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<blockquote data-quote="DejaWiz" data-source="post: 5545518" data-attributes="member: 569941">That&#039;s if the alternator can supply enough current to the battery to keep it at 13.8V.... this doesn&#039;t always happen if large loads are placed on the electrical system as a whole.If an alternator is not strong enough to supply sufficient amperage while an amplifier is operating, the system voltage is going to drop.example: If a 13.8V system contains an alternator that can supply enough current for a 1000W total sustained draw, it needs to be able to supply a constant 72.5 Amps plus the current needed to keep the battery charged to maintain 13.8V.Now, if that same system is demanding 1500W, the Amperage requirements increase to 108.7 Amps plus the battery&#039;s needs.If the alternator taps out at 80A, what&#039;s going to happen?&nbsp; The battery is going to assist.&nbsp; When the battery assists in this manner, it&#039;s being discharged, which is going to lower it&#039;s output voltage over time.Place a capacitor in the mix, and those constant dips in the capacitor&#039;s input/charge voltage will affect it, as well.&nbsp; Meaning, the capacitor will constantly be trying to obtain 100% charge as the fluctuations between the lowest dip and peak system voltage are rapidly occurring, creating further load on the system.example:&nbsp; if the system voltage drops to 11.5V, the cap will charge itself to this voltage, as it deems 11.5V is 100%.&nbsp; If the power source voltage increases back to it&#039;s normal 13.8V, the cap will now have to charge up to this, while simultaneously acting as a power source for the amplifier(s), accessories, and even the battery as they .&nbsp; Rinse, repeat, in very rapid succession.&nbsp; Voila - the cap becomes a nasty little load, since charging from 11.5V to 13.8V takes the remaining 4 of the 5 TC&#039;s to reach max charge.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="DejaWiz, post: 5545518, member: 569941"] That's if the alternator can supply enough current to the battery to keep it at 13.8V.... this doesn't always happen if large loads are placed on the electrical system as a whole. If an alternator is not strong enough to supply sufficient amperage while an amplifier is operating, the system voltage is going to drop. example: If a 13.8V system contains an alternator that can supply enough current for a 1000W total sustained draw, it needs to be able to supply a constant 72.5 Amps plus the current needed to keep the battery charged to maintain 13.8V. Now, if that same system is demanding 1500W, the Amperage requirements increase to 108.7 Amps plus the battery's needs. If the alternator taps out at 80A, what's going to happen? The battery is going to assist. When the battery assists in this manner, it's being discharged, which is going to lower it's output voltage over time. Place a capacitor in the mix, and those constant dips in the capacitor's input/charge voltage will affect it, as well. Meaning, the capacitor will constantly be trying to obtain 100% charge as the fluctuations between the lowest dip and peak system voltage are rapidly occurring, creating further load on the system. example: if the system voltage drops to 11.5V, the cap will charge itself to this voltage, as it deems 11.5V is 100%. If the power source voltage increases back to it's normal 13.8V, the cap will now have to charge up to this, while simultaneously acting as a power source for the amplifier(s), accessories, and even the battery as they . Rinse, repeat, in very rapid succession. Voila - the cap becomes a nasty little load, since charging from 11.5V to 13.8V takes the remaining 4 of the 5 TC's to reach max charge. [/QUOTE]

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