I have a 2004 Tahoe I added a kenwood amp and 2 qpower 12s and had a schorce capacitor, my capacitor went bad and blew the fuse so i removed it. I will be doing the big 3 upgrade soon and my question is will this fix my lights dimming or will i need another capacitor or is there another option i can do?
Lots of Voltage drop after capacitor removal.
- Thread starter jwaldo432
- Start date
Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.
what size amp are you running?
Physh1
Full Access Member
- Joined
- Jul 29, 2010
- Posts
- 773
- Reaction score
- 24
It will def help but w/o knowing how much power you're pulling or how big your alt is i can't be 100% how much it'll help....
Cameron
Cameron
- Joined
- May 3, 2009
- Posts
- 3,720
- Reaction score
- 5
Wattage isnt as important as amperage.. but assuming your pulling less than 1000/rms and using less than 100amps of current draw in accessories, and primarily using your accessories while the vehicle is moving, with occasional play at idle.. you SHOULD be safe.. a cap and a big 3 will assure immediate current spikes never see your battery.. and that power to and from the battery is more accurate, level and has less loss.
I used to follow the Caps are a bandaid philosophy.. and one meatier systems i agree.. BUT.. Lets be honest if a 500w rms system required a second alt (expensive not just in immediate cost, but in MPG increase and possible noise issues too) and a bigger or multiple batteries.. NO ONE would have a system.. caps fill the void and keep dangerous, sharp, short, spikes of current draw away from the stock battery and other accessories... and Caps are cheap.. hell.. actually a decent gell battery isnt too expensive and def not a bad idea.. and if its small enough wont need supplemental Alt. to keep it charged and keep stress off the alt.
Last edited:
chevy_man
Member
First, caps are a marketing joke. If you look into electrical theory and look at the discharge and charge times they make no difference other than some very slight "filtering" of the power going to your amp.
In my case I have a JL 500/1 and a 200/2 for my subs and 4x6's. I had a 1 farad cap (before I went to school for electrical technology) and any time I turned up the volume the volt-meter would still dance. I then did the big 3 and removed the cap and now I can go damn near as loud as I can stand before the voltmeter starts to dip.
The next time you have to replace an alternator get a 145 or 160 amp. I'm not sure which trim level determined the alternator, but a truck w/snowplow package should have a 160amp if the guy at the parts store is brain-dead.
Just my thoughts, hope you can take something from it.
In my case I have a JL 500/1 and a 200/2 for my subs and 4x6's. I had a 1 farad cap (before I went to school for electrical technology) and any time I turned up the volume the volt-meter would still dance. I then did the big 3 and removed the cap and now I can go damn near as loud as I can stand before the voltmeter starts to dip.
The next time you have to replace an alternator get a 145 or 160 amp. I'm not sure which trim level determined the alternator, but a truck w/snowplow package should have a 160amp if the guy at the parts store is brain-dead.
Just my thoughts, hope you can take something from it.
- Joined
- May 3, 2009
- Posts
- 3,720
- Reaction score
- 5
Not trying to step on your toes levi but..you feel .. a low resistance quick discharge (non lead) battery, placed very close to the amp.. eliminating 20 feet of wiring to the stock battery will have no effect on system performance?
No one said a cap is a perfect fix.. but saying that it wont help spikes is like saying more, larger or more efficient batteries dont help.. something we know is false.
No one said a cap is a perfect fix.. but saying that it wont help spikes is like saying more, larger or more efficient batteries dont help.. something we know is false.
whitehoe01
Full Access Member
- Joined
- Jan 27, 2011
- Posts
- 108
- Reaction score
- 0
you shouldnt need a cap, battery or anything with what your running.
i have my temp system in right now and my lights(HID) only dim close to full tilt and i dont get voltage drops until real close to full tilt...
im running a autozone duralast gold battery under the hood right now and that it and i have 2000 watts rms going through the truck. DD m1b and cadence Xa175.4.
hell i havent even done my big 3 yet, only 0 guage from the alt to the red box under the hood. gotta get some more to do my big 3 and add 2 batteries in the back+
Perhaps your battery is about to ready to be replaced or your alt...
i have my temp system in right now and my lights(HID) only dim close to full tilt and i dont get voltage drops until real close to full tilt...
im running a autozone duralast gold battery under the hood right now and that it and i have 2000 watts rms going through the truck. DD m1b and cadence Xa175.4.
hell i havent even done my big 3 yet, only 0 guage from the alt to the red box under the hood. gotta get some more to do my big 3 and add 2 batteries in the back+
Perhaps your battery is about to ready to be replaced or your alt...
