Without the right alternator a capacitor will only serve to lower your SPL score in a competition. When running a continuous note for 30 seconds or more a battery is the only thing that will possibly improve your score. It will supply reserve power when you have taken all your alternator will give but after a while the battery will begin to draw current as the voltage drops (it's trying to recharge). A capacitor will lose its charge in a few seconds and begin drawing current much sooner causing overall lower SPL levels much sooner than a battery will.
Many competitors report 1 or more dB increases after removing their capacitors.
Many competitors report 1 or more dB increases after removing their capacitors.
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still worse than a battery.
The ripple in the main capacitor will always be higher than the ripple in a good battery. It's simply to do with Farads and Charge and Current draw.
The ripple in the main capacitor will always be higher than the ripple in a good battery. It's simply to do with Farads and Charge and Current draw.
I see. So money is much better spent on alternators, then batteries to make a system as best as it can?
First, you have to determine if there's a problem that 'needs' to be resolved. It may be perfectly fine as is.
In my experience (meaning may not be %100 fact) a battery is the first investment. If your voltage still dips during your normal listening habits, then alternator
What I noticed with a high output alternator is that when you slow to a stop you do not lose dBs, instead it "seems" to get louder as you slow down (I listen with the front windows cracked to lessen standing waves in the cabin, so when the wind stops as I slow and the voltage is still there it seems to get louder).
What I noticed with a high output alternator is that when you slow to a stop you do not lose dBs, instead it "seems" to get louder as you slow down (I listen with the front windows cracked to lessen standing waves in the cabin, so when the wind stops as I slow and the voltage is still there it seems to get louder).
i didnt know that it releived standing waves, but i drive with mine cracked because my sub is chocked with the cab closed up.
So let me ask this, i totally understand where everyone is coming from, on the basis of how a capacitor hurts the system,
Why did phoenix gold make these huge capacitors when they were still in the era of building quality products? i know they were baught out at one point, but during the tantrum, and titanium series, what was the point of these huge capacitor banks if they effectively take away from a stereo in all directoins?
So let me ask this, i totally understand where everyone is coming from, on the basis of how a capacitor hurts the system,
Why did phoenix gold make these huge capacitors when they were still in the era of building quality products? i know they were baught out at one point, but during the tantrum, and titanium series, what was the point of these huge capacitor banks if they effectively take away from a stereo in all directoins?
In my opinion, they are ineffective. Why did people buy them?... marketing.
If they were effective, someone would have an A/B test where they would have a system set up where they could connect and disconnect the cap and the results would be immediately obvious. How many times have you (or has anyone else) seen this?
If they were effective, someone would have an A/B test where they would have a system set up where they could connect and disconnect the cap and the results would be immediately obvious. How many times have you (or has anyone else) seen this?
Dont most car amps use SMPS for power now (or your limited to 12V rail to rail)? And dont SMPS automatically adjust for input voltage drops as long as the current is sufficient? And a car battery can put out 100 amps plus 50 from the alternator. Seems like a lot of power, even if the voltage sags a few volts.
Wasn't the reason for these caps to help when the voltage drop of the power cable from the battery/alternator to the trunk becomes excessive? Or is that more marketing hype too? Does anyone have any numbers? Even for this reason a small battery (are motorcycle batteries 12v?) would seem to be a better choice.
Wasn't the reason for these caps to help when the voltage drop of the power cable from the battery/alternator to the trunk becomes excessive? Or is that more marketing hype too? Does anyone have any numbers? Even for this reason a small battery (are motorcycle batteries 12v?) would seem to be a better choice.
Only amplifiers with regulated power supplies compensate for voltage drop. Many are unregulated.
If the voltage drop in the power cable is excessive, you need a larger cable. If the voltage drop at the alternator is excessive, you need a larger alternator. Batteries do nothing until the voltage has dropped to ~12.5v and don't contribute any significant current until the voltage has dropped even lower.
If the voltage drop in the power cable is excessive, you need a larger cable. If the voltage drop at the alternator is excessive, you need a larger alternator. Batteries do nothing until the voltage has dropped to ~12.5v and don't contribute any significant current until the voltage has dropped even lower.
What about when an upgraded alternator can't be had? I am a firm believer in a cap for rock.
I have an Audiobahn Intake 8002T 800W amp driving my two subs and it is in fact unregulated. When the alternator is delivering 14.2v at the amp terminals my level before clipping is higher then when I run the battery at 12.8v. Furthermore right in the manual for the amp it says that it has an unregulated supply and wattage will increase with the increase of supply voltage. It also says not to take voltage above 14.8v or catastrophic failure may occur. My thought is the amp uses 15v capacitors in its circuitry.
If the proper alternator isn't available, the system cannot be 'properly' designed. In that case, you have to deal with whatever problems arise in the best way possible (one or more band-aids) but the system will never be right.
Even if a system isn't perfect, it can still be usable. I guess for some people, as long as everything survives (alternator, amps...) and the battery remains charged well enough to start the vehicle, they're happy.
Even if a system isn't perfect, it can still be usable. I guess for some people, as long as everything survives (alternator, amps...) and the battery remains charged well enough to start the vehicle, they're happy.
OK Perry. Sounds like the alternator is the starting point for building a good system.
Do you have any guidelines and recommendations for us?
Do you have any guidelines and recommendations for us?
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