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I was have a pretty powerful system. I really don't want to say exactly what, but my lights dim when the bass hits. Now back in the day when I had a good system in my car, I had a 1 farad cap. Do you think I should get one for my system or just get a bigger battery?

 
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The cap will help dimming, but the problem won't be solved unless you get a bigger alternator (or rewind the stock one). Bigger battery helps, but really it will get drained if the alternator can't keep up.

 
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you're going to get all kinds of replies about Big 3 wiring upgrades, new high-output alternator, etc, which i also recommend doing, but here's what i would do first if i were you: buy a BatCap...they're like battery-sized capacitors, and they kick a$$...i have the BatCap 800 (supposedly equal to an 800 farad capacitor), and it was decently priced on eBay...

before my Optima Yellow Top under the hood, Big 3 upgrade, etc. i ran a ~1600 watt system off of the stock battery, stock alternator, and the BatCap mentioned above...even with the system, heater, windshield wipers, etc. on at the same time, i had no lights dimming, etc...

anyways, alot of people see these (as well as conventional capacitors) as a "band-aid" to just temporarily fix the problem, but i ran the setup above for almost a year before i upgraded my battery, wiring, etc...so i definitely recommend them, but that's just mmy $.02...hope this helps...good luck!

 
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They say temp solution because the alternator is still being used to charge that cap. It isn't extra power.

 
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id suggest big 3 and a capacitor.

but check out http://www.betteraudio.com/geolemon/newmain/battcapalt/

itll explain exactly what each does, why a deep cycle probbaly wont cure dimming, etc. I forget if chris goes into whether or not dimming is a performance problem or an aesthetic problem (its an aesthetic problem, if he doesnt mention it) its overall a wonderful and informative read.

 
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a cap is just a "bandaid." go for the optima battery and if that doesn't completely solve the problem, add a higher output alternator.

 
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Like stated above - a capacitor can be a decent band aid depending on your listening cycle and power output needs.

My brother has a 1500 farad cap (yes - 1500) in his system running four 12" in two boxes, two amps (1200 watts and 600 watts I think) and all of the rest of the interior speakers. He doesn't dim. Ever.

Of course - ymmv. If you're always playing at PAST capacity of your electrical system, you're lucky you're not stalling the engine on deep hits.

 
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Umm. WHAT!? define past the capcity of your electrical system. My current system is only about 2K RMS but I've done hits that brought my battery down to 9V and the car didn't stall. All that happened was that it deteriorated my battery and I needed to get a new one a few months after. Upgrading my battery made the same hits only drop the battery to 11.5V. I do have slight dimming. I'm thinking of the big three upgrade. If that doesn't work I'll have to go to a second battery. I can't upgrade the alt since I don't have one on my hybrid. (If you need to know the specifics on how a hybrid charges the regular battery PM me.)

I could probably go with a cap but I realy want to avoid it just out of spite of those that say a cap is the only way to reduce diming.

 
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I would get a another farad cap and a "sun - hyper voltage system" unit for the battery.

 
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Do the big 3 first. I'd begin with the battery, and do the alternator last, as it's probably the most expensive. hose should solve most, if not all of the dimming. I'd install a cap last, were I going to install one at all.

 
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HAHAHA...mine does that too. I use it to make my friends jealous of my system.

 
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okay, to anyone who calls a capacitor a "bandaid" to a stereo, I would like you to tell me why. Because I think you are just playing monkey see monkey do, can not back up what you said at all, and most importantly, are not helping this guy in the least, other than to spend lots of money.

what I would like to see, is an explanation of why its a "bandaid" in relation to stracers problem here, and why he should spend three times as much money on a problem when his problem can be fixed for far cheaper (the key word here is "problem", so you know what to focus on)

feel free to use christopher evert's guide I liked to above for support, because it explains exactly why a deep cycle battery (which is what 95% of people are referring to when they say "get an optima") will cure dimming far less often than a capacitor ("or two or three...")

but I'm tired of the post whoring that happens every time someone says "I have dimming" and there are forty unhelpful people who say only a new alternator can fix your problem.

SO...... a capacitor is only a bandaid? why? whats the analogy? can you back it up, or are you merely repeating lies others have said in other forums?

 
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Though others have said it I am sure I didn't. However, and correct me if I'm wrong. Capacitors are good to leveling out the current draw. Basicly they keep the voltage steady for a short period of time while the battery and alternator get up to speed to supply the needed current. This is good and a good reason to use one.

However, if you have a large current draw but if you have both a small battery and an alternator not up to do the job that cap will quickly run out of juice. Then you have to add more capacitors.

Buying a larger capacitor is not as good as buying multiple smaller ones because the resistance in the caps increase as the cap increases. The low resistance is why I believe caps supply the current faster than a battery (correct me if I'm wrong here because I'm not sure if I'm correct or not).

I think maybe batcaps are good because they are like low resistance batteries. They have a large storage capacity and can deliver the voltage quickly.

So my thinking on caps is they are only nessasary if your other components are good but just aren't able to supply the voltage for a quick burst.

If you get a cap and your other components aren't up to par you will still get dimming because the cap will drain.

Don't flame, just correct me where I'm wrong.

 
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im still waiting for the explanation on why its a "bandaid" in the speakers own words before I give my own take, but could you clarify what you mean by other equipment not up to par determining whether or not a cpa will be effective? itll be easier for us all to decide whether its worth spending the money on for our own cars.

 
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I'll save you some work Rabbit. I neve once said it's a band aid, i just said I'd do it last. Anyway, lots of you should read through this thread, as Rabbit and Ludlam go very indepth on the use of caps, their functions, etc:

http://www.7thgencivic.com/forums/sh...ight=capacitor

 
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no worries popcorn, wasnt geared to anything you said yourself! But two other guys did use the term bandaid, and at least one other who said that the problem wont be fixed unless the alternator is upgraded. I want to hear their justification for this, because its the same misinformation that gets recirculated over and over through all the forums, and it really needs to stop.

 
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Oh, I know, but I figured since I had searched for something earlier and came across that thread, I'd save you some time retyping a bunch of stuff. Tis' all good. And yes, I agree with the myths needing to stop being circulated. That one's almost as bad as the this box type -vs- this box type myth(one being better than the other).