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Anonymous | you guys are always saying that caps dont do anything. me n a friend have the same cars and run the exact same amp. his lights dim like theres no tomorrow while i have a cap but have no dimming at all. id say it does a lil more than nothing. |
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Gold Member Username: GlasswolfNorthWest, Michigan USA Post Number: 1934 Registered: Dec-03 | yes, in your case the capacitor masks the symptoms of the real problem, which is a weak alternator. what's happening is the capacitor is smoothing out the spikes in demand, and your voltage is still below normal, so your amps are still clipping, and you're still damaging your stock alternator and electrical system. However, now you can live in blissful ignorance of the symptoms by using your capacitor to pull the proverbial woll over your eyes. When you have a better understanding of electrical systems, maybe you'll better understand the damage you're doing to both your system, and your car. Best of luck, till that alternator gives out. How many times do I have to explain this same crap to people before they wake up? |
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Anonymous | hes been runnin his amp w/ no cap for about 2 1/2 years with the same alternator, im goin on about a year now with no problems. not to mention the guy who did my system is an expert, had his car down in daytona under the eclipse tent at the show. lives down in clearwater now doing insane installs, ive seen the pics. sooner or later you'll prolly hear or read about him. |
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Gold Member Username: GlasswolfNorthWest, Michigan USA Post Number: 1946 Registered: Dec-03 | that's nice. apparently he's not an electrical engineer though. I am. I'm also an MECP master installer with over a decade of experience, and I've been in IASCA events, up through national, several years, when I had the time and money to devote to that. Now that the ePenis swinging is out of the way.. you're still wrong. sorry. and yeah the alternator can usually hold up for quite a while even when it's horribly abused, but it's still rather stupid to do so. |
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Gold Member Username: GlasswolfNorthWest, Michigan USA Post Number: 1950 Registered: Dec-03 | http://b14.ezboard.com/fcaraudiotalkfrm27.showMessage?topicID=23.topic http://b14.ezboard.com/fcaraudiotalkfrm27.showMessage?topicID=10.topic |
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Gold Member Username: GlasswolfNorthWest, Michigan USA Post Number: 1964 Registered: Dec-03 | Anon, hey let's start at the beginning so I can get an idea of what we're talking about here, specifically. That could be a big factor in this. what's the make, model, and year of the car? what, precisely is the system, and what are the amplifiers putting out (at their wired load)? Knowing that, I could give ya a better idea of how overworked the alternator actually is, if it is. |
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Anonymous | 96 jeep grand cherokee limited, mtx 6500d putting out 775 watts at 2 ohms with 14.4 volts with a stinger 1 farad super cap |
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Gold Member Username: GlasswolfNorthWest, Michigan USA Post Number: 1965 Registered: Dec-03 | 96, that'd be a ZJ body. 6cyl? if so it's got a denso 70A alternator stock If it's a 5.9L limited it'd be a 150A denso, which could explain the lack of need for a larger alternator, but depends on teh engine and stock alternator rating, too. the amp at full output would draw about 75A of current. If you don't play the system at full volume, you'll only use a fraction of that power, so you shouldn't have any issues with the alternator if in fact you have that 150A one stock. That'd be one of those borderline setups where you may not have a problem.. I've seen 1200.1 amps run in some cars totally stock without any trouble at all.. and seen some cars with a 200w amp that caused the car to totally stall out when the music was turned up. Reserve current from an alternator is such a tricky thing in a car. Especially with everything electronic in them now. I use a 94 ZJ myself, but replaced the 70A denso with a 165A model. |
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Anonymous | inline 6, never had any problems...i think me n my friends battery could kinda be the difference, i know he doesnt have a very good one |
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Gold Member Username: GlasswolfNorthWest, Michigan USA Post Number: 1970 Registered: Dec-03 | if the alternator is over-worked, the battery will usually help try to keep the voltage rails at 12VDC, but usually that only works till the battery is depleted as well.. the thing about a capacitor is this.. if the system demands more than the alternator can supply, the voltage rails drop. when the lights dim, that's a pretty good sign that the system has a continuous demand of more than the alt can offer. the capacitor takes about 2 to 3 minutes to charge a 1Fd, 20VDC cap. The cap discharges completely within about 10-15 seconds when demand requires it. This means within 15 seconds of so, the cap is depleted when the system is calling for more than the alternator can offer, and then the cap demands current to recharge at the same time the car's battery is being recharged, and the audio system is demanding current. All you wind up doing is stressing the alternator even more. in the end, the simple fact remains that the alternator is the only source of current for the entire car when the engine is running. Besides, for $180 or so, the 165A alternator was a wonderful investment and I never worry about lack of current for the audio system, the car, the hella fog lamps, and so on. |
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Anonymous | yea im lookin to get somethin new, or else i would get a higher output alternator |
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Gold Member Username: GlasswolfNorthWest, Michigan USA Post Number: 1974 Registered: Dec-03 | heh yeah I'm starting to look around at a new car too.. well, new to me anyway. no idea what I'm going to end up using though. I do have ideas for the system.. ah well. we'll see later this summer |