Capacitors

[ChevyRidinLow]

when i first hooked it up it was at 12 volts but its sat in the car for a couple of hours when i went out it was 18 volts i just got it today i would hate to just throw it away its hooked up correctly from the diagrams i've looked at but.

caps are crap and just a joke in almost all cases. i hear ok thing about the stinger 50 farads but im not spending 250 or whatever on a cap ill just get a kinetik or something

 

[thevic24 5,000+ posts]

is there a way to hook it up with cut wires id dont have the money to get a new power wire = (
-

You can use a small bolt, washer and nut if they have ring terminals on the ends, if not use split bolts.

Just make sure to tape them up real good if you do got that way.

You will need a meter that can read DC voltage. A dmm would be best and then you will see that the cap is not right.

On a side not, some digital caps have an adjustment on them for the meter. It will look like a small cube on the board with

a small screw driver adjustment on it. If you can get a dmm, check the voltage and set the cap meter to what you read

with the dmm.

 

[BassMan420 10+ year member]

ok so i check the cap when the car is on or the radio is it reads 12.1 when the car is completely off very very dimly it shows a ready of 18.8 any ideas on what taht is?

 

[d77543020 10+ year member]

get rid of the cap dont use it,it does nothing for you and if your only running 500 watts you dont need any electrical upgrades except a decent 4gauge wiring kit dont go splicing wires together imo

 

[BassMan420 10+ year member]

ok so i check the cap when the car is on or the radio is it reads 12.1 when the car is completely off very very dimly it shows a ready of 18.8 any ideas on what taht is?

could it just be the power to it lighting all the lights in the display up?

 

[BassMan420 10+ year member]

get rid of the cap dont use it,it does nothing for you and if your only running 500 watts you dont need any electrical upgrades except a decent 4gauge wiring kit dont go splicing wires together imo

im goin to get rid of it but it should be fine till i get paid in a week right?

 

[d77543020 10+ year member]

im goin to get rid of it but it should be fine till i get paid in a week right?

if you took it out now your system will sound exactly the same get a bigger battery caps are useless

 

[BassMan420 10+ year member]

if you took it out now your system will sound exactly the same get a bigger battery caps are useless

OK will do tomorrow to late tonight and i no u have to drain a cap before disconnecting it right?

 

[bubbagumper6 5,000+ posts]

OK will do tomorrow to late tonight and i no u have to drain a cap before disconnecting it right?

Yes the cap needs to be properly drained but you don't have to do it before you disconnect it. A resistor or 12V light will work for draining it (just connect between the terminals). If you leave it charged it's very dangerous and a potential fire starter.

 

[corrie32 10+ year member]

i thought capacitors didn't store power, why do u have to drain the power from them

 

[Heeltoeclutch 10+ year member]

i thought capacitors didn't store power, why do u have to drain the power from them

ummm.... That's what they do. They store current. wikipedia! //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

To OP: Craigslist that cap - sell it to someone who wants something shiny to put in their car - then buy a battery //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

 

[bubbagumper6 5,000+ posts]

i thought capacitors didn't store power, why do u have to drain the power from them

You thought wrong, that's exactly what they do.