Help! Are Capacitors/Power Cap really not necessary?

[407towncar]

I was told by a member on the board and a couple other friends that capacitors do more harm than good? is this true? and if so please explain why. i have a 10 farad cap in my car and im redoing my system, im just wondering if i should eliminate the cap? can someone please explain why these power caps are a problem if they really are. thank you all!!!

I have 2 kicker l7 15's. debating if i should get the q1-2200d or vfl 4480. also i have a red top under the hood and yellow in the trunk.

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[gstokes]

I was told by a member on the board and a couple other friends that capacitors do more harm than good? is this true? and if so please explain why. i have a 10 farad cap in my car and im redoing my system, im just wondering if i should eliminate the cap? can someone please explain why these power caps are a problem if they really are. thank you all!!!I have 2 kicker l7 15's. debating if i should get the q1-2200d or vfl 4480. also i have a red top under the hood and yellow in the trunk.

A test was done using SMD's AD-1 amplifier dyno comparing power output with and without a capacitor and using 2 different size capacitors, it was determined that using a capacitor that is too small for the system will actually cause it to lose power, but when using the larger capacitor the system gained power, lot's of power.

 

[gstokes]

we all learned something from this thread, follow it to the end..

http://www.caraudio.com/forums/general-discussion/605776-capacitors-their-not-what-some-people-claim.html

 

[gstokes]

once you have read through that lengthy discussion go here..

http://www.caraudio.com/forums/general-discussion/607329-58-farad-super-capacitor-%2480-2.html

 

[akillj 10+ year member]

Car Audio CAPACITORS: Why They DON'T Work

I would not bother with them. If your car's alternator cannot deliver enough current to satisfy the draw of the car + aftermarket equipment, then it needs to be upgraded. Electrical is not the place to cheap out.

EDIT: Batteries can stabilize your voltage, but after pounding on them for a bit still need to be recharged by the alternator. Assuming your only electrical upgrade is two aftermarket batteries, while this is a good start, if you have voltage stability issues or are running multiple Kilowatts of power, you should upgrade your alternator.

Charging two batteries + 2kw worth of constant draw is going to be hell on a stock alt.

On another note, be careful with those kickers. The L7's I believe are rated at 1000w ea? They can barely handle rated power (Which I would definitely NOT send to them, just cause they seem to blow so easy.) Good amp choices though. If you get either amp, i'd highly recommend turning the gain down and upgrading subs in the near future. If you're on a budget, Soundqubed's HDS200 / HDS300 are cheap, without sacrificing quality. I've heard nothing but good things from them.