Comments: Understanding Car Audio Capacitors

Understanding Car Audio Capacitors
By Chimezirim Chinecherem Odimba

The audio system in our cars is an assortment of different parts. Each and every part in the system performs a specific function. It is with the co-ordination of all the parts, that you can hear the system play those fantastic tracks as you drive along. In the entire system, car audio capacitors have a significance of their

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Aaron Hindman writes:

Subject: A cap to fit my needs?

I've been trying to find a cap that will fit my needs. I've asked a few of the techs at places like future shop what kind I would need and they don't seem to have know. I don't understand what a farad is and don't want to buy one just to find out its too much or too little. I have to of the 10" kicker sub's and a Rockford amp pushing about 975 watts peak power

Comment provided September 3, 2007 at 7:59 pm

Anthony Irwin writes:

Subject: A cap isn't always the solution

While car audio capacitors may help with dimming lights, they basically act as a battery, and as such if you don't have the current available to charge the capacitor, it won't help your system at all, it will actually cause more strain on an already overloaded system.

How can this be remedied? By upgrading your alternator to a high output alternator (70A of alternator power per 1000w of stereo power, keeping in mind that your car is already drawing the largest amount of current for its existing accessories.) Stock alternators are meant to drive the accessories put on the car by the factory, they don't provide much more power than that.

If your stock alternator can't provide enough power to your system to keep your lights from dimming, then it certainly doesn't have enough power to keep a capacitor charged. It will be overworked and fail.

Another upgrade to help is upgrading the "big 3" wires. The positive wire from the alternator to the battery, the battery to chassis ground wire, and the engine to chassis grounding wire. There is lots of information available about upgrading these wires.

When upgrading your alternator you will also need a battery that will be able to handle your systems demand as well. Optima batteries are a well recognized brand for car audio.

Having a higher rated cap won't hurt, a farad is basically how much energy the cap can store. having a cap rated too low is not good, but having something higher rated won't hurt, but will be hard to keep charged if your alternator isn't up to par, and/or if you get one rated much higher than you need.

Comment provided March 16, 2009 at 8:28 pm