Hi everyone, I have learned a lot from this forum already, os thank you in advance... I have a 2000 mustang gt with a stock alternator. I just got my 2 new Orion HP 12s which im going to power with the new Hifonics Bx1606 amp. (
1600x1@1ohm --500 or so to each sub probably realistic) and i will be using an older planet audio 2x300 for all the new infinity component sets for now. Worried about lights dimming, I just bought a 3 farad cap. I need ot know how to hook it up. I know the power goes into it from the battery and then to the amps, but the ground is what IM confused about. Do i just go from Chasis to cap, then split to ams, or od the amps need ot be grounded seperately as well as to the cap? And if that is the case, is it true that all 3 grounding spots should be the same place. Thanks all.
I suggest you are going to need a HO alternator and maybe a battery upgrade. If you use a cap then yes, the ground goes directly to the chassis and should be as short as possible and to clean bare metal. Be sure to use large enough cable to support the entire current demand of the system. There are many opinions about using the cap ground for amplifier grounds, but in general it doesn't matter and you can do that. If you hear noise in the system move the amplifier ground to its own location.
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Support the12volt.comyou can do both, you can ground the cap the the chasis or you can ground the cap with the Amp's ground. there are some amps that have this option they have terminals on the amp for caps. rember to put the cap within 18" (electricaly) of your Amp. the shorter your cap wires is to the amp, the better it is.
all the installs i have done i have always grounded the caps in a different ground point from the amps. I also hook the cap to the amp/amps that are used to run the subs. this is where you will get a big draw from ur electrical system.
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4-15" RF T2
6-7" RF Component sets
8 Planet Audio 900d
10 Batcap800
1 250 amp alt
1 300 amp alt
2" sound deadner roof,doors,floors
It doesn't really matter whether the ground is directly from amp to cap...electrically. All the grounds going to chassis are parallel-connected; instananeous connectivity. The difference you could experience is an electrical noise if the chassis is not used for ground. I know that sounds like a contradiction, since I just said that the grounds were instantly connected to each other through the chassis...but the difference is the mass of the chassis as the ground return. The chassis mass could act as a filter for noise associated with the cap (re: what DYohn was advising).
(Sometimes I go out on a limb with an educated *cough* guess. The above, about the mass of the chassis, is one of those times :)
But this part isn't a guess: each ground wire should enjoy its own grounding bolt or screw, rather than doubling or tripling up ground wires on a single bolt. But put them within inches of each other through bare chassis metal. This ensures best connection between wire and chassis metal.
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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.
like this amp, it have a cap terminal
