Capacitor problem..
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Honda-Tech Member
Joined: Oct 2005
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From: BRICKTOWN, NEW JERSEY, USA
Capacitor problem..
Ok, I just hooked up my capacitor and amp and what not,
And when i turn the car on, the capacitor screen and lights are on, but after like 2 minutes, with the music on or not, the capacitor will go off, but the amp and sub and everything is still on...
Could it be a bad ground or somthing? i have the amp and cap. grounded at the same place
And when i turn the car on, the capacitor screen and lights are on, but after like 2 minutes, with the music on or not, the capacitor will go off, but the amp and sub and everything is still on...
Could it be a bad ground or somthing? i have the amp and cap. grounded at the same place
Old Fart
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 26,173
Likes: 18
From: kelowna, bc, canada
Re: Capacitor problem.. (standbackimapro)
If you are talking about the "readout" on the cap, it could be the readout itself, how did you charge the cap?
You can check if the cap itself is still good, simply by leaving a door open so dome light is on and then disconnecting the batt. neg.(-) terminal, if the dome light shuts off as soon as you disconnect the terminal, the cap is bad or miswired, if the dome light slowly dims out the cap is good, and the problem is just in the readout, this is a simple test and is not meant to test if cap is working up to it;s specs, only that it is holding a charge.
Charging a cap should be done through resistance, if not, damage can be done to the cap, but more then likely to the readout or it's connections.
Before you reconnect the batt., pull the fuse in the amps power line, reconnect, and then charge the cap by installing a 12V light bulb in series, ground of the light to one terminal of the fuse holder and pos.(+) of the light to the other terminal of the fuse holder, if cap is wired and working properly the bulb will light up bright as soon as you make the connection, [caution do not hold glass bulb, it can get very hot] and slowly dim out, this can take up to a few min. depending on cap and resistance used, [bulb wattage], cars dome light will take about 30-60 sec.
once bulb is out you can remove the bulb and install the fuse.
94
You can check if the cap itself is still good, simply by leaving a door open so dome light is on and then disconnecting the batt. neg.(-) terminal, if the dome light shuts off as soon as you disconnect the terminal, the cap is bad or miswired, if the dome light slowly dims out the cap is good, and the problem is just in the readout, this is a simple test and is not meant to test if cap is working up to it;s specs, only that it is holding a charge.
Charging a cap should be done through resistance, if not, damage can be done to the cap, but more then likely to the readout or it's connections.
Before you reconnect the batt., pull the fuse in the amps power line, reconnect, and then charge the cap by installing a 12V light bulb in series, ground of the light to one terminal of the fuse holder and pos.(+) of the light to the other terminal of the fuse holder, if cap is wired and working properly the bulb will light up bright as soon as you make the connection, [caution do not hold glass bulb, it can get very hot] and slowly dim out, this can take up to a few min. depending on cap and resistance used, [bulb wattage], cars dome light will take about 30-60 sec.
once bulb is out you can remove the bulb and install the fuse.
94
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 5,143
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From: Beavertown, OR
Re: Capacitor problem.. (fcm)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by fcm »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Charging a cap should be done through resistance, if not, damage can be done to the cap, but more then likely to the readout or it's connections.</TD></TR></TABLE>
You'll damage it cosmetically because of the arcing. You wont damage the cap functionally.
Think of it this way the cap when hooked to the amp was designed to charge and discharge "instantly" this is no different the what occurs when you "charge" it initially.
I would only buy a cap that was just that, just a cap with + and - that other stuff is not neaded.
You'll damage it cosmetically because of the arcing. You wont damage the cap functionally.
Think of it this way the cap when hooked to the amp was designed to charge and discharge "instantly" this is no different the what occurs when you "charge" it initially.
I would only buy a cap that was just that, just a cap with + and - that other stuff is not neaded.
Honda-Tech Member
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 2,006
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From: Sterling Heights, MI, USA
Re: Capacitor problem.. (standbackimapro)
The readout only turns on when there is a significant change in voltage. When you turn the car on, the voltage goes from 12 to 14, activating the readout. After 2 minutes of no significant voltage change, the readout shuts off. When you turn off the car, the readout should turn on again. Check if it does that. All that is normal.
Old Fart
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 26,173
Likes: 18
From: kelowna, bc, canada
Re: Capacitor problem.. (nsxxtreme)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by nsxxtreme »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
You'll damage it cosmetically because of the arcing. You wont damage the cap functionally.
Think of it this way the cap when hooked to the amp was designed to charge and discharge "instantly" this is no different the what occurs when you "charge" it initially.
I would only buy a cap that was just that, just a cap with + and - that other stuff is not neaded.</TD></TR></TABLE>well I'm not going to argue the point, I have seen more then a few caps "pop" a seam from a "quick charge" I also don't think a cap that is wired properly is ever completely discharged when in use, as there is a constant power supply, the batt.
94
You'll damage it cosmetically because of the arcing. You wont damage the cap functionally.
Think of it this way the cap when hooked to the amp was designed to charge and discharge "instantly" this is no different the what occurs when you "charge" it initially.
I would only buy a cap that was just that, just a cap with + and - that other stuff is not neaded.</TD></TR></TABLE>well I'm not going to argue the point, I have seen more then a few caps "pop" a seam from a "quick charge" I also don't think a cap that is wired properly is ever completely discharged when in use, as there is a constant power supply, the batt.
94
Honda-Tech Member
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 5,143
Likes: 1
From: Beavertown, OR
Re: Capacitor problem.. (fcm)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 02 accord »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">The readout only turns on when there is a significant change in voltage. When you turn the car on, the voltage goes from 12 to 14, activating the readout. After 2 minutes of no significant voltage change, the readout shuts off. When you turn off the car, the readout should turn on again. Check if it does that. All that is normal.</TD></TR></TABLE>
Goes from about 10 to 14, maybe a little less depending on the battery.
My point comes from the capcitors themselves not this specific application. Popping caps is news to me. I've popped a few plugging them in backwards.
When used in some switching supplies they go from 0 to (whatever). What normally kills a capacitor is a large ESR and large current discharge (mutiple cycles). Basically dump a bunch of heat into the cap.
Goes from about 10 to 14, maybe a little less depending on the battery.
My point comes from the capcitors themselves not this specific application. Popping caps is news to me. I've popped a few plugging them in backwards.
When used in some switching supplies they go from 0 to (whatever). What normally kills a capacitor is a large ESR and large current discharge (mutiple cycles). Basically dump a bunch of heat into the cap.
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