Im pretty sure i need a cap for my setup. I was thinking of a 1.0 farad cap with a monitor. Please give me some reccomendations on what to buy.

thanks

 

You don't NEED a cap. Do you have some dimming issues? Though about upgrading the Big3 with 1/0 guage? Cap really isn't going to do much for you.

 

Ditto that. In most cases a cap will do more harm than good. If your stereo's current demands on the car's charging system are just a little higher than what the alternator can deliver a cap "MAY" help. Usually this is not the case. The current demands from the stereo are usually higher than what the cap can compensate for. In that case it becomes more load on the charging system and can make the dimming lights problem even worse. What you need is a high output alternator.

 

I only have a JL 500/1 amp powering two 12W3V2 woofers in a sealed box. Do you really think i need to upgrade my alternator for that? I can watch the voltage gage bob back and forth, just a little, when i crank it up real loud. What is the big 3? Please help me out here

 

Did you check all your conections? 500 watts isnt that much power. I am running close to that on an 8 gauge to the amps and i have no dimming problems.

Clean your battery terminals and mabee your grounds?

 

Well, the 500/1 operates a little bit differently than your average amp. With it's RIPS power supply, it'll pull more current as voltage drops in order to produce 500w RMS at all times.

So in a sense, it'll actually pull more current than your normal non-regulated PS amplifier.

After the big 3, if you still have dimming, get a Batcap.

 

Just upgrade the alternator. Don't put a band-aid over the problem.

 

so where do i get an upgraded alternator?

 

Once I have the $$$ I'll be getting one of these...

Excessive Amperage

 

The Big 3 Are:
1. negative battery wire to ground - just replace the negative batt. terminal and wire and ground it to the factory location
2. engine block to ground - replace the ground wire from the engine block to the chasie with a bigger wire (I personally have 1 guage, try to do atleast 4)
3. alternator to batt - add a fused wire from the postive post on you alternator (the one comming from the battery) to the postive terminal on your battery. DO NOT exchange wires just add a extra one. make sure it fused the same size as your factory fuse.

You should do this with 1 guage, cost cheaper than a new Alternator and could very well solve your problem. My brothers car had an Alpine MRD-M500(500x1) & MRV-F540(100x4) and at nearly full tilt had no dimming issues whatsoever.