97 Civic Coupe d16y7.

New Battery, OEM alternator.

I had a 600 watt amp and a 10" sub in my car a while back before it was stolen, that seemed fine w/o a cap.

I have a 1200 watt amp now that my roomate gave me, and that will power a 12" sub.

Should I run a cap, or not? Anyone currently doing a similar setup without one?

Thanks

 

Capacitance is always a good thing, you can never have too much. Where does a cap come in play with a high wattage system,? When voltage goes down, current or amperage goes up to compensate. If a amplifier draws 80 amps at max power output with a input voltage of 14 volts, the current draw is significantly higher at 12 volts. A capacitor will help stabilize the voltage in the charging system.

Kirk R

 

im runing 1400 and have no problems. i have 198k oem as long a no alt, but i put a new more power battery in. no problems so far.

something that i had done is i had my alt checked with my amps turned as high as they could go,

 

caps are a waste of money they are good for nothing. If your system is hooked up properly there is no need for a cap

 

they serve a purpose as KRock459 mention.. i wouldnt go as far as saying they are a waste of money and good for nothing

 

Your right they do serve a purpose otherwise they wouldnt make them but to shell out over a 100 bucks for a decent cap might as well just get a high output alternator which would work better than the Cap. I have never liked them

 

thats cause your 1400w pyle amp only does 200w rms...

ha ha, just messin man...

 

i look at it this way, i can either spend (retail) 150 on a streetwires 1 farad with a digital top, or i can spend 180 on an xstatic batcap 800... i don't know, i'm not out to just hate on caps all the time, but if i can get a gel cell for the same price, and usualy i get those on ebay for 100 shipped sometimes,, i just assume go with a battery over a cap.

 

well... they are two different things that do different things..
a cap isnt used as a form of a cheap alternative to upgrading your alternator its just so happens that it became a "band-aid" to the problems of a weak alternator..
its there to support stabilize and provide instantaneous as oppose to steady

 

i agree 100% with twentyhurtz, as with my own experiences all you need is a good battery, and gell cells are great. i have had 2 of them, only reason i dont know is cause i didnt wanna spend 170 on the batt to fit in my tray under the hood lol
but for the money as he said just get a battery.

also what you didnt tell us is how many watts your runing rms? most hondas can handle 300-400 watts rms on a stock batt and alt....

 

personally I have a 600watt monoblock alpine amp powering a type e 10inch sub, wired it properly with an inline fuse in the engine bay with minimal power wire between the battery and the fuse, a new battery, good alternator and I have had no problems whatsoever.Now if I were running two 12 inch subs or more than one amp, I would be running a cap just for the peace of mind IMO.

 

You're running 1400rms on a stock alternator with no problems?

Bogus.

 

Caps are band-aids for weak charging systems. Upgrade the alternator and battery first.

Here is what happens when the bass is playing. Once the bass starts hitting the amp(s) need more power. The power needed will come from the capacitor and extra strain will drain the cap in a few seconds. After the cap is drained it will need to recharge. Everyone already knows that the alternator charges the battery. Well, the capacitor sits in between the alternator/battery and the amp. Once the capacitor is drained it will charge itself by drawing power from the electrical system. The power that could just pass from your electrical system directly to your amplifier now has to pass through a capacitor before it reaches the amplifier. Then, once the amplifier needs power again, the vicious cycle starts all over.

Start with the basics, alternator and battery. People buy caps because they are cheap compared to high amperage alternators. Also, they are an easy up sell for a car audio shop. So, step one, get a high powered alternator, second, get a good battery.

Let the arguing begin. People are really divided on caps. They either love them or hate them. Are they a waste of money? If you get a cap without upgrading the other two most important pieces first, yes, they are a waste of money because they are doing more harm then good.

 

I agree with a few of the above statements, alternators are a very important upgrade, a good quality and condition battery is important as well. A capacitor can charge and discharge in milliseconds, it does not take seconds. Capacitors are better for quick transient notes, they will however discharge and be less effective under extended bass notes or tone bursts common in SPL competitions. This is where a Xtatic batcap and similar products improve over the capacitor, they have a faster discharge rate over a standard battery, and a (much) longer amperage output ratting over a capacitor. A capacitor will never be parasitic to your system, its is an improvement, although many will argue how effective they are.

I tend to gravitate toward SQ systems in my own vehicles, and weight is also a concern of mine, so its a alternator, quality main battery, and a capacitor.

Kirk R

 

your setup is beautiful krock any updated pics?

 

yes sir.
of corse i got a better battery. had the alternator tested and they siad it was good.
now i have no idea if it was replaced before i got it, but i have never done it...

but i will soon be pulling those amps out, and replace with less power. its just simply to much for the little car and i dont wanna test my luck and blow the alternator.

also i agree that caps are noithing more then a exspensive band aid

 

If you have 1400 rms with stock alt and your lights dont flash you must have some weak *** subs.

 

^^dont you mean weak amps??

its not all subs, i also have a 400 watt rms 4 channel, subs are 500 rms each, for 1400 rms total.

i normally dont drive around with it turned all the way up. its WAY TOOOO loud.

 

You don't need a cap for that audio system you have in your vehicle. It isn't going to draw that amount of power because i don't think those amp you have are under rated.