Powercap or not?
 

I have just got myself a 3000w (1000w rms) sub and a 1000w amp... I am planning on running this in a 1989 escort xr3i. Do I need a powercap or not?

If so what does it do? Lots of people im speaking to are saying yes I do and others are saying not. I am really confusedd

Do you need a capacitor? yes and no

the system will work without it, but it will (probably, if its set up right) work better with it

the capacitor (in this application, caps are used for other purposes, eg filters etc) is used to store power - it works a bit like a battery (kind of) but it releases its energy very quickly or almost instantly

the amp takes a small signal at its input and turns it into a lage one at its output, (into a low impeadance load) it uses the electical power from the battery and the alternator to do this, music is like spikes /waveforms etc - not a constant tone or load - so the amp puts transient or instant power peaks into the speaker/s load and demands "instant" power from the battery/ alternator

the capacitor (power cap) helps to supply extra "instant"/ transient power to the amp - this may help to make the amp/ spealer/s system sound louder, have a higher clipping piont (less distorted at higher volume levels) and possibly more "punchy" and deeper bass

i recommend you fit heavy duty (low resistance) power cables between your battery/ amp/ power cap (take the power for the amp right back to the battery)

some installations use a second battery, or multiple batteries, or a single, extra heavy duty "audio" battery (in place of the regular battery) the power cap is a lightweight alternative to this, or used in conjunction with the above - its all basically to get more power into the amp/s