One quick question

[kjohnson]

I just bought a capacitor from a buddy and if i remember correctly you have to charge it some fancy way before you can use it. is this right? i can remember for sure and i figured they were all the same. I know some of you are going to say that it is pointless to have one but the price was great so since i have it I figure it cant hurt to install it. so do I have to "charge" it some how or do i just slap it in and go?

[matt5112]

It did however hurt your wallet so sell it on craigslist for a profit.

[kjohnson]

accully free doesnt hurt at all. all i had to do was help him clean up a car before he sold it. I could sell it though that is true but i dont want to go through the hassle cause id only make like 40$

[matt5112]

It' be better than wasting your time putting it in for it to do nothing in your car.

[nawarkk]

I had a Cap once but I never got around to charging it and putting it in. If I remember correctly you have to hook it up with a light in series to a 12v source. The light will be dim because the Cap is charging, when the light gets brighter that means no more power is going to the Cap therefore it is fully charged. A google search will give you a more accurate guide. Good Luck!

[matt5112]

ower capacitors store a large amount of energy and they charge very quickly. You must first "charge" your power capacitor before connecting it directly to +12 volts. This is done with the a 1k ohm resistor and a voltmeter. The exact value of the resistor is not critical but I would keep it in the 500-1k ohm range. I would recommend getting a 1 watt resistor if possible (your capacitor may have come with a resistor for charging). A lower wattage resistor will heat up too quickly. Also, do not hold the resistor with your bare hand. The current flowing through the resistor will cause the resistor to heat up and you could be burned. A good place to put the resistor is in the main power wire fuse holder (the one installed near the battery). Simply substitute the resistor for the fuse. A diagram for the capacitor charging setup is shown below. You will need to place a voltmeter across the capacitor to monitor the voltage. Once the voltmeter reads 12 volts you can remove the voltmeter and replace the resistor with the power fuse. Alternatively you can measure the voltage across the charging resistor. It should start around 12 volts and slowly work its way down to 0 volts. When the voltage stops changing you have charged the capacitor completely.

Another method for charging involves using an old style test light instead of a resistor. The connection is similar but you don't need a voltmeter to monitor voltage. When the bulb goes out the capacitor is charged (because the voltage across the bulb went from 12volts to 0volts).

Car Audio Capacitor Installation

[kjohnson]

haha matt thanks for giving me the answer instead of just criticizing it. I realize where your coming from with it all but thank you for giving me the answer. why does the bulb go out when the cap is fully charged?

[Bio248]

haha matt thanks for giving me the answer instead of just criticizing it. I realize where your coming from with it all but thank you for giving me the answer. why does the bulb go out when the cap is fully charged?

the capacitor is no longer pulling voltage as it is now full, therefore the light will no longer be getting voltage either. i hate being an electrical engineer.

[kjohnson]

so any 12v light fair game?? I kinda understand why this works but at the same time ehhhh not really. but thats ok as long as it works with this one i dont care

[Bio248]

yeah, any 12 volt light will work, but a 'test light' which they are talking about is a very small bulb. if i were doing this i would prefer the meter method.

[kjohnson]

Ill probably use a break light bulb or something to that effect. bc if i do this at home there isnt any place in town that sells resistors

[Bio248]

Ill probably use a break light bulb or something to that effect. bc if i do this at home there isnt any place in town that sells resistors

V = IR, so you want to use a .144W bulb, which is equal to using a 1000 ohm resistor.

[kjohnson]

ok fine ill just go get a 1k resistor before i go home so im able to do it. how long does it take to do this? its cold here

[Bio248]

depends on the cap and its condition. do you have a meter?

[ZR1Vette09]

use a 2 watt 1k ohm resistor to charge it. should be safe with that

[kjohnson]

Im pretty sure i do at home but if i dont ill just go buy one there not that crazy expensive. just any 12 volt meter? and does the wattage on the resistor matter or just the rating ie 1k

[matt5112]

Just sell it already...


And buy some amps with a decent power supply.

[kjohnson]

haha ur not stubborn at all are u? naw im just gonna install it and let it be. plus if I did that id probbly need a new sub cause its like 4 years old or so

[matt5112]

Age has nothing to do with quality.

If it was built well, then it should stand up to another 10-15 years of pounding on it.

[kjohnson]

ya see I really dont know how great the sub and amp are. Ill have to get their model #'s this weekend. would you be able to tell me if it is even worth my time? all I know right now is it is a 1000 watt kenwood amp and a pioneer sub that is rated for 1100 watts. I cant quite remember how I have the wiring set up but I think I have it set for 2olms