I just bought a used capacitor. It's a audiobahn acap1. It didn't come with any paperwork, so I have no clue how to install it. First, do I have to charge it? Since it already had it's initial charging done, do I need to do it again? Second, what is the correct procedure for wiring a capacitor? It has a + and - terminal.

 

The way you ask whether the capicitor needs to be tells me you need to read up on caps before you touch anything.

I'll give you info on how to wire it up now. But PLEASE, read up on caps before you actually install one.

Positive to + battery terminal, negative to shared amp chassis ground.

 

Thanks, but that really doesn't tell me anything. The above stated is obvious, the main question is do I need to charge it, and is there any special order in which I have to connect the wires? From all that I read, it seems like it's very easy for something to go wrong, and screw up the cap.

 

That's the thing, you need to read up on how caps and obviously now, electrical engineering before you should be installing anything. You obviously haven't read up on this charging business. Might I suggest that you start with that.

 

you know, a nudge in the right direction couldn't hurt...


Or you can just tell me I know nothing, and that I should know what to do before I ask how to do it.

 

If you are that worried about damaging something, and so unwilling to read up on capicitors and proper wiring for car audio, why don't you just pay a sound shop to install it for you?

 

Check this link out, it might help you, has alot of informative stuff on car audio/electronics,


http://anon.free.anonymizer.com/http...c/caraudio.htm

 

Thanks skeelo. Anyone else have helpfull links on capacitor instalation?


Sin, I am perfectly capable of installing this myself, I just need to know how. I never said I was unwilling to read. I posted here so I could get an answer so I could "read" it.

 

The thing is, you are not capable of installing the capicitor yourself. You may be able to physically, but you obviously do not have the knowledge to do so safely. And that site that was provided by skeelo, has been drifting through the org for quite some time now. If you had checked the FAQ in the audio section, you would've found it by now. Hell, a search in the audio section on capicitors would've probably yielded all the information you would've needed to be done by now. Ever thought of Google?

Look what I found in the time it took me to type automotive capacitor install".

http://paudio.tripod.com/capacitors.html

It took all of 10 seconds to find the information needed to wire up a capicitor.

I appologize if I seemed tough on you, it's just that guys like you need to be more self-reliant on information gathering (in guys like you, I'm referring to guys into mods/sound). I mean, by all means, if you cannot find the information you need, ask, ask away! But if it can be found VERY easily, I tend to be in the camp of, teach a man to fish, over give him a fish. Know what I mean?

And don't give me the "it's faster if I ask" argument, 'cause that just doesn't fly with me here. It took how long for me to find the info needed on Google? And it took how long for you to ask for it here? I mean, at this point, I bet you're still not sure, well, you would be if you go to that site I provided.

Again, I appologize if you think I'm being extra tough on you. But you'll thank me, well, maybe not, but you being more capable of finding the information you'll need to complete the mods you will undoubtedly perform in the future, is all the thanks I care about, when you are more capable.

 

it's kind of funny that I am reading the same website that you just posted right now. I understand where you are comming from with the "search". I was hopping to get a quick answer so I wouldn't have to read through alot of crap to find what I need. Plus a search on the .org yielded no instalation information, so I though this would benefit people in the future with the same question.

 

I'm pretty new here, so I've been holding my tongue on this one. But just can't anymore.

You seriously need to get some experience with electronics before you start messing with very large electrolytic capacitors. They can and will hurt your and your equipment.

I will throw you a bone though, discharge it first. They safest way is to use a resistor.

 

Why does everyone assume I have no experience with electronics? I have been into car audio for several years now. I've been building electronic control boxes for Niagra Corp, to run truck washing machines. I also worked for Siemens Energy & Automationon, on the floor assembling large electronic "houses". Just because I never installed a capacitor in the car does not mean I know nothing. I admit my first question sounded like I'm an amatuer, but I've done my share electronic work.

Maybee you should have held you tongue on this one.

 

Damn where's the love. I aint ever seen aperson get trashed soo much for trying to learn.

 

I dont think anyone is trashing...but trying to help. The hard way? yes, but still helping in a sense.

