# Capacitor or not...



## akk51 (Aug 21, 2002)

ok well for the past 6 months or so...my revs drop when i have the system . so i'm wondering if a capacitor will stop this? and will a half cap be sufficient for a 12 " sub? thanks


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## Psch91 (May 18, 2002)

I wouldnt bother with a cap. Get a new battery, optima yellow top or something like that, that will help your system a lot more.


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## akk51 (Aug 21, 2002)

so will a new battery like that one keep the revs stable even if i decided to get a bigger system? how much would one cost and is the install easy, thinking it should be...thanks again


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## Bumpin (Feb 18, 2003)

Optima yellow top shouldnt cost you more than $150. And that would be the best thing to do.


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## UNISH25 (Aug 12, 2002)

akk51 said:


> *ok well for the past 6 months or so...my revs drop when i have the system . so i'm wondering if a capacitor will stop this? and will a half cap be sufficient for a 12 " sub? thanks *


The value of the cap depends on the amount of power(ie watts) you have. Well anyways listen to those guys. Get a yellow top!
Whatever is cheaper!
I think 1 farad should be plenty if you planning on getting a cap, but another battery would do the trick as well...
The choice is up to you though!
If it was me I'd get a yellow top and put that with the amp in the back somewhere!

Your revs dropping though????? WOW! Your thing must be draining lots of current man! What is it like 2000watts? how many amps you got?


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## UNISH25 (Aug 12, 2002)

akk51 said:


> *so will a new battery like that one keep the revs stable even if i decided to get a bigger system? how much would one cost and is the install easy, thinking it should be...thanks again *


Yeah just disconnect the amp from your car batteries.
Get an optima yellow top, put it in the trunk and connect the subs and amps to that thing instead! Make sure you get a fuse too!!!!!!!


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## SentraStyleEMW (Aug 15, 2002)

UNISH25 said:


> *Yeah just disconnect the amp from your car batteries.
> Get an optima yellow top, put it in the trunk and connect the subs and amps to that thing instead! Make sure you get a fuse too!!!!!!! *


Just adding a yellow top in the rear while keeping a factory battery in the front is not the greatest of ideas. There would be nothing to isolate the two batteries, and if the internal resistance of the two batteries are different...then that is a big no-no. You will run into problems with one battery drawing current from the other one and kill one of the batteries. Not only that...but if his charging system can't keep one battery charged, how is it going to charge two?


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## UNISH25 (Aug 12, 2002)

Oh shiz! You are so right! I totally forgot about the charging system of the cars alternator! Hmmmm...
I guess you can attach the battery in parallel with the one you've got in the car right now! This way your amps won't drain the yellow top fast!
Thanks for the tip Sentra Style!


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## Bumpin (Feb 18, 2003)

Thats the exact same setup I have in my 240. I have a die hard 900 amp battery under the hood. Then theres a 0 gauge power wire running to my yellow top optima in the trunk which is also grounded in the trunk, then the optima is hooked up to a 1 farad cap, and then thats hooked up to my bass amp. No problems with that setup whatsoever.


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## Fonque (May 1, 2002)

just get an optima battery first and replace the factory ground wires with 2 or 1/0 gauge wire. That fixed any problem i had from my electrical system.

I have no dimming or revs dropping, and thats with the fan, lights, rear defrost and the subs turned up. No problems so far.

If you still have problems after the simple solution above then look into other options. No sense spending money on over kill


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## akk51 (Aug 21, 2002)

Fonque said:


> *just get an optima battery first and replace the factory ground wires with 2 or 1/0 gauge wire. That fixed any problem i had from my electrical system.*


and how much would this cost?


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## Fonque (May 1, 2002)

wire is cheap then get grounding tabs and a battery terminal, total shouldnt cost more than 40 or 50 bucks 
the optima red top is about 120 or so


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## Sethticlees (May 30, 2002)

Shop around! Optima Red Tops should cost 100 or less. 
It's the only battery I'll buy any more.
Good Luck


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## rer329 (Mar 25, 2004)

UNISH25 said:


> Yeah just disconnect the amp from your car batteries.
> Get an optima yellow top, put it in the trunk and connect the subs and amps to that thing instead! Make sure you get a fuse too!!!!!!!


 how do you suppose he recharge this yellow top in the trunk?? I am not being a smartass I really wanna know!!


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## rer329 (Mar 25, 2004)

akk51 said:


> ok well for the past 6 months or so...my revs drop when i have the system . so i'm wondering if a capacitor will stop this? and will a half cap be sufficient for a 12 " sub? thanks


 a capacitor is paramount for steady power to your audio system getting a new battery alone wont do it. it is obvious that you have serious amperage drain due to your audio dreams...place a Voltage capacitor in your trunk get a die hard (why does everyone keep saying to get a yellow top get a red top?) also placing a 40 amp fuse between your capacitor and battery might help also check out www.sunautomobile.com for their Hyper Voltage System ok?? let me know how it goes buddy till then Nissan Rules...lol


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## UNISH25 (Aug 12, 2002)

rer329 said:


> how do you suppose he recharge this yellow top in the trunk?? I am not being a smartass I really wanna know!!


