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Capacitors

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Old 03-13-01, 10:21 AM
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Capacitors

I'm going to be running one amp in my car which will be putting out 120 X 2 watts RMS. Will I need a capacitor to save my alternator from going, or can I get away without a capacitor?
Old 03-13-01, 11:01 AM
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No, you shouldn't need a capacitor. Just keep a good battery in the car. If you just want a cap, get a small 1/4 farad. It would be plenty for that small of an amp.
Old 03-16-01, 10:47 AM
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Guys, an alternator WON'T save your alternator, and its not a second bettery. The cap charges and discharges faster than the battery, the need for the cap is actually for sound quality. If you have an electrical problem and you think its fixed by adding a cap, you are in line for a surprise, it may be on the long run...but you're on line.

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Old 03-17-01, 04:58 PM
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Originally posted by KNONFS:
Guys, an alternator WON'T save your alternator, and its not a second bettery. The cap charges and discharges faster than the battery, the need for the cap is actually for sound quality. If you have an electrical problem and you think its fixed by adding a cap, you are in line for a surprise, it may be on the long run...but you're on line.
This is half right. One of the uses of a capacitor is to control the drain on the alternator under very short high amp loads, like when the bass hits. If you do not have a capacitor, you will stress your alternator with all those little sags.

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Old 03-17-01, 11:51 PM
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This is half right. One of the uses of a capacitor is to control the drain on the alternator under very short high amp loads, like when the bass hits. If you do not have a capacitor, you will stress your alternator with all those little sags.

Which part is half wrong?, also I guess you meant draining the batt. Still a cap its not a substitution for a low amp alternator, it will cover out the problem, but you still have low supply of amps...which on the long run will burn the diodes and/or regulator of the alt.

Elio
Old 03-19-01, 01:58 PM
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A capacitors main purpose is to improve sound quality. It makes your bass tighter and louder by allowing there to be enough juice to discharge quickly when your amp needs it for a bass hit. It also HELPS OUT your electrical problems (ie: lights dimming) but is not a solution to them.

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