All of you amp fixer upper guys, I have a question!

Post by **mr tibbs** » Sun Dec 17, 2006 8:27 pm

Allrighty, currently I have a Xenon 100.4 and 600.1, but I am about to upgrade the 600.1 to a 1200.1. Would there be any advantage to changing out the caps or anything else internal in the amps themselves? The reason I ask is because I just read over on that other forum that someone else was fixing an outlaw and they upgraded the internals while they were fixing it. They said some of the upgrades would help reduce headlight dimming. Is this true? Can it be done to my Xenons? Is it worth doing?

Thanks in advance for putting up with my "noobness"!!

1moreamp · Post by **1moreamp** » Sun Dec 17, 2006 9:46 pm

You are comparing class D amps to class AB amps, kind of apples and Oranges type situation.
Too much internal storage will result in blown outputs with less than max current draw so no blown fuses untill the amp gets really cooked (personal experiance)

slc72005 · Post by **slc72005** » Sun Dec 17, 2006 9:47 pm

dont bother with changing the caps, the reason people have them changed on ms amps is because they are old caps and there is better caps to replace them with.

if you are worried about headlight dimming get a better alt or second battery like i did when i was running 2 x1200.1 and 1 200.4, had no problems asfter a second battery was installed, i used a kinetik hc1800 voltage never dipped below mid 12v's and that was with a stock ford alt

Post by **mr tibbs** » Sun Dec 17, 2006 9:50 pm

Actually, I take the car in tomorrow to have a HO alt put on.

I was just wondering if there might be a benifit to switching out the internals at all before I install this beast.

1moreamp · Post by **1moreamp** » Sun Dec 17, 2006 9:57 pm

Caps ware out over 12 to 14years and some of the amps you read about are 12 years old.
Like SLC said there old and yes if your amps were 12 + years old I would say look into it, but your stuff is OK

Post by **mr tibbs** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 7:11 pm

Allrighty, point taken. I'll just shut up and enjoy what I have then.

dedlyjedly · Post by **dedlyjedly** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 7:17 pm

mr tibbs, where are you in Utah?

Post by **mr tibbs** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 7:25 pm

dedlyjedly wrote:mr tibbs, where are you in Utah?

Draper now, but originally I am from Payson. Where you at?

dedlyjedly · Post by **dedlyjedly** » Sat Dec 23, 2006 6:56 pm

I'm up north in Logan. Good to know there's someone else who knows what it's like to be stuck in "the promised land!"

Post by **mr tibbs** » Sat Dec 23, 2006 7:13 pm

dedlyjedly wrote:I'm up north in Logan. Good to know there's someone else who knows what it's like to be stuck in "the promised land!"

Right on man, I love that area! I actually have some family up there that own a dairy. It's beautiful country. So are you from there or just a student?

dedlyjedly · Post by **dedlyjedly** » Sun Dec 24, 2006 12:03 am

a student that graduated and hasn't been able to escape just yet.

any decent shops that still carry PG down that way?

Post by **mr tibbs** » Sun Dec 24, 2006 8:19 am

Actually I rarely ever go into shops, but the other day I did go in one down here. He did carry PG, and he even claims that he did a whole car for PG a few years ago for CES! He then proceeded to quote me $1500 to glass a sealed sub box into my trunk. Needless to say I will not be going back there. That reminds me, I have been meaning to start a thread about that.

Anywho, how about up there? Any decent shops?

BH · Post by BH » Sun Dec 24, 2006 12:42 pm

1moreamp wrote:You are comparing class D amps to class AB amps, kind of apples and Oranges type situation.
Too much internal storage will result in blown outputs with less than max current draw so no blown fuses untill the amp gets really cooked (personal experiance)

If you really wanna do it take both guys' advice. Get more input capacitance by just buying better / bigger caps. But put it on the correct side of the fuse so that you don't fry shit. Ie just buy a couple of farad and put it in the back of your car next to the amps and you'll be sittin pretty. Honestly caps aren't that wonderful of a help for the headlight dimming issue. They'll slow it a little bit but in order to fix the problem you need to get a new alternator.

Using a cap to stop headlight dimming is like using a cork to stop Niagra Falls. Its going to do a little bit but its just not going to solve the problem.

Post by **bdubs767** » Sun Dec 24, 2006 1:01 pm

slc72005 wrote:dont bother with changing the caps, the reason people have them changed on ms amps is because they are old caps and there is better caps to replace them with.

actually the main reason is the old caps tend to leak which leads to fires...

