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Old Jul 24, 2005 | 11:43 PM
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wicked 98z's Avatar
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how in the world do you install a capacitor? I have MA audio 2.0 frad cap I got from a friend but it came with no instructions. I look on the site and they dont carry it no more and it wasnt in the instructions listing.

TIA
ALbert'



Never mind i just found the + and - on the top..... IM a DA.

Last edited by wicked 98z; Jul 24, 2005 at 11:58 PM.
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Old Jul 25, 2005 | 02:15 AM
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Originally Posted by wicked 98z
how in the world do you install a capacitor? I have MA audio 2.0 frad cap I got from a friend but it came with no instructions. I look on the site and they dont carry it no more and it wasnt in the instructions listing.

TIA
ALbert'

Never mind i just found the + and - on the top..... IM a DA.
This might help:

http://www.caraudiohelp.com/car_audi...dio_wiring.htm

Go down to capacitors and click where it says "click here".
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Old Jul 25, 2005 | 02:47 AM
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can they go bad? i put it to my battery to see if the LED display would come up and it didnt.
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Old Jul 25, 2005 | 05:09 AM
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Yes they can go bad.

Install is easy.

Battery + --/cap\---/amp\
And a good ground.
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Old Jul 25, 2005 | 03:05 PM
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Why would you bother to install a cap?? No one has ever proven that it helps anything sound better. Now a second battery that is a whole 'nuther story! Doesn't sound any better but at least you will not tax the charging system as much.
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Old Jul 25, 2005 | 03:21 PM
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Originally Posted by Steve Germany
Why would you bother to install a cap?? No one has ever proven that it helps anything sound better. Now a second battery that is a whole 'nuther story! Doesn't sound any better but at least you will not tax the charging system as much.
From what I've "heard" the cap isn't about sound quality, it's about keeping the headlights from dimming when the sub thumps.

I'm not putting one in. The best and brightest say the C5 doesn't need them.
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Old Jul 25, 2005 | 04:39 PM
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explanation belpw.

Last edited by 65 Hardnoks; Jul 25, 2005 at 07:23 PM.
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Old Jul 25, 2005 | 05:01 PM
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Originally Posted by 65 Hardnoks
Who are these "Best and Brightest" and what type of system did they refer to when they made this claim?
Rather than give a comprehesive list of sources I'll just point you to Mr. Reliable: Basic Car Audio Electronics - Car Stereo Installation Primer

Large Electrolytic Capacitors:

* I've never seen any proof anywhere that a large capacitor does anything to improve the quality of the amplifier's output. Some people claim that they help to prevent your headlights from dimming but in most cases it's simply a placebo effect. If the capacitors did what they were supposed to do, every capacitor manufacturer would have a demo vehicle showing how the output changed by xdBs when the caps were in or out of the circuit. To my knowledge, no company has proven that they do anything. Take the money that you would spend on a capacitor and spend it on an alternator upgrade.
* Capacitors do not increase the voltage at the amplifier. The capacitor's voltage will be equal to the battery and charging system voltage. If the voltage at the battery falls below the capacitor's voltage, the capacitor will instantly discharge into the battery until their voltage is again the same. Unless there is some significant resistance in the power wire between the cap and the battery (with no load on the power wire), there's no way for the voltage between them to be different. If there's a load on the power wire (an amplifier drawing current), the voltage at the cap and amplifier will be lower than it is at the battery. Read the capacitor page for more detailed info.
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Old Jul 25, 2005 | 05:07 PM
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Originally Posted by Steve Germany
Why would you bother to install a cap?? No one has ever proven that it helps anything sound better. Now a second battery that is a whole 'nuther story! Doesn't sound any better but at least you will not tax the charging system as much.
Because I want one on the car... If it works or dont work im installing it on the car..
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Old Jul 25, 2005 | 05:22 PM
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Originally Posted by wicked 98z
Because I want one on the car... If it works or dont work im installing it on the car..
Well THAT "logic" is irrefutable. Must be the KEWL thing to do.
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Old Jul 25, 2005 | 05:51 PM
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Originally Posted by wicked 98z
Because I want one on the car... If it works or dont work im installing it on the car..
That is good enough reason for me! Do you also need a magnet for the fuel line to increase milage? I hear that they now come in neon colors!
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Old Jul 25, 2005 | 06:03 PM
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gee,

what happened to the good old days when the only thing capacitors were used for was to get rid of alternator whine.



