how can I test my stiffening cap

[baboorb]

I have a 3 farad legacy its about 7 years old and recently my lights started dimming, so far Iv'e change the alternator, swapped out my redtop optima with the one from my project car which is less then an year old. but I still get the dimming lights even with the new bat and alternator.

So im thinking I has to either be the cap or possibly corroded factory power or ground wires

The car is a 1997 jetta that I plan on geting rid of within the next year

THanks

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[SilverSquared 10+ year member]

a light bulb. 12v or so. match polarity.

 

[Rashaddd 5,000+ posts]

throw it off a building

 

[DBfan187 5,000+ posts]

lick the terminals

 

[lincolntc690 10+ year member]

stick your tongue on it

d@mn too slow

 

[loopkiller 10+ year member]

Would be nice to see a list of system. Hard to tell you otherwise. What kind of ground are you using for the system? Do you have a dedicated ground running front to rear? Have you had your alt tested? Those are the first steps I would take. Wait, make those step 2. Step 1 is throw away the cap.

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[gunz4me 10+ year member]

lick the terminals

You have to charge it prior to licking the terminals. It should tingle a little more than a 9 volt battery!

 

[Louisiana_CRX 5,000+ posts]

You have to charge it prior to licking the terminals. It should tingle a little more than a 9 volt battery!

x2 thats the best way to test them....

 

[SilverSquared 10+ year member]

lil bit safer....stick ur finger in water, remove it, while wet, cross posts. It wont be bad, I've done it. About like a 9v on ur tongue, but instead, on ur finger, then yes, throw it (the cap) away

 

[DBfan187 5,000+ posts]

A little more? //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/eyebrow.gif.fe2c18d8720fe8c7eaed347b21ea05a5.gif I guess that means what your definition of 'little' is. LOL

 

[Louisiana_CRX 5,000+ posts]

I like the way they sound when you toss them out the window of a moving vehicle into a sign....

 

[gunz4me 10+ year member]

In the late 90s I direct shorted my cap from about 10 feet away, and around a corner, to see if they would explode. It made a nice KaBoom!

 

[DBfan187 5,000+ posts]

A lot of the caps inside some of the older tv's will zap you pretty good! They will leave a mark.

 

[baboorb]

seriously how do I find out if this thing is dead

 

[djman37 5,000+ posts]

seriously how do I find out if this thing is dead

You don't get it...throw it out irregardless.