Voltage question

[capitolj80]

The voltage readout on my capacitor (figured it couldn't hurt anything) never gets below 14v when the engine is running. Can I take this to mean that I'm getting adequate voltage to my amps don't have a need to wire up the big 3? BTW, the capacitor is downstream from the distro block inline with only the sub amp if it matters.

[ttocs]

It doesn't matter where you put the cap. Until you get up to the alumapro huge caps a farad or two here/there will not make a big difference. With the voltage always above 14 you could assume the alt/battery is good, or else the cap meters are not known to be super accurate and normally have a pot on them somewhere so you can tune the to read correctly. I do not know what equipment you have in your car but for the small price it costs and the short time to install it I will still do it to any car I own that needs larger then an 8 awg wire to power the amp.

[capitolj80]

Its a Cadence 4 farad cap. I've got a stinger battery under the hood (don't remember the model, but I know its rated for my amps' needs). Vibe Audio 1500.1 and Vibe audio 75x2 for amps. 2 RSdC 12's for subs. 0g cable to the back, split to 4g and 8g for the amps. I'll prolly get the big 3 in there at some point, just wasnt sure if I was OK in the mean time because my voltage looks good....thanks

[Kirghiz]

The term "enough voltage" is only relative to where your gains are set and how hard you're driving the amp. You can be at 12.7 so long as you aren't clipping it. If the amps aren't clipping I wouldn't worry too much about it.

[ttocs]

I think you are confusing voltage and current for the big 3 upgrade. You are not doing a big-3 upgrade to get more voltage to the amp, you are doing to get more current to the amp. Yes they are related in ohms law equations but you can push a lot more then 12v through a 22 awg wire, you can push much current though. So even though you have ran 0/4/8 awg power wire to your amps when the stock battery/chassis grounds/power wires are thinner, that is your weak link in the chain and limiting the ability for your amps to draw the current it needs when the power demands go up.

[capitolj80]

Ahhh...the amperage...of course... I'll be doing that soon

[ttocs]

its the same but different ya know?! They are easy to confuse but current is what is really important to amps.