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Pages: 1

Amplifier Problems

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Posted by: MaloriaN

I have a 1200 watt amp in my Mark VIII and I receive voltage drops. My factory alternator already died cause of this and I have put in the new 96 motorcraft alternator. I receive minor power drops where my AC control unit briefly turns off and resets before this happens my CD changer skips the CD. I have now disconnected the fuse that goes to my amplifier. Would a capacitor help me out? If so I know there's different kinds and which would serve me best?

Posted by: vr4

minimum 1 farad cap. i would also try to find an alt from the recent police package upgrade.

Posted by: MaloriaN

Police Pkg Upgrade? What is that. I actually got mine from dealership its upgraded already.

Posted by: 94m5

IF it's a decent quality amp, (and I assume it is,) your gonna need at LEAST 1 farad, but would be better off going with a 2. take your new alternator to somewhere that can turn them up. I have a handbuilt alternator on my 95 turning 200 amps at 1500.

If you want the contact info, I could prolly dig through my reciepts for ya.

Mike

Posted by: MaloriaN

If you would be so kind and do that for me would be greatly appreciated. I can't go without my amp much longer. I will try gettin the 2 farad cap to see what that does and then if need be get the upgrade done.

Posted by: bufordtpisser

Quote:

Originally Posted by MaloriaN

If you would be so kind and do that for me would be greatly appreciated. I can't go without my amp much longer. I will try gettin the 2 farad cap to see what that does and then if need be get the upgrade done.

Also consider a second battery with an isolator, and Yellow top batteries.

Posted by: Fro99

.1 farad for every 100watt RMS

not sure but i dont think i second batt. is needed amp dose not seems to be that big

Posted by: vr4

he didnt state how its rated at 1200 watts.

for all we know its 1200 watts peak at 2 ohms mono.

thats not that big of an amp.

1200 RMS at 4 ohms...thats a big mofo.

Posted by: MaloriaN

Yeah I forgot to mention this thing does go at 4Ohms

Key Features
Amplifier Type Dual Channel

Bridgable Bridgable

RMS Power at 4 Ohms 200 W x 2
Performance
Frequency Response 5 Hz - 50000 Hz

THD at Rated RMS Power

what do u recommend to do here?

Posted by: vr4

1 farad would be good enough. no need for dual batts.

Posted by: KainDTE

I'm pushing 1300 watts RMS at 2 Ohms and I have a marine battery and a 1.5 Cap farad... Get a cap! WHY DO PEOPLE PUT SYSTEMS IN THERE CAR AND NOT USE CAPS?!?!?!

Posted by: talincolnlsc

i run a 1500 watt amp with a 1.5 farad cap and an optima battery. the cap is the first one ive ever owned and it didnt make much of a difference. i would just have a better alternator built and get an optima yellow top

Posted by: 414Boy

As far as a cap it's 1 Fared per 1,000watts. That said caps really don't do a whole hell of alot. I would start with a good size battery rated at 1,000 ca 850 cca. Upgrade the power and ground wire going to the battery. Last I would upgrade the amp, but I have run more power than that w/ stock alt. and had no power issues. Also what kind of amp is it make/model?

Posted by: MaloriaN

I figured out that the radio I am using is crap ... Setting the D- Bass feature on makes it work too hard I am looking to get a better radio or DVD unit. But most don't fit with our marks at least the double DINs its a shame.

Posted by: rmac694203

Yeah many people I have talked to say caps are overrated and power drops are usually due to the wiring around your battery/alt and not so much the lack of stored power.

Posted by: Cbecker1994Vlll

well from working in a car audio shop i can tell you caps are not overrated by any means. but not always the best solution
from what we recommened for this type of situation is
battery
alt
then cap
but if you are running serious amounts of juice caps always help
and according what i've learned from experience about caps from working there is 1 farad up to 1000 anything over needs at least a 2 farad
just thought i would throw some info out there from the car audio world
going on 11 years experiance

Posted by: MaloriaN

I am still getting the power drops. My AC resets my CD changer stops for a sec and my radio deck turns off.

The amp is a sony maybe I need to get me a nicer amp plz let me know which u recommend...

Thanks.

Posted by: JoeyLincolnMK8

get a cap and be done with it!

Posted by: Girard747

A capacitor will only stop your lights from dimming while your battery dies. Get a new alternator if you're having substantial voltage drops, and also consider upgrading the "Big 3", which are the wires connecting the alternator to battery+, battery- to chassis, and chassis to engine block.

Posted by: KainDTE

Wow dude I have never had any problems with mine and I have a Battery and a cap...

Posted by: Girard747

Quote:

Originally Posted by KainDTE

Wow dude I have never had any problems with mine and I have a Battery and a cap...

I was sort of exaggerating, as the alternator in the Mark VIII is usually good enough to handle nearly any wattage you'll throw at it. I'm ~2000W RMS, and I hardly get any voltage drops at all. Voltage very rarely drops below 13V, and I don't have any capacitors at all. I have the stock alternator (it's a worn-out peice of crap, and hardly ever charges over 13.5-13.7V), and an Optima Yellow Top. Before the new battery and the "Big 3", though, my battery was eaten alive. A capacitor's not going to save an alternator from dying, but they'll stop lights from dimming if that's the problem you're looking to fix. If he's having problems to the extent of things in his car shutting off, a capacitor's not going to fix his problem.

Posted by: KainDTE

When I had my Town Car I had no battery or Cap at first and I would be driving down the road and all my digital gauges and lights and

would turn off lol I'd be driving blind... Good times

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