capacitor bank

[ca487]

I want to install a cap bank along side of the battery. In a compact car for now.6 Maxwell Caps in series with equalizer boards

in between.This is homemade. You might have seen them on YouTube.

If you look at the big Maxwell start module available for trucks (900$ ridiculous)it has an extra hot post that gets connected to the starter directly. I assume this is just an extension of the pos post on the module and just gives extra room to attach another lug. Am I wrong about this?

If I am not ..I was planning on simply wiring hot to hot and neg to neg from the batt to the homemade rig. Then another wire from pos module to the starter.

where would you fuse this? and with what? The idea is of course that the starter gets a shot of cap juice first and is easier on the batt. And that if the batt is low like 10 volts..the caps still charge up to 16

and give a start shot albeit not a real long one..Any info appreciated..

Click to read more...

 

[Papermaker85 5,000+ posts]

No need to use a cap for starting.. Its a one time thing. A good battery is all you need..

To answer your question.

Put the cap inbetween the battery and starter..

 

[Papermaker85 5,000+ posts]

Oh as far as the actual terminals. Shoot me a site so I can get i visual..

 

[ca487]

I am doing this.

I need someone who knows the Maxwell module...they will know what I am talking about...

someday all car batteries will be hybrid caps....

 

[Papermaker85 5,000+ posts]

ok. im not familiar with them. caps discharge over time. which would cause the battery to slowly discharge. thats why they aren't being used..

 

[wew lad 5,000+ posts]

i think you're over complicating this...

buy banks of 6 maxwell caps and wire them in parallel anywhere in the system as long as the wire size is sufficient, preferably near the amp, and fuse them just like a battery - done

the leakage you're referring to will not be an issue unless we're talking about 10 banks and no batteries for long periods of time

 

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

i think you're over complicating this...
buy banks of 6 maxwell caps and wire them in parallel anywhere in the system as long as the wire size is sufficient, preferably near the amp, and fuse them just like a battery - done

the leakage you're referring to will not be an issue unless we're talking about 10 banks and no batteries for long periods of time

6 caps wired in series and then wire them parallel anywhere in the system. Never know, other people reading might mess that part up.

 

[ca487]

this is not for audio. but as far as leakage ,there would have to be some kind of disconnect for long periods of time like parking at an airport for a week.

I think the Maxwell ESM has a timer of some kind but I dont know.

 

[hispls 5,000+ posts]

this is not for audio. but as far as leakage ,there would have to be some kind of disconnect for long periods of time like parking at an airport for a week.I think the Maxwell ESM has a timer of some kind but I dont know.

If you still plan to have a battery why worry? IF you leave it sit for weeks and the caps discharge some, the vehicle will still start and the caps will then recharge almost instantaneously.

 

[ca487]

it would be ok unless it sits for a month or more..but the problem is caps do leak and when they do they draw battery juice to refill them ...there needs to be a timer that kicks in after a couple week or so to disconnect ..

 

[hispls 5,000+ posts]

it would be ok unless it sits for a month or more..but the problem is caps do leak and when they do they draw battery juice to refill them ...there needs to be a timer that kicks in after a couple week or so to disconnect ..

Might be better to just put in a quick disconnect plug or heavy duty manual switch you can use to disconnect things when you do plan to be away for so long. I mean if you're talking about leaving it sit for a month you only need to disconnect 12 times a year at most.

 

[wew lad 5,000+ posts]

It can't be that hard to isolatethe negative on the bank of caps from the rest of the system while you're away...

You could use a relay or switch with the remote 12v but caps are made to handle huge amounts of current you'll just be wasting energy on the resistance when they're in the latched/on state.

 

[mylows10 5,000+ posts]

I have a single bank in the wife's blazer. It sits fir weeks all the time and starts right up now if you let the car sit for 3-4 months. That's different