MB you can have experience, that is fine. Let me just ask you this..have you ever seen a 1 farad cap explode? Do you understand the amount of electricity in 1 farad? Let me just sum it up for ya...1 farad explods...no trunk left. It is more than capable of completely destroying your entire trunk and whoever is near it. I do not believe anyone wants to see this happen to you or your car, hence the reason for advising to learn more....

Am I correct here guys?

--Don

 

"Why does everyone assume I have no experience with electronics?"

We don't assume that, we assume that you don't know enough about capacitors to install one correctly, and thus are advising you to read more on the subject.

"I have been into car audio for several years now."

How can this be true if you do not know how to install a capacitor correctly?

Don't get all defensive. You have to admit, you did not know how to do this task. And your question leads car audio guys to believe that you know not nearly enough to install this safely. So many of us suggested that you do some reading before you did anything else just to protect you, your car, and your sound equipment. I'm sorry if we aren't coddling you enough, or giving you enough credit for what you may know, but get over it. No one is attacking you, as much as you may feel that you are being attacked. Coming off with an attitude of, just tell me, and the rolling eyes routine isn't gaining you any points with those that do know, and are trying to help you in the best way, which is to get you off of your butt, and searching for the EASILY found information.

No one is saying you're a dumbass, but stop trying to pretend like you're some electric engineer. You may have experience in electronics, but you obviously don't have enough to install this capacitor. Is it that big of a deal to you, when someone tells you to go look for information on a subject you are not familiar with, before you do something potentially dangerous? Because if it is, you are gonna run into a lot of problems with that attitude. No one hear wishes you any ill will. We just aren't going to hold your hand in this simple install, nor are we going to treat you as a car audio expert when you obviously aren't.

What this is boiling down to is your attitude. Lots of guys on this org ask way more simple questions, but they do so humbly. Unlike you, whom comes out with a simple question, with an answer that is easily found, whom gets annoyed when others don't spoon feed you, and comes back with attitude. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth. People hear are helping you out, but your attitude is probably making them think twice about whether they should have.

 

I assume you wrote this in reply to my last post. If you will notice it wasn't directed at you but at Maxima Dan who decided to add his 2 cents after the topic was done and settled. Like I said in my last post to you, I searched for this on the org, but didn't find anything usefull so I figured to post this here so the next person with the same question will be able to find the answer easily, thus the very comprehensive topic name. And once again what I found by "searching" could have all been summed up in 3 or 4 sentenses by any body who installed a capacitor before. That would have beed alot easier then typing pages of useless stuff explaining to me from every angle why I don't know how to do this.

 

WARNING never allow positive and negative terminal to touch.Disconnect car battery before install.
Basically you wire capacitor in paralel with your anmp power source or distribution block. Connect negative terminal of cap to chasis ground of car you can use same location you grounded your amps, then wire positive to your amp distribution block you are done.you will get spark when you connect your last wire if your cap is not discharged before it's connected this is normal.

 

Or you could buy yourself a brax capacitor that will charge by itself when connected, and turn on once charged, and also protect itself incase you reverse polarity or short circuit it.

 

Sorry, didn't mean to come across as such an a-hole

 

It's allright. When you type something, every person will enterpret it differently.

 

Hey I got an Idea,
why not ask someone in your area to help you out. Most org members seem eager enough to lend a hand and give out advice willingly. I bet there is one in you area whop has experience with Caps and would be willing to help you install it properly and safely. And yes Pearl96 is right a 1 frad cap exploding is nothing but a small shrapnel bomb.

 

i wrote you an e-mail on how to do this.

any other questions just hit me back and ill walk you through it.

Ant

 

Thanks, I sent a reply. The capacitor is now installed. There is a new post with the pics.

 

another way to discharge it without using anoter resister is remove the positive side and open the car doors and let your dome lights and stuff drain the cap.. u can remove the negative after the dome lights and everything else dies if i remembered correctly.

 

i saw it happen about 3 weeks ago, the guy was installing his cap after an hour of charging he put the cap in the trunk and there was a nail or a screwdriver or something and they touched the + and - together and BAM the whole trunk plus himself went flying, he ended up about 15 ft from the trunk.

the way i did mine was

1: I have 2 grounds 1 for my amp 1 for my cap. Put the - on the cap 1st
2: Put the - on the amp
3: Put the + on the cap then jump another + to the amp and your dun.