Capacitor Usage?

[em2436]

Hello, I have a ss3000 platinum with several lights hooked up as well as rumbler installed. I just replaced my alternator as it was starting to give out from usage. I dont have the ability to get a higher output alternator, however I was thinking of adding a capacitor to extend the life of my alternator.

Thoughts?

 

[wilsonbr90]

The only thing a capacitor is good for is quick, peak draws, as in milliseconds. A little more info about your setup would be needed, but unless your running a mechanical siren your amperage consumption is probably a steady draw for many minutes. Consider upgrading your battery and wiring from your alternator to battery and battery to vehicle ground. Those are usually Insufficient when adding lights. Higher output alternator wouldn't hurt either. Most newer vehicles come with a sufficient enough alternator to run an extra 60amps of load.

 

[em2436]

Technically wouldnt the siren / rumbler combination be a quick peak? Especially when using the manual option on the siren?

What additional information would you like me to provide?

 

[wilsonbr90]

Being a siren its going to be a pretty flat draw because its going to be outputing the same amount of wattage regardless of tone.


Even hitting the manual button is only going to output the same amount of wattage. Even so your quick tone blast is probably going to be a 500-1000 millisecond blast, while the capacitor is going to release for 50-100 milliseconds.


As in more information are you loaded with a rotator bar or is it led. 100 or 200w. I dont have your exact gear, but unless you have a geo metro loaded witg this stuff a capacitor is just a waste of money.


Just trying to aim for what your amperage draw is. If your running a mechanical siren and the lights are dimming then a capacitor could help give it that iniatial juice, other than that if you have an led bar and a siren your looking at 40amps max draw and if you are killing alternators then you have insufficient battery capacity and l probably wiring not designed to make up for the load.


I assume you've been around the vehicle audio world and therefore equate that a rumbler is in the same boat as a subwoofer. A capacitor is a band aid, not a solution. The big 3 upgrade and a higher capacity battery will always provide better power in the long run

 

[em2436]

Thank you for your input, it is greatly appreciated.

Yes I was thinking rumbler would be the same as a sub since its technically what the rumbler is.

As for a breakdown of my power consumption.

I have HLF and RLF full led package also with a powerarc dash light. The SS3000 Platinum, Rumbler, 50w Mobile. 1 single 100 watt speaker.

I typically have my vehicle off and 2 lights running as I am in the line of traffic and dont want to get hit. I've never had my battery die however I am sure this puts an extra strain on the alternator to recharge whatever was used on the battery.

 

[OVERKILL]

There's a good chance your alternator just died of natural causes. That doesn't seem like a crazy amount of draw

 

[tvsjr]

What vehicle and what alternator amperage?

Unless it's a 20 year old vehicle, you don't have enough load here to be killing alternators. The cap won't help.

 

[em2436]

This is all in a 2011 ford fusion, has 60k miles on it. Alternator is rated at 150 amp output I believe.


I have a spare cap sitting around, no real loss in putting it in. It's a 5 minute job, just wondering if it's worth it.


The main culprit to the alternator dying seemso to be the use of having lights on while the vehicle is off and then having the battery recharged every time

 

[7d9_z28]

Why do you say you cant put a bigger alt. in? A starter/Alternator shop can rewind your current one for higher output and usually its not too pricey.

I got a brand new 250 amp alternator for my truck off ebay for about $100 shipped to me (though the guy wasnt too thrilled with how cheap I got it) Alternator shop put the correct regulator on it for me for like $20, and showed 261 amps on their machine. Then he told me he had a 130 amp he rewound for 375 amps.. I wanted it but couldn't afford it.

 

[Jarred J.]

The main culprit to the alternator dying seemso to be the use of having lights on while the vehicle is off and then having the battery recharged every time

a capacitor holds a large amount of current for a short amount of time.... I had a "system" in my f 150 years ago. the cap is still in it. (so is the amp but not hooked up)

when I flip the circuit breaker my scanner will run for about 30 seconds off the cap.  my 100 watts of driving lights stay on for about 2 seconds then dim down.

unless your wanting to put about 1.21 jiggawatts of capacitance, what your wanting to do isn't logical... capeche?

