Hey All,

I am getting my stereo installed in my new SS on Thursday. I will be picking up a stiffening cap tomorrow and am wondering if one make is better than another or if you just pay for the name?

I am thinking about either:

Stinger SC201B Black 1-Farad Capacitor - $150can
Monster Cable DCAP-1FD 1 Farad Digital Capacitor -$249can
Lightning Audio B10-03 1 Farad Capacitor - $120
Rockford Fosgate CPC10-03 1-Farad Capacitor - $$199

I've looked into each model on the web, but haven't found much and the price ranges are boggling to the mind considering the stats don't really tell me that one is a "capacitor superpower" compared to the others??

Any info would be appreciated

 

Don't get any cap they are all the same and they do nothing. Upgrade the wire from the alternator to the fuze box and the gound wires if you have a dimming prob. Gm used a to small wire for the alternator, not only gm but the majority of car company, they used a #10 wire for a 105A Alt they should use #4 wire at least.

 

bigger the better.

 

Hmmm... didn't see that coming!!

Thanks for the advice. Maybe i'll just buy a better battery if required. I had understood that the cap was good for regulating the voltage going into my amps. I suppose I could just look into an official voltage regulator

Thanks again.

 

im not sure thats the best plan
i put a cap in my car, i dont know why you would put extra strain on your battery/alternator when a cap can save all that

anyways, caps are basically all the same, get 1 farad for each 1000 watts you run, and get a digital readout
i got a 1.2 farad for my 700w system, but its pretty bumpin, it cost $70ish shipped off ebay, and its Voodoo Audio, had a digital readout, works for me!

 

a cap is good , as it prevents sharp sudden huge draw of current from the battery/alternator by storing up charge smoothly from your alternator/battery.

Imagine it somewhat like storing up energy in a device by punching with your fist lightly but constantly for a period of time, then that device is able to release the combined energy all at once, it is very little strain or effort on you and you might not even break a sweat, but when all that accumulated power is released at once it is stronger than any single punch you could ever produce directly yourself.... that is the idea of a cap.

As for which to get, the main thing is to find out test results on them (car audio review sites, magazines etc.), as to if they do store what they claim to, and base decision on that, some you'll pay a lot more becuase they have fancy LED display showing the voltage etc.

 

I have test it?? sure not . They does't help at all. get a good alternator, batt and cable "If" you have dimming prob, but with your small systeme you should not have any prob, In my cav with my 2 Adire Brahma 15" and with more then 2500w "RMS" with stock alternator(with upgrade + & -wire) i did't have much prob with it, and I try to add a 2f cap and i did't see change and try after that with a other 2F cap (4F total) with no difference in power or voltage drop. And go see on car audio forum and read what other people say about cap(Tempro, Sounddomain.....). Don't waste your mony on cap and buy something else.

 

I have no idea where you are getting this information about caps not being good. I am an MECP certified installer and I know that for a fact to be incorrect. As Mike_42 said, it prevents sudden spikes of current.

Anyways, all caps are the same. Doesn't matter what brand or what bells and whistles they have. 1 Farad is typically all you need.

 

i had the same prob in my old probe and was runnin 2 seperate amps and my lights were dimmin pretty bad i so i bought a fosgate 1f, dont know alot of tech info but it totaly solved my prob

 

The funny thing I keep hearing is people saying they'll upgrade the battery.

I would see upgrading the battery if you like to cut the car off and pound a little, but people do not understand, batteries only crank your damn car over, then the alternator kicks in from there.

It only matters about battery if you have the car turned off and run accessories. That is the only time your battery takes all of the abuse.

 

thank you for agreeing with me
the best thing to do would be to upgrade your alternator to a higher amperage
and with caps, its usually 1f per 1000 watts, so if you have a big system, you might need bigger ones, but dont go insane

my advice is to get a cap with a digital display, that way you see how much its helping

 

a friend of mine gave me a 1200 watt sony amp with some kinda battery built in. if you checked it with a volt meter it had power even when it wasnt hooked up