W124 300D

I have just ordered a capacitor. I have never installed one of these. Has anyone put one in?

May I put it next to the amp in the trunk?

Do I have to put it as close to the battery as possible?

Thank you

Nick Mendoza

Hi Nick.

Yes you can put it next to the amp.

Only a inline fuse for the power supply
has to be mounted close to the battery.

I read somewhere that the capacitor has to
be charged(but can't remember how)because
you'll get a big arc and possibly a shock if
you don't.

I haven't done it but I think that you could
use a battery charger on slow charge.
Yes? No?

If anyone knows how feel free to chime in.

Louis.

You can install the cap anywhere, but close to the amp(s) is preferable. I have 6" of wire from the amp to the cap. From the cap to the distribution block in the trunk is another 1' of wire. You want to wire the cap in parrallel to the amp(s). The cap should come with directions on how to install and charge it.

Instead of retyping it in, I'll quote "When an uncharged capacitor is connected to a DC voltage, it initially appears as a short circuit. This is why manufacturers specify that you should always charge and discharge a large capacitor through a resistor. Otherwise, for the brief instant that the capacitor is originally connected to the power source, a HUGE current rushes into the capacitor. This is not healthy for the capacitor, nor is good for your fuses between the capacitor and battery."

DO NOT short the + and - contacts together on the cap, especially after charging it.

You want to charge the cap slowly. Use the supplied resistor. If you've no resistor then pick up a 10watt, 50ohm resistor from Radio Shack and use that. Ground the cap first then put the resistor in series between the battery power ("+") and the "+" terminal on the cap. Some folks use a 12volt lightbulb instead. When the light goes out the cap is assumed to be fully charged. I prefer to use the resistor and a voltmeter. With the voltmeter hooked in parrallel with the cap reads around 13V I stop charging the cap. Again, there should be directions with the cap. If you need more help let us know.

I had no idea that you had to charge the capacitor before the install.

Will post when I put everything together.

Thank you

Nick Mendoza

Everything TonySz said about caps is true. But I think you'll discover after spending a lot of money and time that your system won't sound any different. If you've used a heavy enough guage wire to connect your amplifier to the battery, a cap will have negligable effect. The idea is to provide extra current when the amp draws more for short bursts. Nothing provides more current for either short bursts or continuously than a lead acid battery. You just need heavy enough wire to see that that current gets to the amp. And did you ever wonder how all that current gets through the tiny little piece of wire in the fuse? My opinion only.

__________________
Resistance is Futile.

Well, It could save me a small or med. chuck of money.

I am running a 300amp with a 12" sub in a ported box. Would 8 gauge wire be enough to carry it?

Yes, I do wonder how the signal works.

Guess: inpulse and freq. in certain order and level.

Thank you

Nick Mendoza

If the wire run is about 8' or under you -could- use 8-gauge but you're not left with any real room to expand down the road. Since you only need the hassle of wiring your car once, unless you actually like torture , then I would use 4-gauge.

Regarding caps, you'd be better off with a much larger alternator than using another battery. Aux batteries need to be wired carefully to allow them to be charged by the alternator while keeping it seperate from the rest of the car's circuitry.

It doesn't hurt to use a cap but the average car stereo doesn't need one. However, if your lights, interior or exterior, are dimming to the music when your radio is playing then a cap might work for you.

PS, about the fuse, the metal filament's length is very short. That should give you a clue. :p