My LCD screens distort when the bass hits and I just need some more juice on tap. I don't need fancy displays or anything like that. Any links? Thanks!

 

"Caps" still require time to recharge like around 30 seconds when you first charge them up. They're more of a bandaid than a fix for an electrical system. A cap shouldn't be viewed as a quick fix to any electrical problem.

Usually a low cost boost is to upgrade the Big 3 wires. Basically a few bucks and about 5 minutes worth of time. Usually for most of us our grounds and alternator to battery wires are corroded and there is a small gain.

https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...hreadid=221240


If that still doesn't help out, then most people say have the battery tested to make sure the battery isn't getting weak.

Basically the next option is an alternator upgrade if you're still running a 105 amp alt.

Some people say "just add more batteries" but that isn't a solution since batteries are not an infinite power source. Without being recharged by the alternator they will lose power and discharge over time. Think it's hard for your alternator to charge one battery now? Just see what it's like when the OEM unit is trying to charge up two or more batteries.


Course if you're still not sold on my ideas. Do a little searching around the car audio section. I think you'll find some ideas.

If your still sold on the idea of adding capacitors try searching around the net. You can find capacitors in a variety of different places. www.boostcaraudio.com www.thezeb.com www.ikesound.com www.sounddomain.com lots of others too

 

Hey, thanks for the input. I'm an electrical engineer so I definitely understand what you're saying. The thing is I'm not running high powered equipment. At the moment its just a 240W deck and an LCD screen, the sub's disconnected. It's not the battery, its a 1 year old yellow top. I don't have a large system so a new alternator isn't really needed either. The amp is 300W and is never put above half power.

 

What gauge are your power wires for the amp?

 

What's the make and model of the HU? Some HUs are much more sensitive to low voltage or voltage drop problems. Have you tried running the B+ line right from the battery as a test? Do you have access to a high current bench supply as a test? This could be a wiring problem in the car or in the HU itself. Don't bother with a cap. If you check into the ESR on most of them you'll be surprised. Jim pointed this out in anther post and it was a great tip.

 

I want to say its about 4-8 guage. That doesn't matter since it does the screen distortion without the amp hooked up.

I actually own a bench power supply and will try that eventually. It's a lanzar deck (LDVD18 or something like that) and it's obviously not the best designed unit so I was thinking they probably cheaped out on the PS stiffening caps.

 

well i am running two coustic 380 watt amps a 180 watt pioneer and 180 watt coustic. it drains lots of power and dims the lights at night and i am running a 4 gauge power from batt to a 4 g in fuse box/splitter to 4-8gauge wires to each amp then 4 gauge out of the amp to a 4 way splitter again that joins them all back into a 4 gauge ground so bigger wires do not help it is just too much drain on your battery you could get a bigger alt or a cap. caps work good for 3 years then they wear out

 

Bigger wire to the amps obviously isn't going to help headlight dimming. Upgrading the big three under the hood can. Caps are a waste of $. Can we get a better description of the distortion? Is it just dimming? Try to wiggle the faceplate up/down/side to side/in and out, dirty connections to the faceplate can cause problems like this. If it's just dimming I think it is a voltage drop to the HU problem. Vary common with some brands. Bench test it with a GOOD HIGH CURRENT PS or a charged battery. You'd be surprised how much voltage drop you can get going to the HU. Shouldn't need to bring up the importance of a good ground, but I will. It's quick and easy to check grounds or just move it to a different spot.

 

P.S. I just installed my friend's cap and everything works great now. Thanks anyway guys. I plan on upgrading the main wires when I have a chance though.

 

Well before I got my cap my volt gauge would dip and my lights would dim whenever the bass hit.Now with the cap the gauge stays put and the lights don't dim.

 

firebirdjosh, good to hear you will be upgrading the "big 3" and if you got the cap from a friend for free or cheap, it wouldn't heart anything. No one mentioned a system that a good battery, 140A alt., and good wiring shouldn't be able to keep up with.
Caps (in this application) are Band-aids.
If your motor is pinging would you pull timing out at the distributor (assuming base timing was correct)? It may stop the pinging, but there is still a problem that was covered up, not resolved. Fix the problem, don't cover it up (for long).