What is a capacitor for?

 

$200 system AMP AND SUB acctually HITS!
Unregistered guest
I have a Sony 12" 4-Ohm sub P5-Series (Pentagonal Cone) hooked up to a 1600W pyramid Crystal amp (I payed $80 for it) and it thumps hard. I'm not trying to win competitions, I just like some hard bass for cheap. My friend says that I should get a capacitor? What is that, what is it for, and where do I get a cheap one?

*Heres the link for cheap amps*
http://stores.ebay.com/BIGBUYCITY-INTERNATIONAL-WHOLESALER_W0QQssPageNameZl2QQtZkm
 

Amazing
Unregistered guest
The entire system costs $250 for a 3000W system for the AMP, the sub, the enclosure, and wires.
 

PoserKid
Unregistered guest
Check out this deal for a 4800w system. It's cheap but it's an incredible deal!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem%26item%3D3066550729&category=4950
 

New member
Username: Ukw10

Post Number: 33
Registered: 12-2003
First of all don't get pyramid cause it might be good for a week or so it will be in the trash can.
You have decent Sony Subwoofer so get decent amps. Stay away from Pyramid, Pyle, Lanzar, Legacy and some others but these is the crapy amps to get.

capacitor only stores extra power and it releases when amp needs more power than usual.(When u hit big bass)And yes you should get those cause your headlight won't blink when you hit big bass. But If you have small alternator that doesn't produce enought power to amp, capacitor won't help in this case. Amp just drains power from battery and it will be dead.

What is the wattege on your sub??

If it is less than 250w RMS it won't kill your battery on most cars.





 

random
Unregistered guest
http://7925.adahost.com/computer/index.html?loadfile=catalog22_0.html

volfen whatever amp for cheap
 

guy from above
Unregistered guest
the sony 12" sub is 1200 watts and 350 watts RMS continuous. So do i need a capacitor?
 

guy from above
Unregistered guest
and it's in a '90 bmw 525i
 

New member
Username: Glasswolf

Post Number: 546
Registered: 12-2003
you never *need* a capacitor.
they don't really do anything. It's marketing hype.

read the following:
http://pub14.ezboard.com/fcaraudiotalkfrm27.showMessage?topicID=10.topic
and
http://pub14.ezboard.com/fcaraudiotalkfrm27.showMessage?topicID=23.topic
 

Anonymous
 
well my electric system has problems alot of the time. Engine miss-fires, hard dimming lights, engine stall, etc. So would a cap fix this or what would be the solution for me?
 

New member
Username: Glasswolf

Post Number: 556
Registered: 12-2003
I get so tired of repeating the same things over and over.
especially in the same thread.. heh

you need an engine overhaul first, then a high output alternator.
no capacitors.
 

New member
Username: Ukw10

Post Number: 38
Registered: 12-2003
Just get Capacitor!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And Hook it up!!!!!!!Better than nothing!!!!!!!
 

i hate Ukw10
Unregistered guest
Better than nothing huh? That must have been what God said when he/she went to give you a Brain Ukw10. Caps are BS. And so are you.
 

You Do Need A Cap
Unregistered guest
Acctually all of the people who are telling you that caps are pointless obviously don't have systems powerful enough to need them. I work with magnetic supression units that we used to sell to lightning audio. We helped design caps and I know how it can help you, and why it will help you. first off a capacitor is just like the battery in your car only it is one cell instead of 6. If you say you don't need a capacitor for your stereo, why do you need a battery to run your car? basically the capacitor will store a charge coming from your alternator to ensure no damage to your alternator or to other electric devices occurs. The reason it connects to your battery is pretty obvious bot for those who don't understand cars can think of it as how is your capacitor going to recieve extra energy to power your car when it is turned off? thats one reason why it is connected to your battery. (plus accessability etc.) Caps were made so that you wouldn't need to purchase a new alternator and would be more cost effective. It will make your bass hit harder because it will give your amp quicker response with more amps. Not super bass and it may not be noticable but there is a difference. It will also make your bass sound cleaner at low octaves. So to clear all the rumors up. Caps were created to ensure no damage to the electric system of your car while creating a cost effective solution to a more powerful connection to your amp.
(You need 1 farad for every 1000 watts true RMS*)
*If you have a 1000 watt amp with 500 watt true RMS you should still buy the 1 farad cap for peak performance of your amp
 

New member
Username: Glasswolf

Post Number: 580
Registered: 12-2003
- We helped design caps and I know how it can help you, and why it will help you. first off a capacitor is just like the battery in your car only it is one cell instead of 6.

wrong. there isn't much to designing a capacitor. they haven't really changed in the last fifty ears or so.
a capacitor stores energy, and releases it as needed, but it only stores about 30 seconds of charge in a car system at most.
A battery on the other hand actually *produces* energy via chemical reaction until it's charge is depleated. However, the battery is only used to start the car, and nothing more. Once the car is started, the alternator is the sole source of electrical energy for anything that needs it.

-basically the capacitor will store a charge coming from your alternator to ensure no damage to your alternator or to other electric devices occurs.

yes, the cap holds a charge for a few seconds, and discharges very quickly. Then, it needs to be recharged, drawing more current.. and guess where that comes from? The alternator.
If your alternator can't supply enough current for the demands of the devices connected to the car's electrical system, then a capacitor will only place more load once it's charge is quickly depleted. You can't get positive numbers from negarives. When the system is overworked, you can't magicaly pull more current out of your random orifice to make everything better.

What you're quoting is nothing more than the rhetoric from companies who try selling capacitors.
Any electrical engineer worth his education can tell you what I've just stated if they take the time to think through the logistics of the circuit.

the only reason a capacitor prevents lights from dimming is by smoothing out the voltage rails. those rails will still be sagging though if the alternator can't keep up. this just emans you'll have non dimming lights getting about 10 to 11 volts instead of the 12 to 15 they should.

when the car's motor is running, the battery is in a charging state. Nothing should be drawing current from the battery as a source of energy unless the motor is shut ott.
The SOLE purpuse of a starter battery is just that. To start the car.
When you see banks of deep cycle RG batteries in the trunk of a car, they are on a battery isolator, and have a high output alternator to work with them. They are not, and I repeat NOT there to replace the need for that alternator.

GlassWolf
E.E.
MECP Master Installer
old fogey
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