Oh...just wire it in parallel with your car battery.
Basically put + to positive
then put - to nuetral.


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## Chillboy (Oct 8, 2003)

Don't add a second battery without an isolator. Don't add a second battery period, add a cap. A second or better battery will only allow longer run times with the car off. A cap can reduce the strain that is causing your problem with it's quick charging capabilities. Think about it, 2 batteries with the resistance of a 12ft line to the trunk will only add to your problem.


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## UNISH25 (Aug 12, 2002)

Chillboy said:


> Don't add a second battery without an isolator. Don't add a second battery period, add a cap. A second or better battery will only allow longer run times with the car off. A cap can reduce the strain that is causing your problem with it's quick charging capabilities. Think about it, 2 batteries with the resistance of a 12ft line to the trunk will only add to your problem.


Yeah just add a cap, doing it the battery way is such a hassle!


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## UNISH25 (Aug 12, 2002)

Bumpin240sx said:


> Thats the exact same setup I have in my 240. I have a die hard 900 amp battery under the hood. Then theres a 0 gauge power wire running to my yellow top optima in the trunk which is also grounded in the trunk, then the optima is hooked up to a 1 farad cap, and then thats hooked up to my bass amp. No problems with that setup whatsoever.


0 Guage Wire! Woah...Where the hell did you manage to get that thing from?
And how much did it cost you?


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## sr20dem0n (Mar 19, 2003)

UNISH25 said:


> 0 Guage Wire! Woah...Where the hell did you manage to get that thing from?
> And how much did it cost you?



www.weldingsupply.com has it pretty cheap, just about all the wiring stores online have it (knukonceptz, darvex, etc), and most local audio stores carry it too, though it's insanely expensive locally (I think Cartoys by my house is $8/ft for 0awg).


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## UNISH25 (Aug 12, 2002)

sr20dem0n said:


> www.weldingsupply.com has it pretty cheap, just about all the wiring stores online have it (knukonceptz, darvex, etc), and most local audio stores carry it too, though it's insanely expensive locally (I think Cartoys by my house is $8/ft for 0awg).



Ahh Thank you!


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## nizzan4u2nv (Apr 14, 2004)

I have a yellow top and hyperground system and I get serious voltage drop well before clipping. Im running an adire/ampman d1500.1 with about 1600wrms at 1 ohm to my resonant engineering 12hc. Our little alternators cant take that kind of power. Putting a bigger alt will always be better then adding a cap most of the time. Im going to add a 1 farad cap or bigger and see if it helps, if not I guess a bigger alt, or wire it in series and only push 800wrms.


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## UNISH25 (Aug 12, 2002)

nizzan4u2nv said:


> I have a yellow top and hyperground system and I get serious voltage drop well before clipping. Im running an adire/ampman d1500.1 with about 1600wrms at 1 ohm to my resonant engineering 12hc. Our little alternators cant take that kind of power. Putting a bigger alt will always be better then adding a cap most of the time. Im going to add a 1 farad cap or bigger and see if it helps, if not I guess a bigger alt, or wire it in series and only push 800wrms.


You can always try to double the cap too...Instead of 1F, try 2F, or even 3F.
How much is a serious voltage drop? Damn and with a yellow top too?


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## Punkrocka436 (Jul 8, 2003)

caps are pointless...They do nothing except put a dent in your wallet

Do the big three first


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## sfhellwig (Feb 4, 2003)

rer329 said:


> (why does everyone keep saying to get a yellow top get a red top?)


Because it is a gel battery that won't spatter acid in an accident and doesn't require venting when put in the trunk.


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## LethalAudio (Feb 12, 2003)

Ive always run a 1 Farad cap in my car since the first system I put in it and Ive never had any problems with voltage or rpm drop. and I dont have an optima either.


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## Brandon (Jun 17, 2004)

ok, here we go.
a yellow top is a deep cycle battery. you don't want that. you need a red top if you want to go this route. you guys are using these interchangeably, they're two completely different things. (www.optimabatteries.com)

don't add another battery in the trunk unless it's isolated, or if it's the exact same type of battery as what's up front. if the batteries are identicle they will charge the same... otherwise they will always charge unevenly.

i've always thought of caps as a waste of money as well. you're not really adding any more power to your vehicle's electrical system. guys doing spl comps usually won't even use caps when they're allowed b/c they say they can actually do more bad then good. the only thing a cap really does is smooth out the draw on your vehicles electrical system. nontheless, there is still an added strain on it.

a bigger alternator without a bigger battery or multiple batteries is going to do you little good as well. the additional amprege coming from it has nowhere to go.

best bet - alternator + higher amperage battery
just my 2 cents.


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