wiring a power cap?

**nickybvaux** · 22nd February 2007, 21:42

hi, i have bought a second hand powercap but won't be wiring it in for a while yet. i connected it to a battery and tested it would hold charge (which it did). but theres no light on it! does it run of a remote wire is so i carn't find a place for it on cap, or does it light up when it senses discharging and use amp remote wire?
please help me with any powercap knowledge you may have to help me!!!

**Ben H** · 22nd February 2007, 22:19

They are usually auto sensing now days

**PIMM** · 22nd February 2007, 22:26

Should run off a remote switch normally a blue wire from the back of your head unit that turns your amp ect...... i would'nt of thought it should be connected to the battery live 24hrs.

**breezephil** · 23rd February 2007, 01:53

A lot of Caps are Run off the battery directly, technically they are not a load as they store a charge.
You dont tend to find remote on connections for them, they are normally just +12 and Ground Studs.

What make of Cap is it?? Different Makes usually have different specs and work in different ways - I have an Inphase one that I have yet to fit, which is always on, it always stays charged - which is dangerous believe me!!! Even when they are off the load they can hold it for hours!

Like I say, 99% of the time it is permanently connected to the battery, it doesnt drain any charge from the battery (except when it is charging itself - i.e from new or when it has been really cained with bass!!

)

so simple really
+12 from battery to cap to amp +12
Ground to Cap to Amp Ground or -

**PIMM** · 23rd February 2007, 03:23

Originally Posted by breezephil

A lot of Caps are Run off the battery directly, technically they are not a load as they store a charge.
You dont tend to find remote on connections for them, they are normally just +12 and Ground Studs.

What make of Cap is it?? Different Makes usually have different specs and work in different ways - I have an Inphase one that I have yet to fit, which is always on, it always stays charged - which is dangerous believe me!!! Even when they are off the load they can hold it for hours!

Like I say, 99% of the time it is permanently connected to the battery, it doesnt drain any charge from the battery (except when it is charging itself - i.e from new or when it has been really cained with bass!!

)

so simple really
+12 from battery to cap to amp +12
Ground to Cap to Amp Ground or -

YES they are connected DIRECT to the batteryyou are correct BUT the remote wire just sends them into action(switchs on), what my mates had fitted recently.

**nickybvaux** · 23rd February 2007, 07:17

many thanks for the replys! so wot about my lights? when i connect it to the build and have it powering a amp will the lights work then or should they of come on when i connected it to a stright battery? in that case its broken!

**Ben H** · 23rd February 2007, 09:07

They used to have a remote terminal years ago but they have intelligent sensing now days. Yes when you first connect it or after use it will remain lit up but try it & come back and check it say an hour later. It should of switched the lights off, the lights are only leds anyway so draw sod all. When your amp switches on & starts a current draw the cap will sense this & switch back on again.
You wouldn't believe how hard this was to explain to customers who have just had one fitted.

When one manufacturer of caps on the market went over to this technology years ago it didn't quite do as what it said on the tin & was flattening batteries. As we were based in the same industrial estate they used our retail shop as their retail sales front & to say the least this didn't make us look good. They had to recall most of the ones we sold & replace them all with newly modified ones. Yep it had a remote terminal on. That was 4 or 5 years ago now.