How much will a capacitor actually help me?

[TRON]

A capacitor will only deliver the charger to your amplifier, quicker than the car's stock charging system, it doesn't do anything else. The heat from your amp is simple...wattage. Basic electricity is that "voltage" is the speed of the current, "amperes" its the amount of charge (kind of like density) and watts is the rate of transfer. When your amp doesn't get enough wattage from you power supply, the voltage increases (speed of the current) because your amp tries to draw more power and thus causing excessive heating.

Best thing to do is get a big 3...and if you've got the money and HO alternator.

[Quiet]

A capacitor will only deliver the charger to your amplifier, quicker than the car's stock charging system, it doesn't do anything else. The heat from your amp is simple...wattage. Basic electricity is that "voltage" is the speed of the current, "amperes" its the amount of charge (kind of like density) and watts is the rate of transfer. When your amp doesn't get enough wattage from you power supply, the voltage increases decreases (speed of the increases current) because your amp tries to draw more power and thus causing excessive heating.

Best thing to do is get a big 3...and if you've got the money and HO alternator.

fixed.

fixed some more.

[beat2deth]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPTlfwgPGyM

a useful vid, imo

[El_Wetto]

So your only problem is heat?

How are your gains set?

How long is the positive run of 4 gauge? You're cutting it kinda close with that wire.

Where is your amp grounded?

--Whether it helps with the heat or not, do the big 3.

yeah my lights really dont dim. i think thats due to the battery. that duralast gold top is really underated in my opinion. and the 4 gauge is the standard 17ft but the rockford brand 4gauge is really hefty, ive seen off brand "0" gauge with less copper and more insulation. all im running off the 4 gauge is the alpine m1000.

i have a seperate run of stinger 8gauge from the battery back for the 4 channel.

the amp is grounded on a bolt that secures the rear strut inside my trunk. sanded off the paint for a better connection

gain is at nominal. and all my eq on my HU are flat. Subwoofer at +0 and bass at 0

[Quiet]

LOL at "gain is at nominal"

Anyway... Just so you know, Johnson Controls makes the batts for Autozone, Advance auto, and Walmart (and a fuckton of other store brands). They're not underrated...

Not a bad place for ground. You sanded it down, 2 points to you.

Do the big 3, and seriously consider adding a SEALED AGM batt in the back. Do NOT PUT A VENTED BATTERY in your trunk/cabin.

[El_Wetto]

LOL at "gain is at nominal"

Anyway... Just so you know, Johnson Controls makes the batts for Autozone, Advance auto, and Walmart (and a fuckton of other store brands). They're not underrated...

Not a bad place for ground. You sanded it down, 2 points to you.

Do the big 3, and seriously consider adding a SEALED AGM batt in the back. Do NOT PUT A VENTED BATTERY in your trunk/cabin.

whats the joke with "nominal"? and for $100 less that what an optima would of cost me its never left me stranded. then again i have a 5 speed so i generally dont have to worry about getting a jump from anyone

[Quiet]

There's a very good reason AGM batts cost more. Don't get the optima if you can help it. There's a lot more to a battery than starting your car, especially with car audio. You can get 1/0 gauge to run from your batt to your amps, but I don't think that batt is enough to supply your amps.

What have you used to set your gains? Here's the order of preference on gain setting technique:

DD-1

Oscilloscope

DMM

matching the markings to your HU preout voltage

by ear

and lastly, just turning it right in the middle. This is the worst way to do it.

When you say nominal, I'm guessing you set it by the last option. It was a guess by what you said.

[AB18VFL]

....dont get a cap, get an AGM battery for the rear.

battery= 2x amount of fuses & fuse holders? already have a cap. monster 1 farad digital. havent installed yet. might flip it on craigslist.

dont cheap out, noob. your ears want to be happy.

[TRON]

A capacitor will only deliver the charger to your amplifier, quicker than the car's stock charging system, it doesn't do anything else. The heat from your amp is simple...wattage. Basic electricity is that "voltage" is the speed of the current, "amperes" its the amount of charge (kind of like density) and watts is the rate of transfer. When your amp doesn't get enough wattage from you power supply, the voltage increases decreases (speed of the increases current) because your amp tries to draw more power and thus causing excessive heating.

Best thing to do is get a big 3...and if you've got the money and HO alternator.

fixed.

fixed some more.

Yeah three lefts make a right...I was on the right track though.

[El_Wetto]

i have a feeling this isnt a "gain" issue. i have 4v preouts comming from the headunit. i honestly think the heat is a problem due more to a lack voltage and less to a settings on the amplifier. i hear absolutely ZERO distortion through my sub.