audio wiring? HELP!!!

[pezzol]

just got my first landy and i'm updating the stereo.
problem is i can't find any info on wiring a power cap??
i know this is a strange question on a off-roading site but i really have knowhere else to turn.
any advice would be greatly appreciated
thanks

[TimM]

a power cap??

A what?

[Disco Bristol]

Tell me about it, I am having a nightmare with my radio! They dont make it simple!

[tonka toy]

pezzol

the power cap is fed from the main power wire from the battery

you can then split to smaller wires to run more than one amp

also the cap will let you know what voltage is coming to it

if i can help any more just yell

neil

[Sharpshooter]

For god sake, dont short it. I had two 1 farad caps in my 205gti running four amps. Sounded the dogs. Next project is the Disco, now the littlun is out of a pushchair. :)

[mark.yellow.series.3]

i think iam right in saying this,
unless you got the cap for free, youve waisted your money.
power capacitors are only used when you run so m,any power amps, that when playing music at full blast the current draw actually starts to pull down the battery voltage. the cap temporarily tops up the battery while the bass is pumping, giving a stiffer output instead of it going all woolly.

now, you could probibly pull what?, 50amps off yor battery without pulling the voltage down below 12v, look at the fuse rating on an amp, i think for a 360watt amp it is a 10amp ( thats for fault conditions) so say it would peak at 8 amps, thats 2250watts of sound before you really need a cap like that.

but in answer to your question, it basically goes across the battery terminals, or amp power terminals, (with as thinker wire as you can get).(dont get me started on cable voltage drops)

[Sharpshooter]

i think iam right in saying this,
unless you got the cap for free, youve waisted your money.
power capacitors are only used when you run so m,any power amps, that when playing music at full blast the current draw actually starts to pull down the battery voltage. the cap temporarily tops up the battery while the bass is pumping, giving a stiffer output instead of it going all woolly.

now, you could probibly pull what?, 50amps off yor battery without pulling the voltage down below 12v, look at the fuse rating on an amp, i think for a 360watt amp it is a 10amp ( thats for fault conditions) so say it would peak at 8 amps, thats 2250watts of sound before you really need a cap like that.

but in answer to your question, it basically goes across the battery terminals, or amp power terminals, (with as thinker wire as you can get).(dont get me started on cable voltage drops)

Could you explain this (Going across the battery terminals). It may clear it up for the poor lad. :)

[pezzol]

cheers for the advice,
i've had this gear from my 'boy racer' days before my son came along.
at the mo i'm only running the one amp but was having problems with the stereo turning itself off when turned up loud, which is why i dusted off the cap and installed it, but the problem turned out to be a shot alternator!
i have the cap in at the mo wired from pos on the battery to +ve on the cap, then +ve on the cap to +ve on the amp. -ve on the cap is to earth oln the body.
i'm 99% sure this is the correct way of doing it but it's been so long since i've had the stuff out that i've forgot :( (boot space required for buggy etc, plus having 'proper'family cars)
now i've sorted the alternator i know i dont need the cap but i've got the bug again so the cupboard full of ICE might yet find its way into the disco so i might as well leave it in no??
cheers again for all your help
 :D

[Damonski]

+ on battery to + on cap, then onto the + on amp
- on battery to - on cap, then onto the - on amp

Was the way I did them in my beemer many moons ago.

5 amps, 3 subs and doors heavy with speakers and all sorts of other crap. :)

[pezzol]

cheers damo,
i've got it wired as you and i said now and it seems to work a treat.
P.S. its also F£$%&*g LOUD!!! :twisted:

[Range Rover Blues]

The trick is to wire it as close to the amp as possible, it's there to make up for any voltage losses in the wiring of the power supply as much as for the voltage drop at the battery, particularly in systems that have the amps in the boot.  Capacitors have a much lower internal resitance than lead-acid batteries too.