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Twistedtuk 
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Joined: July 26, 2005
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Posted: October 18, 2006 at 5:48 PM / IP Logged  

I have two power capasitors connected to two rockford fosgate amps. When I turn up to 3/4 volumn, my capasitor voltage is dropping below 9 volts and the amp shuts down. After about 3 seconds, it comes back on. 

I am currently running 2 1 farrad capasitors for two rockford fosgate 501s amps in the bridged mode.  Do I need to upgrade to a larger capasitor or is there something I'm missing? Thanks.

sparkie 
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Joined: November 06, 2003
Location: Canada
Posted: October 18, 2006 at 6:59 PM / IP Logged  
Check your power and ground connections to both the capacitors and the amps. It sounds like you aren't getting the power from your vehicle you need to keep the amps running. Caps. will only supply current for a very short time. They help supply quick bursts of current to your amps for bass notes. If the vehicle's power supply can't stay above 12 volts when running, you probably have an alternator problem or a defect in the wiring to the amps. Use a digital volt meter to check your power supply system out. Try it with the caps disconnected first. At 3/4 volume, depending on the amps gain settings you are probably almost clipping the amp anyway.   
sparky
coppellstereo 
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Joined: November 21, 2005
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Posted: October 18, 2006 at 7:27 PM / IP Logged  
check to see if there are any lights on the amp when it shuts off.
they are probably protecting themselves.
check your power and ground connection - if either of these are loose it will affect your performance
jonathancullen 
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Posted: October 19, 2006 at 2:11 PM / IP Logged  
are you speakers/subwoofers showing the correct resistance to the amp?
aznboi3644 
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Posted: October 19, 2006 at 3:21 PM / IP Logged  
Well what vehicle do you have???
crazziazz 
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Posted: October 19, 2006 at 7:37 PM / IP Logged  
check your ohm load. sounds like you are running to low of an ohm load. 501s can only handle 2ohm stereo. i would recommend running 4ohm mono.
opy1095 
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Joined: October 04, 2003
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Posted: October 19, 2006 at 8:29 PM / IP Logged  
like it was said earlier check your ohm load or altenator
master5 
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Posted: October 21, 2006 at 3:08 AM / IP Logged  

A simple solution.

Take a dmm and measure the voltage AT the battery terminals while the system is operating . Increase the volume level as you watch the voltage. It will drop some but if it's going any below 12v  while the car is running, your charging system is either not up to task, or has an issue. (defective alternator/regulator, too small a ga, or poor connection from alt. to batt......batt to ground)

If the voltage drops a little, but fairly stable as volume increases, the problem is with the power wire (too small a ga. or poor connection along the line, fuse perhaps, gotta check it tip to stern) could be the ground(s) as well (mentioned ealier), Use you meter and check the resistance from the - terminal of the amp to the grounding point for excessive resistance.

If you have any suspect readings, redo the ground (corrosion, poor connection, poor conductor or poor grounding point.

Once the voltage drop issue is corrected we can worry about ohms..this system has a votlage drop problem.

Keep us posted.

master5 
Silver - Posts: 1,123
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Posted: October 21, 2006 at 3:41 AM / IP Logged  

Hey nouse..I needed you today on tips. someone tried to hammerbag me but he was "served" and served HARD. Check it when you get a chance, topic was remote start related.

But to the problem at hand...

Are you sure another cap won't help this problem????

Don't they fix everything???  lol

The "magic" box?

I actually removed the cap from my system because I wanted the headlights to dim with the music but it didn't help..darn. I guess i'll just have to rewire my car with thinner wires.

Twistedtuk 
Member - Posts: 9
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Joined: July 26, 2005
Location: United States
Posted: October 24, 2006 at 3:03 PM / IP Logged  

Thanks for the responce. Here are some of the information I left out.

The vehicle is a 98 Toyota Tacoma. I are running 3 Infinity Subs on the 2 Forgate amps. One 501 is on a 4 ohm Infinity Sub and the other 2 Infinity Subs are dual voice coils wired in series-parallel so the other 501 is seeing a 4 0hm load in bridged mode. 

I did notice a corrosion issue with my factory battery terminals but I replaced them with gold connections. My alternator is stock.  I was thinking about an upgrade but am not sure if I should look for a new alternator or have my original upgraded to larger amp output.  What do you think?

I was not having any issues with voltage drop until I adjusted the gain on my amps higher. I do not hear any distortion at 3/4's volumn and would really  hate to turn them down because they are hitting really hard.  If upgradeing the alternator would not fix this issue, I may have to turn the amps down a little.

Thanks, Twistedtuk.

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