i have a 95 runner and and whenever i roll my windows down my battery gauge goes down to half way and i wanna get a system and i know whenever its gonna be on the battery gauge is gonna be goin up and down up and down like crazy casue of the power its gonna be pulling....is there anything i could get to even out the power or make the amp pull its power from something else i could put in? thanks, jarrod

 

get your alternator and battery checked out. If they are both ok, look into investing in a high output alternator (or getting your factory one rewound) for more output.

 

Check out my site...http://www.cardomain.com/id/tx4runner . The capacitor is the thing that looks like a can on top of my sub enclosure. I had the same problem, but solved it with a power capacitor. It prevents that sort of thing from happening (dimming headlights when the bass hits as well)..I love that addition to my system. But let me know what ya think.

 

i second "yote4x4's" suggestion that you invest in a "capacitor", probally at least a "1 farad" one.

unfortunately, soo many people make the mistake of purchasing an amp & sub, & neglecting to pick up a capacitor @ the same time, then wonder why a series of electrical problems start cropping up, e.g., weak battery, dim lights, burnt altenator, dash shortages, etc., etc.

i hope that everyone pays attention to this & goes out & gets a bloody capacitor. understand that your vehicle's charging system is designed to handle & maintain demands placed on it by it's associated components, period.

anything beyond that & you need to do some upgrading, the cheapest of which being a capacitor.

good luck, live & learn, hopefully from the unfortunate mistakes of others & not those of your own.

 

My opinion of 1farad caps are pretty negative, so I'll stick to the original topic. He doesn't even have a system yet, and he is already having electrical problems. Get your electrical components checked out first.

 

ca capacitor is a bandaid to a crappy electrical system

 

umm i dont know how much you know about audio systems, but I worked at a mobile audio shop for 3 years, have installed dozens of systems and can tell you that a cap is not a bandaid, but rather a STAPLE to a subwoofer/amp combo that is powerful enough to use one. Of course, you dont NEED one, but you better have a pair of jumper cables in ur car for when your battery quits on you. I agree with frankenrunner, if you already have a weak electrical system, why would you want to put even MORE strain on it?

 

x2...

 

optima yellow top battery and when you get your system get a power cap. all of your problems should dissapear

 

i, as you all probally already know, am siding w/ "yote4x4" on the "capacitor" tip...you do need to get one.

granted, "jtm994" did initiate the conversation by talking about having a problem w/his electrical system (& yes, w/him evperiencing that sort of an issue, he should have his charging system checked).
however, that was just a "lead in" to the topic that he was actually concerned with (although you should be concerned w/your vehicle charging system first, "jtm"!), i.e., "...something else...that the amp could pull it's power from..."
good advice about the altenator upgrade, "NisAznMonk", but both you & "jimabena74" are horribly wrong about the definitely positive attributes of the use of a "capacitor" in a car audio system & it would be of a benefit to you both if you were to do a little research on this so that you can see that a change of mind is in order.

-f-

 

 

Jtm994 - Before you buy a cap, alternator, or new battery you should do the Big 3... Here is a link that will show you what I'm talking about. Also, while you are in sound domain site search on capacitors and you should find many threads that discuss the pros and cons of using them.

http://forum.sounddomain.com/ubb/ult...c;f=5;t=007801

 

let me include "stoutshady" with "yote4x4" in the "props award" department, good posting w/the link to "sounddomain"(i need to sign up over there!) & "chris's" posting there about the "big three", all of which i've done w/some 1/0-7/8"awg, heavy strand cable wire(i'm not playing here!)that i picked up @ a local electric shop(they wire breaker panels, transformers, & heavy duty industrial A/C installations)for free out of their scrap bin(the guy said "here, use this" & i did!), w/the additional precautionary measure of a fourth ground wire between the battery & the block(although this may have been accomplished w/the "altenator mounting post to chassis" wire suggested by "Chris"), just so it would'nt feel left out...better to have it & not need it than to need it & not have it!, if ya know what i mean.

oh yeah, & i still got a "CAP"(see above for action justification).

-f-

p.s. hey "nieuwendyk-25", have you checked this out?!?