Should i get a capacitor

[linzz82]

Hi just wondering how many ppl have a capicitor on their stereos.

I'm only running 1 alpine 5ch amp, 50x4. 200x1. With focal speakers and 1 sub.

Just had an optima yellow top put in which has made quite a difference i think.

I'm a bit confused because ive had differing opinions from the car stereo place i go to. One guy said i should get one put in and the other said i would be wasting my money.

[CME-LFT]

Caps are really a waste of time. In reality there another drain on your cars alternator.

People all have different opinions, for my case,ive already upgraded the battery to a 600CCA 11 cell batt (reduced alot of H/L dim)and i still get a bit of dimming, using the caps a CHEAP way of fixing it as it does reduce headlight dim but not in the safest way.(not that your ever really gonna notice any problems occuring) ,just from an electrical aspect.

Its just a quick discharge battery that the alt has to keep charging as well on top of the normal car battery which strains your alternator even more so.

Remember your stock alternator was only designed to run the electronics that the car came with, with maybe a little more such as phone charger. Thats why when u got aircon on and interior lights, the car dims even more.

If you got the money to waste and a little bit of dimming, it might be worth buying one. Otherwise go the BIG 3 : Bigger Bat, Bigger Alt, and Bigger Cable from the alt to the battery which is the proper way to fix headlight dim but a whole lot more expensive(which is why alot of people buy caps and lack of educated info). BTW im a sparki

Hope i helped....btw.so many people are gonna disagree with me.lol

[linzz82]

Thanks for the advice, i've never had headlight dimming even when i put the volume up to very loud, so loud you cant sit in the car.

I was thinking more for sq when you put it up loud, The yellow top battery i put in is a 750CCA. and is designed to run alot of accesories aparantly.

[the_random_hero]

Thanks for the advice, i've never had headlight dimming even when i put the volume up to very loud, so loud you cant sit in the car.

I was thinking more for sq when you put it up loud, The yellow top battery i put in is a 750CCA. and is designed to run alot of accesories aparantly.

Capacitors are a quick fix for skimping on the rest of your electrical system - and a lot of the time they only make things worse. A bigger battery and improving your cars grounding system will fix 90% of cars with dimming, upgrading the alternator will fix the rest.

[CME-LFT]

oh, forgot to mention, i got dimming because im running two 12inch pioneers off 800watt rms monoblock.lol

I already upgraded my ground wires, all to 4awg, notice a touch of improvement, but then again with two twelves hitting bass notes it kinda fcuks all things up.lol

[the_random_hero]

oh, forgot to mention, i got dimming because im running two 12inch pioneers off 800watt rms monoblock.lol

I already upgraded my ground wires, all to 4awg, notice a touch of improvement, but then again with two twelves hitting bass notes it kinda fcuks all things up.lol

We were running 1000RMS into a big 15" ported sub making 145dB, only had HUGE battery and increased grounding and had zero dimming whatsoever - granted you could only sit in the car about ten seconds before it felt like you were going to die :P

[dannywss]

u hv the optima, great investment for audio already.

IF u wan more 'cosmetic' upgrade, get a capacitor.. coz some of them are just fuking cool..

great... u remind me something tat i missed out in my boot... i should get a rocket with lotsa wires around.. wooolalaa~

[akuma]

i was told a capa was just to give an extra kick for a bit and thats it, otherwise waste of money. yellow top battery is A++ im running a hard system, and before i had the battery, my hids would dim, so would all the other lighting in my car. i recently went to the drive thru movies, watched sex drive and saw5, had my system thumping loud and my car didnt die. i was parked right next to another camry and her car died at least 4times.

im running a jl audio 1000/1 and 300/4 amps with 0guage wiring :)

[daviboy]

yeh i think a cap was kool before i actually knew what it does. After doing electronics corse i found it its just another wasteful load on you car battery.

Im running a system 2 amps, 2 subs and all upgraded speakers and head unit. Clarion, Focal, Rockford Fosgate, MB Quart and image dynamics. All ive done is upgrade the engine earths to 4guage. I still retain the stock toyota battery and i get zero headlight dimming.

Eventually ill upgrade to a yellow top down the track.

But just trying to prove that caps are just a waste of money.