Boot Install +Stinger Capacitor???

[ruso]

Hey I'm in the middle of a boot install. I got a 4ch Kicker Amp and a Kicker Monoblock. I bought a 1 farad Stinger cap, and I'm abit iffy bout the installation. I've read all the other posts already but not too certain.

I've got 4g wire from the battery to a fuse then to my cap in the boot. From their i've got 4g wire going off the cap to a distr. block and to my 2 amps. All earths are seperate.

When I charge the cap should I remove the fuse near the battery?
And once its charged how do i go about connecting it to the amps? (Should I disconnect the negative on the battery, to prevent any shorts. And then install the positive from the battery and the 12V going to the amp back on the cap. Follwed by putting the negative terminal back on the battery?

 

[SMIT]

Please correct me if i am wrong.

If you remove the fuse at the battery how is the cap going to get power?

Sounds like you have the right idea, when installing a new cap or a discharged one you need to "trickle charge" the cap. To do this have the main power cable coming from the battery that is going into the cap and place a circuit tester/test light in between the cap and power cable (make sire you use a normal globe type, not an LED or circuit safe tester) I'm not 100% on how long you should leave it there but until the light on the cap come on should be sufficient enough.

 

[Tasmaniak]

Yes, remove the fuse. The cap actually needs charging? strange, they usually don't anymore, but ok, once you have your system in place and your ready to charge the cap, get your little light bulb and place it across the fuse holder and wait for it....

 

[rcnugget]

the stinger caps all come with a light bulb you use to trickle charge the cap

 

[Tasmaniak]

really? Haven't seen that in years... lol

 

[ruso]

thanks for the replies.
Yeh the stinger cap. came with a light bulb. What I'm still uncertain about is, once I've charged the cap how do i go about connecting it up to the system? (Also do you charge it at the battery or in the boot?)

Correct me if I'm wrong but once i've charged the cap, wouldn't I have to disconnect the negative terminal at the battery, as you would to prevent any shorts. And then connect the 12V coming from my battery (back through the fuse) to my cap, and also connect the 12V going from my cap to my amps. Once thats done I then re-connect the negative back onto the battery and its done.

Sorry bout all the questions, just don't want this thing to blow!!!!!!!

 

[2LOUD2OLD]

why not just save the effort and take it back to the store and get your money back. capacitors do nothing for an audio system they are a waste of money. in fact they have been shown to have a negative effect on a system. so long as you have adequate size power cables and good earths you will be fine.

 

[Tasmaniak]

erm, whilst I agree they don't do much if anything at all...never seen one have an adverse affect on a system. Care to explain that one please? Pretty keen to know how it could happen.

 

[cartoonwally]

Hey mate, you should have had your amp connected up in the first place to the capacitor, the capacitor would charge before providing power to the amplifier, this would save you the trouble of worrying about shorts later on in the piece (now). But now the cap is charged, the best way would be to do as you said, disconnect the ground, connect everything up (put the fuse back in) and once all done connect ground back up.

why not just save the effort and take it back to the store and get your money back. capacitors do nothing for an audio system they are a waste of money. in fact they have been shown to have a negative effect on a system. so long as you have adequate size power cables and good earths you will be fine.

^^ This is a big call... Not sure how they have a negative effect on an audio system, considering when there is a constant supply of required power they just act as a short circuit, so there is nothing different. Yet when more power is needed (bigger bass notes) it provides a bucket load of power to the amp that is required. You actually destroy your speakers if you don't have a capacitor due to distortion, because you don't have enough power, can also destroy other components in the car because all the power is going to the amplifier(s). But i agree you need adequate power cables and good earths Only time i think they are a waste of money is if you have a not-so-powerful amplifier.

 

[Tasmaniak]

only time they are a waste of money is when you put them in and you haven't done everything else first.