Originally Posted by
NoTLaDStyle
Caps will do nothing for long notes, they do not affect the voltage while charging since they simply prolong the current demand:
So when the bass hits
- capacitor will maintain the voltage for a fraction of a second
- the battery or alternator will supply the extra current until the amp doesnt need it
- once the amp no longer demands the extray current the capacitor will recharge itself to whatever the current voltage is and will rise as the alternator raises the voltage back to 13.x. since the capacitor never demands a higher voltage than is currently available it does not add a load to the circuit!
Not to restart the whole cap fight again...your last statement is incorrect. When a cap discharges, its resistance goes down. In fact, a fully discharged cap will look like a dead short...that's why you need a series resistor (most are built in, now) when you charge them for the first time. If that doesn't make enough sense, how can anything that is not full, get filled up, without taxing the system that is filling it? Batteries never 'demand' more voltage than is available, so, are they not a load when discharged, either? I don't think so.
Again, splitting hairs, because the load isn't big, and doesn't last long, but there is a load.
Toby