Capacitor

Does anyone have a diagram that shows how to charge up a cap and then how to hook up one properly so it won't blow up in my face?

A capacitor eh?
anyway, when you purchased the cap, there should have been a little resistor with it. Take 2 wires, any wires, even speaker wire will work. connect the resistor to one end of the positive wire and connect the cap to the battery through the resistor. Connect positive throught the resistor to positive and negative to negative. now before you actually do this, it is reccomended that you get a multimeter (voltmeter) and connect it to the cap, set it to Volts and watch the voltage of the cap. When the cap get to about 10-12 volts, remove the resistor and connect the positive wire directly to the cap. When the multimeter stops (prob about 14-15V ish, remove cap from the circuit. FROM NOW ON, DONT TOUCH ANYTHING TO THE CAP.    Put the cap in the car now, install it where it needs to be, all the while being very careful not to accidently short the cap to a wrench, the frame, a screwdriver... connect the negative of the cap directly to the frame or body of the car as close to the cap as possible. Connect the positive cable from the battery throught the positive terminal of the cap (battery positive to cap positive, then cap positive directly to the divider block or amplifier. Last but most importantly, connect the cap to the battery. connect this wire last, make sure it's fused at both ends(between the cap and the battery, and between the amp and the battery). And from here on in, make sure that nobody shorts out that wire to anything. it's really not that hard, just give it a shot and be careful not to short anything. have fun

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Owner/Installer
Bassment Designs
Alberta Canada
Kicker in a Convert!! YAY!!

garfunkel is right follow his procedure . i went to school recently and was taught this very same thing. one more thing though, try to keep the cap as close to the amplifiers as possible. good luck

just dont short the cao it will not blow up at all thats a wives tail it will only blow the disk in it and leak some fluid thats all it s not a scary piece of electronics jusy like the other guy said dont short it or you will ruin it but it will not blow up .