Quote:
Originally Posted by andrewd
you do not need a cap!
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Agreed. To put it in layman's terms, a capacitor is used to store and supply energy. A battery is also used to store and supply energy, but the difference is that a capacitor is capable of delivering very large amounts of energy, but only for a short time (milliseconds). A battery delivers moderate amounts of energy for a relative long period of time (minutes or hours, depending on the load).
Typically, when the music requires a massive amount of energy, it isn't sustained for a long time, and the energy stored in the battery (or capacitor) makes up for what the alternator can't deliver. Over time, the alternator charges the loss out of the battery (or capacitor) because the large current demands isn't sustained.
The idea of adding a capacitor to a car audio system started when amplifiers began approaching the 1000 watt range. At 1,000 watts, a 12 volt system requires 83 amps, which is a lot. Your battery in your smart is capable of delivering 83 amps, but only for short periods of time (probably several seconds). The alternator is NOT capable of delivering that amount of current. If you kept it up by playing the music loud, the battery's voltage would "sag" and a capacitor would make up the difference, but again, only for very brief periods. As you go higher and higher in current draw, eventually, you'll get to a point where a lead-acid battery can't supply current fast enough, and a capacitor would start to make sense. But by then, you would need to beef up the alternator and a lot of other equipment.
Bottom line -- if your lights start to dim when you turn up the music, you not only need to add a capacitor, but also a beefier alternator, heavier duty wiring, etc.
Best,
geosynch
Today
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