I find this interesting. Several people on this NG argue that caps do
nothing for systems, and that they are only bandaids to a larger
problem.

I think it's mostly reactionary. People make the claim that they're useless
mostly because people come in with crazy preconceived notions that they'll
do something that they just can't do.

Why then would you want to install capacitors at your
headlights??? The headlights are not the symptomatic device, the whole
cars electrical system is. By installing isolation diodes and caps on
your headlights, you're just masking the fact that your whole electrical
system is having a large voltage drop.

But who cares? The point is that the only *symptom* that you know about is
the headlight dimming. If the dimming didn't exist, you'd have no idea
there's a voltage drop. So, unless it's severe enough such that it starts
messing with the computer or causing your car's RPM to fluctuate at stop
lights, it's a "problem" that should be ignored.

You want the caps to take care of the highest fluctuating load, which in
almost all aftermarket stereo situations is going to be your amps. If
your headlights are dimming, then your ignition coil is also seeing a
voltage drop, as well as your cars ECU (unless you drive an old carbd
car ).

Take apart your alternator and look at the windings... you think that
thin wire and those brushes are meant to handle 75 amp pulses?

Sure they can. Especially the ones in the 135 amp alternator in my Caddy.

Truly the
best way to do a stereo install, if you've got the $$$ would be to run a
sealed cell and a couple capacitors very close to the amps, and then
isolate that system with some big ass zener diodes that will keep the
current draw constant, or at least below a set amperage.

Uh...no. The batteries will be of little use, as their output voltage is
too low to deliver a significant amount of current when needed. One good
battery should easily do the trick. Capacitors near the amps will do less
to reduce dimming than near the headlights. Similarly, capacitors near the
amps will do less to reduce the fluctuations at the ECU than installing caps
near the ECU itself. The Zener solution that you propose would require some
huge zeners, rendering it impractical.

If you really wanted to be meticulous about it, you'd begin by installing a
badass alternator and a good ol' Diehard battery. Then, you could diode
isolate your ECU, headlights, and whatever else you wanted to diode isolate.

For those of you reading this who don't know what I mean by diode isolate, I
mean installing a capacitor next to the device that you're trying to keep
the input voltage constant and isolating this capacitor-device combo with a
high-current diode so that the current that the capacitor discharges
entirely goes to the device, and not the entire electrical system.

I think it
would be safe to say capping the flow from your alternator to 35
continuous amps would be more than enough to sustain most systems with
most types of music.

Why would you want to cap it?


I'm not picking on any one person here, but I've been a member of many
mailing lists and newsgroups over the years, and I find it funny how
quick people are to flame and put down other peoples opinions. This NG
seems to be particularly bad for it...

I've been involved with many also, and I've never been in a NG where there
were so few trolls and such inquisitive posts. Rarely do I see people
putting down someone else's opinions (unless it's a Nousaine-Runner debate,
or anything that lizzard types), but rational discussion and debate is
commonplace.