Tuesday, December 30, 2003 - 02:13 pm: |
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I once had a 300watt Crossfire amp hooked-up to 2 JL 12" W-0's, and my headlights would dim when the bass hit. So I bought a cap, and my problem was fixed.. SO WHY DO I KEEP SEEING THAT THEY ARE POINTLESS? ARE THEY? SHOULD I HAVE DONE SOMETHING ELSE? |
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New member Username: Glasswolf
Post Number: 428
Registered: 12-2003
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| Posted on Tuesday, December 30, 2003 - 08:12 pm: |
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here's the problem:
the alternator supplies *all* power to the car (electrical) when the engine is running.
a capacitor stores energy, then releases it, but it can only hold about 15 seconds of charge before it's depleated and has to be recharged (by the alternator.)
If the voltage rails sag enough to cause light dimming, the alternator is not supplying enough current, so when you add a capacitor, the alternator is still overworked, and then has to recharge a depleated capacitor as well as supply power to the audio system and the rest of the car.
what the capacitor does do, is smooth out the spikes that cause the dimming, so that the problem *appears* to go away.
what really happens is that your lights are then continually dimmer so you don't "see" them go dim and bright all the time..
but the problem remains that voltage rails are sagging, the alternator is being overworked, and your amplifier(s) is/are clipping, causing distortion and damage to the speakers, and the alternator is being literally worked to an early death.
here's more information on capacitors and charging systems:
http://www.bcae1.com/capacitr.htm
http://www.bcae1.com/chargin2.htm
http://pub14.ezboard.com/fcaraudiotalkfrm27.showMessage?topicID=10.topic
http://pub14.ezboard.com/fcaraudiotalkfrm27.showMessage?topicID=23.topic
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| Posted on Tuesday, December 30, 2003 - 08:21 pm: |
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Thanks. so they are useless. good. just one more thing for dealers to suck the money out of your wallet. ok good. thanks. |
New member Username: Glasswolf
Post Number: 432
Registered: 12-2003
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| Posted on Tuesday, December 30, 2003 - 08:31 pm: |
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well, they will smooth out the current demand spikes if the alternator is already big enough to handle the demands..
so that does ease the stress on the alternator a bit..
theoretically, a capacitor could extend the life of a high output alternator..
but no, it doesn't replace the need for one.
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Jason Fgs Unregistered guest |
| Posted on Monday, January 05, 2004 - 03:10 pm: |
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if the cap is pointless, what should he do to make sure that the battery and alt. dont get messed up? |
New member Username: Glasswolf
Post Number: 533
Registered: 12-2003
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| Posted on Tuesday, January 06, 2004 - 08:53 am: |
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replace the stock alternator with one capable of ahndling the load being placed on it.
simple as that.
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