Cap as a Bass Blocker?

I'm trying to block the bass below 200Hz in my 6.5s and tweeters. The 6.5s are in // with the tweets (Because i am using stock wiring the stock tweeters are somewhere connected to my aftermarket 6.5s) so it has an Impedance of 8ohms. After using the first order high pass crossover calculator I found that with a 100µF cap i can block ~199Hz and below. I saw a couple posts on here that said to use Non-Polar capacitors. I asked at radio shack today and the guy told me that I wouldn't be able to find a non-polar cap that large. I then told him that it was for a bass blocker. He said that when that Radio Shack used to sell car audio equip.he got one and it looked like it was polar. So my question is Will This cap work? and Does it have to be non-polar? Or did that guy just not know what he was talking about?   

Check this page out, and this calc. Applying this cap will change the frequency that your tweeter is already playing at, I would recommend that you just put it on the mid. Using the calc you would need a 200mfd cap to cross over at around 200 hz. If you were to use the 220mfd your crossover would be around 180hz. Just remember that you can wire these in parrallel and the values will add up, so 2 100mfd caps =200mfd. I believe it should be non-polar.Certified Security Specialist

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the problem is I can't find where my tweeter is connected to the 6.5. If i could find it I would just disconnect it concidering that my 6.5 is a 3 way speaker. I'm using all of the stock wiring for the speaker (Stock was a sh*tty 6.5 in // with a tweeter) Instead of running wires from my amp in the trunk I ran it to the stock wires behing the head unit. this means that I have two 4ohm speakers in // (The aftermarket 6.5s and the tweeters) If I type in 8ohms and 200hz I get C1 = 99.47477 (~100mfd) I also don't think that my Tweeters have any kind of crossover. I've been hearing a lot of distortion from them when I should be hearing bass notes. So I wanted to try this for a test. Can anyone verify that it MUST be a non-polar cap? Will I be risking the life of my speakers if I use a polar cap?

ravenndude wrote: If I type in 8ohms and 200hz I get C1 = 99.47477 (~100mfd)

I assumed you where using a 4 ohm driver.Certified Security Specialist

Always check info with a digital multimeter.

I promise to be good.

Tell Darwin I sent you.

I've been sick lately, sorry I won't be on much.

I'm no expert, but I'm pretty sure that it needs to be non-polar, because audio signals really go both ways. If you need a source of parts, try an online store. Let me know if you need a recommendation or two. (I don't want to seem like I'm spamming -- I really don't care who you buy from. :-) ) I was going to comment about putting it on the woofer, but now that I reread more carefully, it sounds like you still have the stock tweeter, and that you're running an external amp to it -- maybe it's just getting too much power? You said that you don't know how where they tie into the wiring; maybe you should find out how to get to the tweeter and just unplug it and tape up the ends of the wires (or whatever). In my car, I think that the stock tweeters had a cap on them. For higher frequencies, the caps are quite small, so it's kind of hard to tell, but there was an electronic part that I assume was a very small capacitor. :-) Anyway, my point is that yours might also have a cap already -- gotta get to it and look at it to find out. By the time you get to it, you might as well unplug it, which sounds like what you want to do. If they don't have a cap (like, maybe it was really attached to the mid/woofer that you removed!), I don't think you can add a cap to the woofer and affect the tweeter (because they're wired in parallel -- the tweeter gets a pure signal from the amp). Hope this helps. Actually, I hope I understand what the heck you're trying to do. ;-)

Er, ignore my idle speculation that the cap could be on the woofer.. Like I said, that wouldn't happen because of the parallel wiring! Anyway, my basic point is -- just disconnect the tweeter. Is it that hard to get to? (Is it possible to edit posts? Delete? Would be handy for posting at midnight... ;-) )

Vidgamer wrote: (Is it possible to edit posts? Delete? Would be handy for posting at midnight... ;-) )

You will be able to edit after you become a standard member. You will be able to delete once you become silver. Here is a break down of membership privalages.Certified Security Specialist

Always check info with a digital multimeter.

I promise to be good.

Tell Darwin I sent you.

I've been sick lately, sorry I won't be on much.