Capacitors

[Zielkster]

Hi, I Was Thinking About Getting 2x 1200W/500WRMS 10" Subs With A 2 Channel 2400W Amp. I Beleive I Need a 1200W amp wiring kit But I'm Not Sure? Also I Was Wondering If A Capacitor Is Really Needed And If So, How Much Farad's?

Thank You; All Help Welcome.:D

[Greg Peters]

If the 2400 watts is a "max" rating, it's not very useful to tell you what the typical draw will be installed in the car. What you need is the amp's RMS rating, and use that number to determine which wiring kit you require.

Depending on how many other amplifiers you will have in the signal chain, it's better to have the largest wiring kit possible to accomodate what you have (or even what you might run in the future should you want to upgrade). That way there's no doubt whether or not the wiring kit can supply the needed current- go too small and you'll experience voltage drop, performance will suffer.

A capacitor may or may not help. If the 1200 watt two-channel (Class A/B) amp you intend to power your subs with taxes your car's electrical system, a cap will only be a band-aid type of solution. If you are running multiple amps, you may find a more efficient Class D monoblock for your subs is better tolerated by the car's electrical system without expensive upgrading of the battery or alternator.

Caps are not usually needed in most typical street-use systems. Better results can be had upgrading "the big 3" connections with larger power cable:

-battery ground to chassis ground

-chassis ground to engine block ground

-battery positive to alternator

You don't have to completely replace the factory wiring between these components. Installing a second run using large power wire will do the job and give you benefits.

You may even find the amps cause no problems (like dimming headlights, dropping voltage etc.) without doing the big 3 or adding a cap. It really depends on your amperage rating for your alternator, the quality of your battery, the condition of your connections, as well as the other vehicle accessories competing for current (A/C, defrost, aftermarket lighting etc.).

[Zielkster]

Thanks For The Great Advice, I Didn't Know If The Better Cable Would Work With The Lower Amperages. If I Had A High Quality Battery, And Only Used 1200 RMS Wattage Through The Subs, And The Single Amp Putting Out 600 RMS Wattage Through 2 Channels, I Shouldn't Need Anything To Keep My Battery Safe Or If So, Please Explain In More Detail.