Lets talk capacitors
Registered User
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 7,134
Likes: 3
From: Columbia, MD
Which lights dimmed? If you mean the headlights, I hope you don't mean in the S2000....those are ballast controlled bulbs. If voltage drops enough, they turn off rather than dim. Interior lights can dim, but they'll do that with my 35Wrms head unit.
Former Moderator
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 18,852
Likes: 1
From: New York
I know I am not the "electronics" expert around here, but more of an equipment expert with some "street" credit , but Ill give my .02
Ive built MANY systems in my day, and learned from some of the best and most knowledgible people on the north east coast....
First of all, many people do not understand what a capacitor is. If you are getting a cap to help dimming and such, you do not understand what it is. A capacitor is used to help the amplifier, NOT the car. It is used to flood the amp back to 14.4V when a huge bass note hits. If you look at your volt meter on your amp (if you have one).....
When I play music, and my car is at idle, sound all the way to 0, the amp volt meter reads 14.4V.
When the volume goes up, but not too much bass, it hovers at 14.1 to 14.3
When a bass note hits, my system will dip into low 13's, 13.2 or so.
When the gauge reads less than 12.5V, you will see dimmin, the lower it goes (2 W7s powered right in an s2k will dip into 11's) the more apparent the dimming.
Now, a capacitor, after it juices up the amp for that quick burst, it needs to recharge, and starts sucking on battery juice. The only difference between a cap (im simple terms) and a second battery is that a cap is there ONLY to help the amp and nothing else.
The biggest misconception about capacitors is that since they are supplying more power, they will stop the dimming. This is completely false, and a big amp with a cap, will actually INCREASE the dimming. The more the amp drains the cap, the more the cap drains the battery, and dimming gets more severe. Many people will say that dimming is due to a small battery....not really because a battery is simply a middle man for power tranfer, as the alternator is what really determines how much power is going into/out of your battery. Fact of the matter is, the s2000 comes with a bigger alternator than 90% of cars on the road short of F150 and Dodge rams and them. It has 110A where as most cars (95%) of german cars come with 90A.
Ive done a few tests on the subject with 2 voltmeters.
One was reading the amp voltage, the other was reading car voltage. I put in a bass CD, and while the amp voltage stayed over 14V, the car voltage dropped from 13.4 to 12.5 "Stock Dyno" (no cap) measured amp at 13.3V and battery at 13.3 V. Dimming was minor, almost invisible to the naked eye. without the cap, but visible with the cap.
So, do you need a cap? Simple answer is no. Your amps are simply not getting starved for power. If they are, you dont need that much in an s2000. There is simply no reason.
Remember my whole explanation on the alternator not being able to supply enough power as to where a cap was necessary? Remember, you and I are from NYC, and summer is on the way. When you turn on AC, you will have even less amps for your system, and your cap will essentially become a paper weight.
And to settle the arguement once and for all.......
The ONLY thing to GET RID of dimming, is having your alternator respun, or a bigger one (for major dimming cases) or getting a deep cycle battery such as an optima yellow top (for minor dimming).
If you do get a cap......
Soundstream 40 farad monster!
I will however, put this in my next system......
Soundstream Power Management system....
Ive built MANY systems in my day, and learned from some of the best and most knowledgible people on the north east coast....
First of all, many people do not understand what a capacitor is. If you are getting a cap to help dimming and such, you do not understand what it is. A capacitor is used to help the amplifier, NOT the car. It is used to flood the amp back to 14.4V when a huge bass note hits. If you look at your volt meter on your amp (if you have one).....
When I play music, and my car is at idle, sound all the way to 0, the amp volt meter reads 14.4V.
When the volume goes up, but not too much bass, it hovers at 14.1 to 14.3
When a bass note hits, my system will dip into low 13's, 13.2 or so.
When the gauge reads less than 12.5V, you will see dimmin, the lower it goes (2 W7s powered right in an s2k will dip into 11's) the more apparent the dimming.
