What's up HCF...I was running 2 kicker comp 15s with a kenwood amp and I was having issues with the my car not starting...I tried to run a capacitor to help the cold crank amps but I ended up just taking out the system...I'm considering going with a bass tube and a new head unit but I didnt want to have the same issue...is the capacitor my best option???..

 

When the subs are working, do the car's lights dim in time with the beat? If so, I'd use a capacitor. When does the battery go dead - while the car's running, or after it's turned off overnight?

FWIW, a friend of mine had me wire up two 10" Alpines in a box with an Alpine amp, and he's had no problems. The amp required us to use 8 gauge power/ground wires (with a 40 amp fuse), and I soldered in the remote turn-on lead for a good connection. You might just want to check that you're using the right size wiring, too. It probably won't fix your battery issue, but it'll make your system sound better anyway.

 

first check your alternator, disconnect the battery negative with car running, if it dies you probably need a new alternator. second, i run a 700watt 4ch amp, and a 1000watt 2ch amp with 3way speakers all around the car, 2 12" rockford and a inverter powering my computer and screen. All on stock alternator, but I have a 2nd battery in the trunk.

If your battery is doing dead, a capacitor is not going to help. If your battery is going dead and system lacks power, you risk blowing your alternator by installing a capacitor. A capacitor is to balance irregularities in the voltage pressure, not to add power like a battery would. A capacitor takes a little more power, but will help large draw moments in your system, but again, adding a capacitor on stock alternator and 1 stock battery is pointless...

make sure your alternator is putting out 13.8ish Volts, then reinstall your system (without any capacitor). If you do not have a back up deep cycle battery, then do not listen to music when your cars engine is not running, you will kill your reg battery and it will not be able to charge anymore. Do not install a cap on a stock system, you risk blowing your alternator.

I have 2 2farad caps waiting on my high output alternator until i can hook them up without putting my system at risk...

edit: also what ChristianL said, use large gauge wire everywhere, and grounds are very important, try to ground everything at the same place, or to the battery is it is possible, and sand down and clean the spots you ground to before grounding, I used all 4 gauge wiring for amps and 1.0 gauge on batteries/alternator. Bad grounds can lead to equipment not receiving proper power and the almighty ground loop whine in your speakers.

 

That was the first thing I thought...the alternator was going out...so I took it out..got it tested and replaced the battery...the alternator passed twice and my battery is brand new..I installed the alternator and still had the same problem...the car would be fine and I would come out to leave for work in the morning and it wouldn't turn on..so I would have to jump it off...I want to run a 12 with my kenwood amp but I can't till I figure out...so it could be a wiring issue maybe??..I don't have the dimming or pulsing of the headlights..

 

sounds like a wiring problem to me. which can be all out hell.

do not get me wrong, a fix is not that hard, but it is just finding where the break is. I had a very similar problem in my old civic, it was a cracked wire shorting to the chassis and draining the battery at night which in turn strained the alternator with my system and burned it out. You might want to pay for an electrical inspection, or get a warrantied alternator so they have to keep replacing it for you -_-

It could be other things, but it seems to have a good chance of being what I am talking about. If you can get that fixed, I would just consider getting another battery for the trunk and your stereo system, it really makes a difference if you are into your music.

edit: on a side note, having an isolated battery (or even just isolating your main battery when the car is off) will stop that broken wire from leaking power and save you from buying batteries but it is no real fix.

 

That sounds about right...but it has to be in the speaker wiring because the problem stopped when I took out my subs and amp...ill have to run a new amp wiring kit maybe?

 

all you did was take the amps out and the battery is charging fine now? as in it starts and then starts next time after you were listening to music? you did not replace the alternator? does the car still die if you unplug the negative on the battery?

If it is still dying then it is just barely working and charging the car just enough to start next time. Assuming your battery is good and new.

If the car is not dying when the negative is off then alternator is probably fine, or have intermediate problems, in which case i would suggest replacing it anyway.

If the car is not dying at all and you listen to music fine, it does sound like there was bad wiring. Just run a wire on the passenger side to the back of the car, you can just poke it under the trim if you are lazy like me (unless you are willing to take the car apart, but I would only do that if you have time on your hands or there are other things you want to do).

Isolating the problem is great, so if the problems do not exist without the sound system present, it is your sound system. Probably wiring, and although unlikely it could be the amp itself going bad and causing problems, very unlikely to be speakers as there would be other issues present if that were the case (ie alternator whine in speakers, intense static in speakers, speakers not working).

Enjoy having a working car for now and later maybe just rig your sound system in the back seats with "ghetto" wiring just so see if that makes the problem come back. If you are confident in your wiring abilities (it is really really easy) then you will be able to tell if the amp is the problem if the problem comes back. If it does not come back then it was the wiring.

 

Yeah that's all did...I figured that id rather have a car that runs then not...and id get it all figured out and run a new system...the car doesn't have any issues cranking or anything at all...the alternator is fine..no issues there..I'm at a loss on this one...it is a old amp...I got it from my brother and there's no telling how long he had it so yeah..the car is fine right now so I got this bazooka bass tube I'm going to wire up over the weekend...I let y'all know how that goes...thanks for he help!

 

Koolio, but be careful with old amps, it could have a bereak somewhere in it causing all the problems, if any problems come back after putting the amp back in, take it out right away and see if it stops the problem, maybe buy an amp with a return policy or use a friends and throw that in to see if a different amp makes the problem go away. I just had a problem with two channels on my 4way speaker amp going bad, only rear speakers now -_-

 

I guess now the problem with that now is I can't hook up the bass tube...the guy I got it from didn't have the wire harness to the bass tube but he had it hard wired..what's got me is he has the output speakers wires just running..I have no idea how he had them running..it has a internal amp so I'm thinking he may had spliced in somewhere or had them going straight to the head unit.anybody ever run a bass tube before?