22 Years' Battery Customization

Car Audio Capacitor vs Battery: Introduction, Draining, and Choice

Feb 26, 2021   Pageview:963

Who doesn’t love a good bass and audio quality for their car? It’s common for car owners to upgrade their audio systems so that they can be surrounded by high-quality audio when they listen to music.

Such an upgrade is not without cost, however, and sometimes the battery’s power is the cost for it. For this reason, many audiophiles use either a car audio capacitor or add another battery for the audio. Which one from those two is better? Let’s find out!

Will a capacitor help your battery?

Before we go further into details, we need to find out what a capacitor actually is.

Car audio capacitor is advertised as an item that gives balance in regard to power and high-quality audio. As stated before, high-quality audio would consume more power and can impact other parts of the car such as the headlight (it is common for the headlights to dim after updating the audio). To solve this problem, manufacturers create a capacitor that is supposedly able to give some extra current they store and send it to the amplifier when they need the extra boost. Thus, the amplifier would not consume the current of the car, allowing the car to focus its energy and current on the car itself instead of the amplifier.

Well, at least that’s how car audio capacitors are advertised. Unfortunately, the reality is not as perfect as it sounds. Although capacitors do store current, it does not have the same mechanism as batteries do.

Car audio capacitor actually limits the voltage to the amp, It also spreads the power from the amplifier to other parts of the engine, hence why the dim light becomes normal when you use a car audio capacitor.

Of course, it does not mean that having a capacitor is bad. However, its usage actually differs from how it is actually advertised.

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Can a car audio capacitor drain the battery?

There is nothing wrong with having a car audio capacitor, and it does not greatly damage the battery. Yes, a capacitor does not drain the battery.

When a capacitor greatly drains the battery, it is because of the wrong setting of the capacitor. There are some capacitors with third terminals or caps above them. The caps can display voltage, and they will need to be turned off manually. When the cap runs throughout the day, that’s when the capacitor would drain the battery. If your capacitor is draining the battery, it’s time to check the capacitor’s component and make sure that everything is off.

If the capacitor’s voltage system is not draining the battery, then the drain comes from somewhere else, meaning you have a short somewhere. After all, capacitors do not drain batteries. There are possible reasons such as the wires, the ground, or even the battery itself is problematic. One thing for sure though, the capacitor will not drain the battery. So it’s best to check other components of the car if the battery is draining.

Which is better, a capacitor or battery?

There is not much difference between the two except how both of them have different kinds of systems.

The first difference is the energy. Capacitors store their energy in the form of an electric field, while batteries store theirs in form of chemicals.

The second difference is how they release their energy. Capacitors store their energy on their plates, so their conducting capabilities are faster than that of batteries’. However, batteries store more energy, as technology allows chemicals to store greater energies than the electric field.

We can see that none is better, and everything depends on you. Which one has better requirements for your needs? Is it a capacitor or a battery?

If a capacitor is what you need, then we have listed several capacitors worth checking. They are:

1. Planet Audio PC10F

Planet Audio PC10F has the reputation of being one of the most renowned car audio capacitors not without reason. It bosts the support of capacitance with the value of 10 farads, meaning that the capacitor can charge and discharge more energy compared to others.

It also features an audible tone or alarms for overvoltage, low voltage, and reverse polarity. So, you will be notified when there are some troubles with the capacitor.

Besides its capacitance, Planet Audio PC10F also has several perks that would enrich your audio experience. The capacitor has an illuminated LED display and luxurious black color.

2. Sound Storm C22

If you want a great car audio capacitor that stands out, you should opt for Sound Storm C22. Sound Storm C22 sticks out from its competitors due to its beautiful chrome-plated posts. The chrome plate is not only gorgeous but also gives extra durability and resilience, creating a strong protective armor for the capacitor.  The inexpensive-yet-luxurious capacitor is equipped with a modern digital display to complete the look.

Sound Storm C22 has surge protection up to 20V DC and a high voltage of 16V DC. the high voltage and surge protection mean that the capacitor will work properly with high voltage, so the owner does not need to worry about damage.

3. Rockford RFC1

Last but not the least, we have Rockford RFC1. although Rockford RFC1 has a platinum plate, the quality is as great as Sound Storm C22’s plate. Rockford RFC1 makes the capacitor withstand scratches, making the capacitor perfect for those who prone to bring their capacitor to a hard environment.

Rockford RFC1 has Low ESR that prevents the capacitor from overheating easily, and there is a rapid charging feature that allows the capacitor to charge quickly.

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Which One Will You Pick?

Car audio capacitor is not that different from the battery, as its purpose is to maintain the energy of the car so that it can be distributed easily. Everything depends on your needs, but whichever you need, know that both serve their purpose properly. So don’t worry about picking the better one, as both of them will give you all the perks you need for a perfect audio experience!

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