Now, a capacitor, after it juices up the amp for that quick burst, it needs to recharge, and starts sucking on battery juice. The only difference between a cap (im simple terms) and a second battery is that a cap is there ONLY to help the amp and nothing else.
The biggest misconception about capacitors is that since they are supplying more power, they will stop the dimming. This is completely false, and a big amp with a cap, will actually INCREASE the dimming. The more the amp drains the cap, the more the cap drains the battery, and dimming gets more severe. Many people will say that dimming is due to a small battery....not really because a battery is simply a middle man for power tranfer, as the alternator is what really determines how much power is going into/out of your battery. Fact of the matter is, the s2000 comes with a bigger alternator than 90% of cars on the road short of F150 and Dodge rams and them. It has 110A where as most cars (95%) of german cars come with 90A.
Ive done a few tests on the subject with 2 voltmeters.
One was reading the amp voltage, the other was reading car voltage. I put in a bass CD, and while the amp voltage stayed over 14V, the car voltage dropped from 13.4 to 12.5 "Stock Dyno" (no cap) measured amp at 13.3V and battery at 13.3 V. Dimming was minor, almost invisible to the naked eye. without the cap, but visible with the cap.
So, do you need a cap? Simple answer is no. Your amps are simply not getting starved for power. If they are, you dont need that much in an s2000. There is simply no reason.
Remember my whole explanation on the alternator not being able to supply enough power as to where a cap was necessary? Remember, you and I are from NYC, and summer is on the way. When you turn on AC, you will have even less amps for your system, and your cap will essentially become a paper weight.
And to settle the arguement once and for all.......
The ONLY thing to GET RID of dimming, is having your alternator respun, or a bigger one (for major dimming cases) or getting a deep cycle battery such as an optima yellow top (for minor dimming).
If you do get a cap......
Soundstream 40 farad monster!
I will however, put this in my next system......
Soundstream Power Management system....
Registered User
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 7,134
Likes: 3
From: Columbia, MD
Originally posted by NFRs2000NYC
I know I am not the "electronics" expert around here, but more of an equipment expert with some "street" credit , but Ill give my .02
I know I am not the "electronics" expert around here, but more of an equipment expert with some "street" credit , but Ill give my .02
[QUOTE]First of all, many people do not understand what a capacitor is.
Former Moderator
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 18,852
Likes: 1
From: New York
Mac......I agree with what you are saying.....
99 times out of 100, the dimmin will remain the same, with cap or no cap.
However, I may be wrong, but I have been told that caps recharge faster than an amp draws current (i dont even know if this is possible) thus a higher voltage drop.
Also....imagine a 1000W beat.....bam bam bam bam bam.......at 5 second intervals.....
If you think about, everytime the amp hits, it draws, and the cap draws, but it seems as the cap cant catch up to the amp draw.....thus constantly draining the battery......
I dunno, I agree with you on your statement that 99% of the time the dimming will remain unchanged. However, my experiments have proven otherwise, but maybe that was the other 1%
Anyway, it is my "expert"
opinion that the s2000 does not need a capacitor. The trunk cannot hold enough stuff to require one.
99 times out of 100, the dimmin will remain the same, with cap or no cap.
However, I may be wrong, but I have been told that caps recharge faster than an amp draws current (i dont even know if this is possible) thus a higher voltage drop.
Also....imagine a 1000W beat.....bam bam bam bam bam.......at 5 second intervals.....
If you think about, everytime the amp hits, it draws, and the cap draws, but it seems as the cap cant catch up to the amp draw.....thus constantly draining the battery......
I dunno, I agree with you on your statement that 99% of the time the dimming will remain unchanged. However, my experiments have proven otherwise, but maybe that was the other 1%
Anyway, it is my "expert"
opinion that the s2000 does not need a capacitor. The trunk cannot hold enough stuff to require one.
but I think I'm going to get one anyway just to play. I'm not paying anywhere near retail anyway.
