Power Cap

Printed From: the12volt.com
Forum Name: Car Audio
Forum Discription: Car Stereos, Amplifiers, Crossovers, Processors, Speakers, Subwoofers, etc.
URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=74534
Printed Date: May 15, 2025 at 8:52 AM

Topic: Power Cap

Posted By: jb66
Subject: Power Cap
Date Posted: March 15, 2006 at 5:11 PM

Hi guys, im a rookie at this, My headlights really go dim when the bass kicks in and so does everything inside my car, I have a BMW 320 (E36). I bought a power cap as I was told this would solve this, just found this webpage today I guess I should have got a new battery or alternator... Well i've bought the dam thing so I'll fit it, the problem is, my battery is in my boot and my amps are directly connected to it, all the diagrams show how it would work if it were earthed.

https://www.caraudiohelp.com/car_audio_capacitor_installation/car_audio_capacitor_installation.htm

So the cap sits on the + cable from my battery I think, I've drawn a rubbish Diagram of what my set up is and what i think I should do. I have 2 350watt sony xplod amps and 2 sony xplod 700w subs.

Any Info/suggestions/warnings would be appreciated

Replies:

Posted By: breck
Date Posted: March 15, 2006 at 6:14 PM

thats a pretty crappy system for a good car

sell your spare tire and buy a type r

Posted By: xscash
Date Posted: March 15, 2006 at 7:29 PM

lol, yes the cap goes on the feed from the batt and then ground the other side of the cap.

good luck, XS

Posted By: DYohn
Date Posted: March 15, 2006 at 7:55 PM

You are running 700 watts of amplifier power on a cable with a 25 amp fuse? Hmm, something doesn't compute. What gauge is your power and ground cable? What are the model numbers of your amps? And are you running your ground back to your battery as shown in the diagram? Where is the cap grounded?

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Posted By: jb66
Date Posted: March 16, 2006 at 4:34 AM

ive not put the cap on yet. im not sure what to do with it, so i need to ground this cap, okay... hmm, I am going to buy new wire from maplin, I think the wire I have is way too thin, Any reccomendations?

P.S thanks breck great help, what an asset to the forum, keep up the good work

Posted By: jb66
Date Posted: March 16, 2006 at 4:55 AM

right went on mspaint again, i am going torewire it but not sure which way its either this way or thenext post way

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Posted By: jb66
Date Posted: March 16, 2006 at 4:55 AM

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Posted By: dragon51
Date Posted: March 16, 2006 at 5:17 AM

Your on the right track with getting a bigger alternator read The Big 3 that would be the best fix instead of the band-aid.

Ok as for hooking up the cap

This is assuming that the cap is allready powered up.

1. You want a positive lead form the battery to the cap.

2. Run a second postive lead form the cap to the amp. This will also power up your amp. 8ga or the biggest your amp will take. Also make sure to run the same Ga. for your ground form the amp.

3. Run a ground wire the same gauge as your positive form the battery i.e 4ga. You will want to find a good ground point then clean the metal you want bare metal NO PAINT. There are articals here that explain proper gound and how to use a volt meter to check it.

It is best to use a differnt gound than your amp to help prevent gound loops (Some one correct me if I am wrong.)

Sorry for any SP. Its late.

Hope this helps

Posted By: jb66
Date Posted: March 16, 2006 at 5:35 AM

cool, but my battery is in the boot so im going to connect it directly