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I recently installed a - 600W Kenwood amp & 2 - 400W Audiobahn subs and my cars battery has died three times this month. Today it died completely and the car had to be towed [IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-mad.gif[/IMG] . I called a stero store and they told me i need a capacitor. Is the stereo shop right or what should i do to prevent my new battery from draining?

 
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a capacitor is designed to store energy... but it also consumes some power in doing so. so no a cap won't help at all.

what you should do is not run your system for long (>20-30 minutes at loud volume) with the car shut off and/or get a deep cycle battery, or get a second battery put in for extended audio sessions. there is a way to wire a 2nd battery so that your system doesn't touch the cars starting battery too, so be sure to do that, and good luck.

 
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i think a cap maybe useless on your system, just get a another battery or a new alternator or ur recent one rewound

 
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The wattage of your ampp is nowhere near the limitations of your stock alternator. You don't need a new alt. A cap will only help teh flow of power, so that you don't dim, you don't need one of those, and shouldn't with only 600 watts. I think your problem is just that you run your system with the car off. Common sense would assume that the battery will run out.

I think that what you want is tobe able to run the system with the car off and the best way would probably get another battery with an isolateor type thing so that you'll always have battery power to start the car. Or, the easiest way, just don't turn off your car when you play music.

 
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Is it going dead with the car turned on, or do you listen to your music for long periods of time with the car turned off? If the car is turned off, then you can add a deep cycle battery or a 2nd battery which will give you more listening time with the motor turned off. Battery's do go bad after time, and need replaced. If this isn't the case, then there is something wrong with you alt. since it isn't keeping the battery charged, or you have something wired incorrectly in which is constantly pulling current from the battery...

A cap will not help you from killing batteries...

 
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in my opinion i think caps are useless for your power using is just put more load on our alt and it takes away from your electrical system total power

 
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There is no way a capacitor is going to help you. Think about it.

I have a Kicker 800 watt sub amp plus another 150 watt amp for my highs and I never have trouble. The only time I ever had an issue with the amp draining the battery is when I had it in the garage for 3 hours wiring in the neons and stuff. But even then the car still started, barely, but still started none the less.

Who did the install job?

I would suspect:

1) Remote wire to the amp is hooked up wrong. Basically it is always on and the amp is always on. This way everything works fine, but when the car is off, the amp is still on slowly sucking power. An amp doesn't need to make sound to be on and sucking power. With the car off completely go look at your amp. If there are any LEDs on this is your problem.

2) There is some wire pinched somewhere slowly draining off power. Hence why your battery is dead.

3) You daily play your system without the car running. It drains your battery a lot, but not enough to prevent the car from starting. Eventually this weakens the battery until it finally won't take a charge anymore. Only solution is a new battery. This is similar to leaving your lights on. After about the 3rd or 4th time a battery is shot, and won't work worth a crap, especially the colder it gets.

And as a side note, if 1 or 2 is the problem .... your battery already might be weakened to the point that you will need a new battery anyway. But don't bother until you get the problem fixed.

 
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A cap would be useless in preserving your power in the battery. You actually still have to charge it from the battery before you can use it. It will only help you avoid dimming (when you bump, your lights dim) and longer play when your car is off. (but not too long). I have a rockford bd1500 and a 400a4 which sucks a lot of power but as long as I keep my car running while bumping, there shouldn't be no problem.

 
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UPDATE: Thx for all the replies The dealership just called me and told me that the battery seems fine but it wont hold a charge. They also said it might be an ignition problem such as a problem with the alternator and their gonna further investigate it 2morrow. I dont play the stereo with the car off very often, i suspect that the amp is still on when i turn the car off. But I have to double check when i get the car back.