Post by **mr tibbs** » Sun Dec 24, 2006 9:36 pm

BH wrote:
1moreamp wrote:You are comparing class D amps to class AB amps, kind of apples and Oranges type situation.
Too much internal storage will result in blown outputs with less than max current draw so no blown fuses untill the amp gets really cooked (personal experiance)
If you really wanna do it take both guys' advice. Get more input capacitance by just buying better / bigger caps. But put it on the correct side of the fuse so that you don't fry shit. Ie just buy a couple of farad and put it in the back of your car next to the amps and you'll be sittin pretty. Honestly caps aren't that wonderful of a help for the headlight dimming issue. They'll slow it a little bit but in order to fix the problem you need to get a new alternator.

Using a cap to stop headlight dimming is like using a cork to stop Niagra Falls. Its going to do a little bit but its just not going to solve the problem.

I totally understand that, that is why I just had a HO alt installed. I actually have a cap, but have yet to install it because I just don't see the need yet. I'll see how the HO alt does, and if I feel that I need something else I'll throw the cap into the mix.

jkrob21 · Post by **jkrob21** » Mon Dec 25, 2006 8:08 pm

I have an H.O. alt and a cap but the x 1200.1 will still drag the lights down a bit. I am going to add a couple of more yellowtops as a cusion and hope that helps with voltage a little. I really need a second alt I think. It all comes down to the charging system.

Post by **stipud** » Mon Dec 25, 2006 10:54 pm

Hell, my 190 amp externally regulated alternator, 0 gauge wiring, dual 0 gauge grounds, and 2 gauge directly into my amp... a single Ti500.4 can still make my headlights blink (granted, this is with heated seats, fog lights, AC and all the fun stuff running). I've hooked up an o-scope, and I'm not even clipping it! Powerful little bastard that amp...

Post by **bdubs767** » Tue Dec 26, 2006 7:07 am

ms1000ta, 2 ms275, iva, pxa, tidd10, 8 fans, rear defrosters, make mine blink wonder why

Post by **VW337** » Wed Dec 27, 2006 3:35 pm

mr tibbs wrote:Actually I rarely ever go into shops, but the other day I did go in one down here. He did carry PG, and he even claims that he did a whole car for PG a few years ago for CES! He then proceeded to quote me $1500 to glass a sealed sub box into my trunk. Needless to say I will not be going back there. That reminds me, I have been meaning to start a thread about that.

Anywho, how about up there? Any decent shops?

I spent a week in there shop working on that very car..............PITA.

It never made it to CES however it was at SEMA and was returned to them to make some changes.

If Angel is still the lead installer, you will be happy with the work performed.

dedlyjedly · Post by **dedlyjedly** » Wed Dec 27, 2006 6:37 pm

which shop was that errin? 702 Motoring in vegas has been doing most of the recent pg show cars haven't they?

tibbs, I actually manage a small shop up here in Logan. We don't offer custom fabrication due to limited facilities and the market up here but we're a PG dealer.

Post by **mr tibbs** » Wed Dec 27, 2006 7:20 pm

VW337 wrote:
mr tibbs wrote:Actually I rarely ever go into shops, but the other day I did go in one down here. He did carry PG, and he even claims that he did a whole car for PG a few years ago for CES! He then proceeded to quote me $1500 to glass a sealed sub box into my trunk. Needless to say I will not be going back there. That reminds me, I have been meaning to start a thread about that.

Anywho, how about up there? Any decent shops?
I spent a week in there shop working on that very car..............PITA.

It never made it to CES however it was at SEMA and was returned to them to make some changes.

If Angel is still the lead installer, you will be happy with the work performed.

Well, thanks for filling me in. I was all geared up to raise the BS flag on them!

And yes, Angel is the lead installer. John mentioned him by name, but I still can't afford (or justify) $1500 for a sealed fiberglass sub box. I'm sure he does great work though.

And dedlyjedly, the name of the shop is Laketown.

hawaiianbasshead · Post by **hawaiianbasshead** » Fri Dec 29, 2006 9:11 pm

slc72005 wrote:dont bother with changing the caps, the reason people have them changed on ms amps is because they are old caps and there is better caps to replace them with.

if you are worried about headlight dimming get a better alt or second battery like i did when i was running 2 x1200.1 and 1 200.4, had no problems asfter a second battery was installed, i used a kinetik hc1800 voltage never dipped below mid 12v's and that was with a stock ford alt

I got major dimming with an optima blue under the hood, 0awg big 3, two kintik 2400's in the back and a pair of autotek mm4000.1ds my tv screen would even dim at full tilt lol.