when is a cap really needed?

 

Rule of thumb is 1 farad for 1000 watts rms....

 

what about batteries?

i will be running close to 3,500 but that would be the max.

 

so what is the rms wattage that you are running? max wattage is more of a term that manufacturers use to make the product sound powerful; it doesnt mean very much in the real world

before adding a cap or a battery you have to assess the system you have. Do the lights dim a lot when the bass hits?? When does the battery voltage drop to when the stereo is on? If it drops too low the first thing i would do is upgrade your "big 3" or "magic 3" wires: batt to ground, alt to batt, and engine to ground

if that is not enough i would look into a higher output alternator. There are quite a few reputable people who specialize in this. If you upgrade your alt and still have the problem you can add a cap or a battery, but you probably wont need to go this far with your setup.

 

yes, caps are pretty much worthless. its like a band-aid on a broken leg. If you are going to be a running a true 3,500 watts of power you better focus on a HO alternator. And with that kind of current draw you might even need an additional battery

www.4alterstart.com

once again..caps are pretty much worthless

If i may ask what equipment will you be using?

 

everything is waiting to go in right now as i'm working on the interior. so far this is the plan.

6 jl 10w6's

2 ppi pc2150's

1 ppi 1200 watt high amp (don't know the product number or rms)

2 premier 600's

4 sets of mb quart highs

2 premier 6" components with 1 1/4's for the kicks

2 premier 3 way 4x6's

4 premier 4 way 6x9's

 

WOW. That is going to sound bad ***!

 

hopefully it works out ok. i got a pretty good deal on the hard hitting things....the rest i've already had in the car. i'm working on the fiberglass setup now. hopefully i'll have it done by february.

 

yeah, you may want to look into a high output alternator.

 

i have one.....just covering bases. i've seen people use caps before and figured if i needed one i should do it now while i'm constructing the fiberglass. less work down the road.

thanks for the opinions everyone!

 

If you have the current theres really no use for a cap...theres really no use without having the current either lol

 

Caps look cool, esp when there is a digi volt meter on them

 

I'm sorry, but that previous response has to be one of the dumbest reasons i've ever heard to buy something...yea, lets go spend 140 bucks on a 1 farad cap w/digital output, because it looks cool...ya know, who cares about the purpose of it, or whether we need it, lets' just get it because it looks cool

 

lol
If you've ever been to a sound off you'll see that 75% of the stuff installed is just for show. Car audio is not only about how it sounds, but how it looks.

 

I dunno bout where you live, but where i'm from, at soundoff's they measure spl and sqpl, not looks. I can't see spendin that much cash on somehtin that's useless..i'm gonna put one in my car because i think it would be beneficial, not because it looks cool....i dump a bunch of cash into my install, but its in quality components, not "looks"

 

don't turn my thread into something it shouldn't be.....

enough.

 

Frowns! lots of frowns!

Fair enough. It was mearly my intention to show that there may be other reasons beside function to install a component. And having a digi volt cap in the back does perform a function.

As far as competition, for some classes there is a judge on creativity of a system (i.e. sounds and looks cool). For example, IASCA states for SQ:
"The intent of the Ultimate Division to provide logical progression to a competitive format that offers the ultimate challenge of Sound Quality, Installation Quality, Installation Integrity and Creativity to experienced soundoff contestants."
This is just an example using the ultimate div. The Street division does not award points for installation creativity or cosmetic integration.

You did not say whether you intend to compete or not, but even if not, a flashy system will get more wows at car shows, which I do believe you participate in.

 

I dont recall any negativity bein thrown around..we were just stating views..and yea, i agree it does get more "wows" at a show. I just dont see spending the cash for looks, personal opinion....that and around here looks don't win competitions, spl does

 

well i'm definately doing alot more then i would if i were just going for sound so i agree on both points. however if something truly isn't necessary i can't see adding it. looking at my list of parts i'm not sure half of them are necessary but they will make it fun.

 

I just got a 1 Farad Rockford Punch Cap for a system up to 1000 watts. I'll let you know how my system sounds compared to before once I get it in and i'll let you know what i think.

 

Your gonna have the sugar pill affect. Like if a doctor gives you a fake pill, you think "yeah the pill worked, i feel better" Your gonna think it sounds better but its all in your head. A capis really an extra drain on your electrical system.

 

Actually, it would be more like a blood pressure pill. As it does serve a purpose. Capacitors serve a purpose, and are not just an "extra drain" on your electrical system.

 

i can't imagine they are worthless....but to each his own.

thanks everyone.

 

From what i understand the point of caps is to keep the power into the amps constant. A HO alternator is also needed for some of these systems, but it still can't do the job of a cap. The caps make sure that there is a constant 12v supply available to the amps, which keeps the amps from working harder and probably leads to them lasting longer and not overheating

 

I just posted this up over on the electronics board, but it looks like it needs to be said here too.

"They aren't useless by a long stretch, they just shouldn't be used as a charging system band-aid. If you use them right they give an instant high power charge to the amplifiers when they need it most: When the bass hits hard. If your charging system voltage drops below 13v when your car is running, you have other problems that need sorting that won't be cured with a cap. With a high output system, it can help a great deal with SQ, allowing tighter and more accurate bass response. "

So basically, if your dropping voltage #'s below low 13's, you'll need a higher output alternator, NOT caps or more batteries. More batteries will add a higher drain on the charging system. The multi battery setups you see really only have a perpose for blasting the system for prolonged periods of time with the car off. It's alot harder on the alternator keeping and maintaining a charge in all those batteries.

Also, adding a higher amperage alternator will almost definately induce noise into the system, so I wouldn't add one unless you absolutely need it. I have seen people successfully add a half farad cap right next to the battery after installing high amp alternators or aftermarket ignition systems to obsorb and eliminate the noise.

Let me know if any of you guys have more questions on this stuff, I'd be glad to answer them.

 

i have a cap in my 84 ta and it does help a little bit... i dont think it is useless... it does provide constant flow of power to the amp and i gotta admit i also got it becase it looked cool.. then again... i am the guy with cathodes, wire sleeving, and led's all over the trunk... to each his own... that is my own thing