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Old Jul 25, 2005 | 06:13 PM
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From: Angleton Tx
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Originally Posted by Steve Germany
That is good enough reason for me! Do you also need a magnet for the fuel line to increase milage? I hear that they now come in neon colors!

Cool, do you have a link? I might just have to get one.. But only if it comes in red.
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Old Jul 25, 2005 | 07:20 PM
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Originally Posted by Prism911
Rather than give a comprehesive list of sources I'll just point you to Mr. Reliable: Basic Car Audio Electronics - Car Stereo Installation Primer
Who are these "Best and Brightest" and:
[what type of system did they refer to when they made this claim?]

What I put in brackets is what I was pointing towards your C5. If your Vette dosen't need it, fine, but you can't go around telling other people they don't need a cap when their cars might not be C5's and their headlights just might dim if they don't have a cap.

Damn, that was a long sentence.
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Old Jul 25, 2005 | 08:12 PM
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Well the cap is going in vette. My camaro has 2 Rockford Fosgate dvc hx2 12 in it with a BD 1000 and it has a problem with the lights dimming. I dont want to have this problem with my corvette thats why im installing it.

I figure a 10W7 with a JL 500.1 amp is going to pull some power and dont want to risk it.

Albert
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Old Jul 25, 2005 | 08:44 PM
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I am with you wicked. I have a cap to install in my Z. My feeling is that a cap will help save the punishment on the electrical system. My 90 Camaro had 240 watts total and the lights dimmed on it. It had a 110 watt alternator...same wattage as the C5, I believe.
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Old Jul 25, 2005 | 10:26 PM
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I'm gonna use one just b/c they look cool =P
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Old Jul 26, 2005 | 02:48 AM
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Originally Posted by Steve Germany
Why would you bother to install a cap?? No one has ever proven that it helps anything sound better. Now a second battery that is a whole 'nuther story! Doesn't sound any better but at least you will not tax the charging system as much.
It has absolutely nothing to do with sound.

A cap or 'capacitor' is an electric circuit used to store electrical charge. usually consisting of two metallic plates separated and insulated from each other by a dielectric.

When bass hits or extra draw is taken from the electrical system, lights dim, voltage drops etc... The cap stops this, by storing charges for the extra draw.

Why would you install a 2nd battery in a car that already has no storage space, when you could just install a cap that is the size of a 20 oz bottle?

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Old Jul 26, 2005 | 03:01 AM
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Originally Posted by diviniti
It has absolutely nothing to do with sound.

A cap or 'capacitor' is an electric circuit used to store electrical charge. usually consisting of two metallic plates separated and insulated from each other by a dielectric.

When bass hits or extra draw is taken from the electrical system, lights dim, voltage drops etc... The cap stops this, by storing charges for the extra draw.

Why would you install a 2nd battery in a car that already has no storage space, when you could just install a cap that is the size of a 20 oz bottle?

WOW - that is how it works!!!??? KEWL! Do they come in colors?? Sounds like one for Mythbusters...
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Old Jul 26, 2005 | 03:12 AM
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Originally Posted by Steve Germany
WOW - that is how it works!!!??? KEWL! Do they come in colors?? Sounds like one for Mythbusters...
And what exactly would mythbusters do? Prove that capacitors are complete junk and are not needed? I guess we should just forget they are used in just about every type of electronic device produced.

Ignorance is bliss I guess.
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