Capacitors

DONT GIVE ADVICE IF YOU HAVEN'T THE FAINTEST CLUE WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT. (yes im yelling).

Ravendarrat just gave him information that is very likely to make his problem far more worse.

A capacitor will NOT:

-replace the need for a larger, high-output alternator and/or a deep-cycle battery.If your electrical system is inadequate, the ONLY way to fix this, and again I repeat, the ONLY WAY to fix this, is to replace the alternator. This is the SOLE source of electrical current for your car when the motor is running.When the motor is turned off, the battery then becomes your source of electricity.When the battery is run down, and when the capacotir(s) is/are depleted, the alternator has to work even harder in order to supply current to the car, the audio system, and also to recharge the capacitor(s) (which deplete very quickly) as well as recharge the car's battery(ies).***So yes, by adding a capacitor to try taking the place of a high-output alternator, you are actually causing more work for your alternator, and causing even more damage to that stock alternator.***-make your system magically sound 10 times better.Many people believe that a capacitor adds NO real benefit to an audio system, and this is why you never see before and after demonstrations, or factory capacitor company vehicles at IASCA events.A capacitor does have it's uses, but it is not a magical fix for a lacking electrical system.

Head Unit:Pioneer-Deh-1600

Fronts:Kicker 6x8 S57's

Front Amp:Coustic PowerLogic Amp460

Rear Fill:Stock 6x8's

Subs: 2 10" JL Audio W3's

Sub Amp: JBL bp600.1

Wiring: KnuKonceptz

Metra Tech, you're giving WRONGO advice bro.Head Unit:Pioneer-Deh-1600

Fronts:Kicker 6x8 S57's

Front Amp:Coustic PowerLogic Amp460

Rear Fill:Stock 6x8's

Subs: 2 10" JL Audio W3's

Sub Amp: JBL bp600.1

Wiring: KnuKonceptz

I speak fact and for the regular guy and I am not yelling. I don't think you read my response right or I came across wrong. I AM IN AGGREANCE with you but not everyone needs a alternator. Example, typical 500 watt amp in an average system WOULD benefit from a high output alternator, but is not needed in MOST vehicles. But, a half farad cap would help with dynamics. Please keep in mind ALL amps have capacitors built in them but they are not very adequate because of real estate in the amp.  Now I DO agree with you on the alternator being stressed out and I have been telling people for years that putting an extra battery in the vehicle is the worse thing you could do first, but a capacitor SHOULD not stress the alternator out unless it is a weak alternator. So to recap here, Im not giving wrong info., it's just I have a different but similar opinion. That's what makes the world go round. So when people read this post they will hear my side, your side, and other people who respond to this threads side of the story and make there own decision. I believe in capacitors to help, but yes, they should not be used as a band aid to the solution of more power by the alternator. 

I think you need to calm down a little bit. I have been a professional installer for almost 5 years now and for you to turn around and tell me I dont know what Im talking about is a insult and I wont stand for it. If you disagree thats fine, you can do that. But that was totally disrespectful and I dont need that sh*t from you. This is a argument that I have been talking about for ever. I totally see the point you were making in your disrespectful rant above and I agree with parts of it. I do agree that the BEST fix for a system lacking is to replace the altenator. However I see your argument for caps not doing more help than hurt to be uneducated and ignorant. My car is a 94 swift, my altenator is a stock 55 amp and I have a high draw of about 80 amp out of my stereo plus the normal car functions. I use two stinger caps because I was having a problem with draw. After I hooked this up I was having no problem with current draw, regardless of how long I ran my stereo and when I was hiting 146+ db in my runs I still didnt even have a light blink. So what I say is that an Altenator is the best but by no means the only solution. I think you need to relax and go read a book or something

I have yet to run across a system that has ever been made worse by adding a capacitor, I have seen them not solve anything but never have I seen one harm a system. Until I see it for myself I am going to call bullsh_t on that little tibit. Now as far as you saying that we need to know more about the system, I can only make suggestions based on the information provided. I dont see how you are in any better position to make a suggestion being as you have the same info so mabye you best take your own advice and dig a little deeper yourself in the future. Just a thought.

if i were u id just ger a high out alternator---- 1996 Chevy S10 ----

1 Lightning Audio S2.600.2 Amp

2 Lightning Audio 12" Subs

1 Lightning Audio 1 Farad Cap

Ravendarat wrote: I have yet to run across a system that has ever been made worse by adding a capacitor, I have seen them not solve anything but never have I seen one harm a system. Until I see it for myself I am going to call bullsh_t on that little tibit. Now as far as you saying that we need to know more about the system, I can only make suggestions based on the information provided. I dont see how you are in any better position to make a suggestion being as you have the same info so mabye you best take your own advice and dig a little deeper yourself in the future. Just a thought.

ok...you havent had enough time in this industry to see it, or you are blind...a cap will cut the life of your alternator short for sure...without a doubt in my mind, if you are experiencing electrical problems, a cap will further deteriorate life expectancy of your alternator... do you know how a cap works? a cap STORES energy until it is needed...and do you know the recharge time on a cap vs the time it takes to drain one? a one farad cap can be totally discharged very quickly in any kind of semi-competition grade stereo system...adversely, it will probably take between 3 and 20 times as long to recharge that same capacitor...so what happens while your cap is charging? ITS AN EXTRA LOAD ON YOUR ALREADY STRUGGLING ALTERNATOR...not only does your alternator have to run your car, and your stereo, but now it has to recharge that capacitor all of your "all knowing stereo buddies" told you to buy, when the fact of the matter is none of them know much about caps or they would have kept their mouths shut to begin with...do you see where I am coming from? in 95 percent of instances a cap will hurt more than it will ever help...the only real world application that I can logically understand using a capacitor for would be in an ultra SQ system where you are merely using the cap to regulate the voltage to your amps...not as a power reserve, but to even out the peaks and dips that are produced by your cars charging system... I had written this up a long time ago in these forums in greater detail, but didnt feel inclined to test how far back the search function goes...if you scour the search function, I think you will find the unabridged version of what I just wrote here, and it may help you understand a little bit better how this all works... bottom line, unless you are a hardcore SQ guy who has zero concern for volume, chances are a cap is not really any kind of help to you...at best its a bandaid...and not one of them bandaid brand bandaids either, one of them cheapass dollar store bandaids that always falls off 3 minutes after putting it on...