Would i need a cap?

[Nick Chinn]

Im running a Kenwood KAC-7205 amp with 2 Rockford Fosgate P3D4-10s DVC 4Ohm subs on it. power wire was upgraded from 8 to a 4AWG power wire. Anyways, RMS is 250 watts to 500 watts per channel with the way im running it. I have a SMD volt meter, and btw- I love that thing, and I almost never see a voltage drop driving. However at stoplights and stuff when the car is idle, the most I see it go down is from 14.3V to about the high 12s and mid 13s depending on the music genre im listening to. Is is pointless to add a 1 farad cap? BTW- the one in the signature is disconnected as of today and going to be sold on Ebay in a few days. I have yet to put it up online there.

If I don't see voltage drop while driving and im jamming out to music, I don't see a need for one however its only at stoplights and when idling I want to try to minimize that as much as possible. I seen a lot of debate on whether caps are useful as compared to useless.

[evermaxx]

You could, but I'd just get a small battery. Reason you get dim is cause your alt is at idle not making the extra power.

[Noel989]

I would upgrade the front battery

If you did already I'd get a small battery(second) for the back

[Broke_Audio_Addict]

I would upgrade the front battery

If you did already I'd get a small battery(second) for the back

X2. I'd also recommend while your at a red light reach over and turn the volume knob down.

[Nick Chinn]

First- yea I could turn the bass knob down a bit at stoplights. second- I have a second battery but not installed. I took it to the a audio shop to get the power wires hooked up and they said I don't really need a secondary battery for the size system I have.... Also if I were to upgrade the front battery I would wait til the current one goes bad or just about too.... However the battery is only about 1 year old.... Its only when those subs hit a high frequency is when the volts go down into the high 12s. Otherwise it etheir stays at 14.0-13.7V.... Alt is a 110A stock OEM. So I don't have much to play with on it.... il give it a few days to see how it acts now since I was running on a 8AWG wire for 1.5 years when it should've been 4AWG...

[bcbrassard]

Have you done the big 3? If not do that, upgrade battery to as big of one you can fit upfront. Why waite? Do all that and see if you then need a second battery in the rear.

[Wicks]

^^^this

You need to make sure ALL wires in the current path are sufficient, not just the wires to the amp.

Grounds all well terminated and solid?

...and don't go back to that shop!

There is never anything wrong with extra battery capacity as long as you don't run them down too far and stress your alternator.

A 1F cap doesn't have enough capacity for energy storage, it would be better for filtering noise.

You need to get into the hundreds of Farads for true energy storage and then you NEED the proper electrical to charge them back up.

[Amart88]

Caps are a waste of money IMO. Second battery will never hurt.

[Nick Chinn]

Well as of right now, il wait a few days since i have the correct size wire for my amp. If any of you want to see what amp it is, just search it on google to see the specs. I think the real solution would be to upgrade the battery up front. The Big 3, i have the kit just not installed.... im having the Xscorpion Amp/volt meter installed monday at the same shop.... Before i do anything, thats if i do anything, im going to wait a week for the next day i get payed next week...

[bcbrassard]

If you have the big 3 kit.....INSTALL IT! What are you waiting for? Your electriacl is a little weak or your amp is power hungry. Never hurts to over due electrical. Maybe big 3 solves voltage drop.