 

[em2436]

Why do you say you cant put a bigger alt. in? A starter/Alternator shop can rewind your current one for higher output and usually its not too pricey.


I got a brand new 250 amp alternator for my truck off ebay for about $100 shipped to me (though the guy wasnt too thrilled with how cheap I got it) Alternator shop put the correct regulator on it for me for like $20, and showed 261 amps on their machine. Then he told me he had a 130 amp he rewound for 375 amps.. I wanted it but couldn't afford it.

The reason for not being able tof put a bigger alt is due to size constraints. My engine compartment will not fit any other size besides for the oem alt. Getting it rewound is possible but I already put in the new one.

a capacitor holds a large amount of current for a short amount of time.... I had a "system" in my f 150 years ago. the cap is still in it. (so is the amp but not hooked up)


when I flip the circuit breaker my scanner will run for about 30 seconds off the cap. my 100 watts of driving lights stay on for about 2 seconds then dim down.


unless your wanting to put about 1.21 jiggawatts of capacitance, what your wanting to do isn't logical... capeche?

So it's not doing what I'd like it to do, besides for maybe helping with a quick boost for the rumbler (especially in the winter when I have wipers, heat, defrost, all running while responding)


What options do I have then? I really don't want to have to reinstall a new alternator every two years or three years...

 

[7d9_z28]

Have the old one rewound.

OR get a better car.

I have a 250 amp alt and dual Optima batteries in my truck, the plow and lights and computer and amp and all the other driving lights and off road lights and whatnot dont skip a beat...

 

[wilsonbr90]

The main culprit to the alternator dying seemso to be the use of having lights on while the vehicle is off and then having the battery recharged every time

Then don't shut off your vehicle. You are adding non oem equipment to a vehicle never designed to be used as an emergency vehicle. By doing so you are putting stresses in things that were never engineered to be used in that manner. Its like using a spoon as a can opener; Will it work? Yes, but for how long? There are inherent risks you take when modifying a vehicle. You need to bite the bullet and either upgrade your alternator, buy a better battery, or don't use your lights unless the vehicle is running. So do you want to pay for the extra gas and wear and tear of Idling the vehicle, replace the Alternator every few years (they don't make them like they used to anyways) or possibly a 1 time purchase of a hand rebuilt alternator.

 

[tvsjr]

See, this is a great example of why people who don't understand basic electronic theory shouldn't putz around with electronics.

First, let's cover the alternator. Even at maximum factory load, you've got plenty of headroom with your stock alternator. Unless your "few lights" are a couple Twinsonics on the roof, you're fine here. To give you an idea, my F150 has a 150A alternator as well (hell, maybe the exact same alternator you've got) and I can almost guarantee that my sustained electrical load is substantially higher than yours. No problem.

Second, the capacitor. Caps, as used in vehicle electrical systems, are designed to provide some extra power on demand (usually, when the subwoofer hits). They also "smooth" the total power draw from the vehicle's electrical system. They also add NO capacity (beyond a few milliseconds) to the system.

You've convoluted so many things in this thread that it's difficult to tell what your problem really is. I'm going to assume that the real issue is that you want to leave your lights running while on scene, but not idle the vehicle, presumably to save gas. Is this a correct assumption? Validate this assumption, then I'll provide some more information.

 

[TritonBoulder47]

Coming from the Car Audio scene before I came into the Emergency Lighting scene, Caps are JUNK!!!  Its a band-aide for a bullet wound...  

Look into the simple/quick/(fairly) cheap things first:

- Better Battery

- Upgraded alternator

- "Big 3" upgrade

- Multiple battery system

Also, check your wiring on EVERYTHING...  It sounds like there is something amiss if a siren amp killed your alternator...

 

[tvsjr]

^^

Better battery, maybe. I go straight to Odyssey

Upgraded alternator/"big 3" upgrade? Not necessary at all.

Multiple battery system - only if he wants to tremendously increase complexity.