Battery Drain

[pigpimpc]

I installed 2 amps w/ a capacitor in my car. I power the accessory line for my amps through my front accessory cigarette lighter.

I have an on/off switch in line with that accesory line to amps.

My problem is that my battery gets drained. I never had a car audio system that drained the battery. Do I need a new performance alternator or battery? Even if I kill the accessory line, the capacitor still has a digital lcd display that stays on. Is that the source of my battery drain and how should I redo the wiring if it is?

[blaK]

The capacitor is making sure your amps are always happy, therefore always draining battery. Better alternator would be the best then and great battery.

Try Stinger batteries http://stingerelectronics.com/ I have them and never looked back.

[corlon]

most caps displays should go off after awhile, unless theres something wrong with it or the wiring. if the display always stays on it could definitely drain your battery over time.

[pigpimpc]

Ok thanks for the replies. I will check the cap tomorrow morning to see if has stayed on overnite. I think I might put an off/on switch on the 12v power line going to the amps then.

[Aotoyota]

why is your acc connected to the cig lighter?

[pigpimpc]

I didn't want to dig in behind the headunit. haha. It was probly the most accesible.

[pigpimpc]

Ya my cap light stays on all the time. right now it reads 12.4v. wth. Do I wire it in parallel or in series?
is this right:
series: Battery+ to capacitor+ --> capacitor - to amp 12v

Parallel. Battery+ to capacitor+ to amp 12v //capacitor - to ground


I need a capacitor I had headlight dimming and don't have it w/ the capacitor.

[corlon]

battery power to cap and to amp. ground the cap and the amp @ the same point. add a 4ga ground (min) to your battery to chassis. if the cap is staying on it may have an adjustment to lower or higher the sensitivity. otherwise it may be bad.

[TLMNICK]

If the electronics in the Digital portion of your capacitor arent right, it'll cause the display to be constantly lit....which will drain your battery.

Also make sure you're running 4guage wiring throughout the car.

[pigpimpc]

I monitored the cap. When I woke up this morning the numbers were still lit but it said like 12.4v. When I left work to go home it said about the same thing. I never consideredt that the cap would be bad but its off to walmart to buy one and see if that changes things.

[TLMNICK]

Walmart?....well thats your issue right there bro. Never buy car audio components from a place like walmart.

[pigpimpc]

Good news. I bought a Duragold battery at autozone. It looks like top of the line. It had about the same cca as the optima. Now the car cranks fast and starts in about 3 cranks. I haven't had any problems since then (about a week). About the cap staying on - the numbers would come on when I opened the door so I was mistaken.

[dvdchris45]

do you mean a Duralast Gold battery? I've got one in my car powering an amp and two 12's w/o cap and haven't had headlight dimming or drainage yet. nevertheless, its a good battery!