how much farad should I use?

I am new in the game and want to know how to tell on how much farad should I use?and if I used to much or to less would it damaged my equipment or car?

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dave25456

general rule of thumb. 1farad per 1000 watts. a cap is not necessarily the best thing to do in all applications. if you would put up your current electrical system and alternator size. we can more accurately tell u if you need a cap and also what size cap u may need.

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Quad L Handyman services

The general rule is 1 farad per 1000 watts (RMS watts). Too less wouldn't help and too much? No, neither wouldn't damage anything. 2 farad for 500 watts would be a waste, unless you are going to add more amps later; this is just an example.

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'85 Toy

if you are pushing around a 1000 watts i say put that money to a HO alternator.

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Memphis MC-1300
2 12" JLw6v2
Diamond audio M3 6x9
Diamond audio M3 5.25 components
Audio control Matrix
Carputer

See https://www.bcae1.com/capacitr.htm on https://www.bcae1.com/

The author, who seems to be a great source of technical information, doubts that capacitors help at all.  My advice would be to spend some money on something else.

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New Project: 2003 Pathfinder

I would say the same. I had one in my car and couldn't tell any difference. I put a higher output alternator on and that helped a lot. My above reply was just trying to answer the question. Most people seem to think caps help, so I don't argue the facts with them.

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'85 Toy

Caps have their place and their use, however if you are adding it to help stop your lights from blinking then you need some education

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double-secret reverse-osmosis speaker-cone-induced high-level interference distortion, Its a killer

Make a stiffening capacitor the very last item on your to-do list of car audio equipment and procedure.  It comes last if it should come at all, behind everything including even sound damping and extended playback and tweaking.  A cap can be beneficial in a well designed and executed system, but is worthless for what so many are told that it is used for (see ^^).  If a commissioned salesman wants to include one in the package (and I don't blame him for trying), tell him no thanks.  If your friends insist you need it, just ask them to explain how a stiffening capacitor works...electrically.  Do your homework, so you can be amused by the... Duhh....looks on their faces.

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Build the box so that it performs well in the worst case scenario and, in return, it will reward you at all times.

Caps are useless unless you have an alternator that can supply enough power to keep it charged in the first place.  And if you have a powerful alt, you wont have any problems what so ever to even consider a cap.

Cap = $100 * benifits: Can look perdy cool....uhhhh and make a good projectile if not secured properly.

HO Alt = $250 * benifits: more power to the electronics which results in cooler operation and better operation due to the voltage staying high.

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2003 Chevy Avalanche,Eclipse CD7000,Morel Elate 5,Adire Extremis,Alpine PDX-4.150, 15" TC-3000, 2 Alpine PDX-1.1000, 470Amp HO Alt.