Why You Can't Do Without A Car Audio Capacitor

I've heard the question asked many times before, 'Do I really need a capacitor?' Before answering that question I ask, 'Do you have a high powered system?' 'Does it require sudden power bursts?' 'Is your amplifier being robbed of power?' If the answers to my questions are yes, make every effort to connect a capacitor to your car audio system.

A capacitor is a bit similar to your car battery it stores electrical energy. But unlike a battery it doesn't produce its own power, it simply stores it. A car audio capacitor will help you get the most from your amplifier. It will store power for release on demand, delivering it to your amplifier just when it's needed.

Your car amplifier requires a lot of power to play loud music, especially when there's lots of heavy bass. Without a capacitor your amplifier will be robbed of power by parts like your lights, engine, and air conditioner.

So what happens when your car audio amplifier doesn't receive enough power?

A common occurrence is dimming lights. In such a situation the light will follow the beat of the music. The light will dim each time a heavy bass note sounds. If you were to turn off the lights, your car stereo system would suddenly sound louder and the music would be cleaner.

Your amplifier is simply trying to use more energy than the electrical system can supply. If a capacitor had been present there would have been enough energy to power your amp. That electrical energy would have already been stored.

When you want to reduce headlight dimming, improve bass response, and increase the power of your amp, a stiffening capacitor is a must. Equipped with capacitor and an adequate power supply, your system will get every bit of current it needs. Voltage drops will be a thing of the past.

With so many brands available online, it's easy to find a capacitor that meets your needs. You can choose from popular brands like Phoenix-Digital, Blitz-Audio, Kole-Audio, Pyramid, SoundStorm, Lanzar, Power-Acoustik, Pyle, Legacy, Nitro-BMW, SPL, and Volfenhag. No longer will your car amplifier be hungry for power.

Mantius Cazaubon is a successful author and publisher of  http://toyautoparts.net/car-stereos.html , a resource for information and tips on buying car stereo and car audio products online.

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Comments on this article:

» left by Geoff from LA (3 years 215 days ago.)

I find this analysis to be rediculous. A 1-farad cap stores 1 amp of power for one second. A large system draws 100+amps per second. Upgrade your alternator, and then your battery. Capacitors are useless bandaids rather than complete fixes. Good day
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» left by Jeffrey from Pittsburgh (3 years 185 days ago.)

I love how, for starters, he lists off mostly bottom of the barrel car audio companies. Just like Geoff said, if your lights are dimming, you're drawing too much current. Do the Big 3 upgrade, upgrade your battery to a sealed deep cycle battery, an
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» left by Anonymous (2 years 60 days ago.)

How many fareds would I neeed for a 4000 watt amp pushing 2 12" 3200 watt subs
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» left by anonymous from tennessee (2 years 38 days ago.)

actually his analysis is right on the money. a battery and alternator were not designed for such power demands, but the capacitors take the strain off the battery and the alternator, because it takes only a millisecond to recharge it, so when it expends what's stored in the capacitor, the instant it drains, it's already recharged. if the capacitor is in between the battery and the amplifier, then you won't have any problems with drawing too much current off your battery and alternator ever again.
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» left by Anonymous (132 days 15 hours ago.)

-_- ..think about it... Your lights dim because you amps are drawing power from the battery and the lights are getting less current. We are told If we put in a capacitor then it will have stored that power already and provide it to the amps "on demand"... but ... what happens when the cap discharges I wonder? OH that's right in mere milliseconds it recharges itself from..wait for it ... The BATTERY!!! Your lights will still dim. best answer? get over it... how many times do you have to replace light bulbs whose lives were cut short by voltage fluctutations before you justify 200 duckets for a useless hunk of tin to bolt to the side of your box... You'll probably get a new car before then...

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» left by Anonymous (30 days 23 hours ago.)

You need to understand that a capacitor draws at a lower voltage and then discharges high voltages for surges. Since music pulses so does the power demand on a amp.  There is no need to upgade battery and alternator just to cover the top of a spike.

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