i have a question about how to hookup a farad cap. i want to know if i can ground my amp on the farad's post that it is grounded from (figure a), or if i have to have the farad be grounded and the amp be grounded seperately (figure b)..

also, if i have to go with figure b, is there any downfall to them both being grounded on the same bolt?

thanks in advance!

figure a


figure b

 

b is correct, a is NOT correct.

you want your wires to be the same size, and the wire from your battery to your cap is the same size as the wire going to your amp from the cap, so you need 2 seperate ground wires, one for each device.

 

Both will work fine. Mine is wired as A sits, and has been for more than a year. I've also installed around 10 caps in the same fashion and NEVER had a problem with any of them.

Think about it, they ground to the same place, so using the same path to ground won't hurt.

With B, there is no problem grounding them to the same bolt.

 

thanks for the comments, can I get a 3rd or 4th opinion?

all the wires above are 4 guage btw..

 

umm...if your doing it A, your doing it wrong, sorry. here...you want another opinion?? how about Rockford Fosgates opinion, I think they know what they are doing...


you run 4 gauge wire to your cap, then 4 guage to your amp. your ground from your amp NEEDS to be 4 guage, in addition, the ground from your CAP NEEDS to be 4 gauge. If you run them in series like in A, you are effectivley doubling the power through the line from the cap to the ground, producing a fire hazard. you can install a bazillion caps, but regardless, ITS WRONG


DO IT A ONLY!!!

 

i installed my own cap and know many people who have done the same... we did method A. there's another opinion for ya.

mprtklr... in your post in the first paragraph you said "if your doing it A, your doing it wrong" then in paragraph 2 you said "If you run them in series like in B.... ITS WRONG" which one is it, lol? i know you meant A is right... but, just clarifying things.

 

hank counts as an infinite number of opinions. believe me, he knows his stuff.

 

no i was describing what was happening if you wired it in A and said B by accident, you double the power running from the cap to the ground...

the reason im so adimate about this is because I had a friend who wired a 5 farad cap wrong and set his car on fire.


and hanks opinion can be infinite, then consider Rockford Fosgate link infinite +1 ok? do it how you like, but the CORRECT way is B

 

run it like b. a would not be wise (grounding through the cap). you can use the same ground point for the amp and the cap. also, mprtklr, neither of the drawings are shown in series, both are parallel, effectively keeping voltage the same.

 

b is series, voltage is irrelevant to parallel/series. parallel would be 1 ground, 1 power to 2 devices. neither is actually series or parallel, but A is cloeset to series, since you are running the ground via the cap in essesne "in series"

 

thanks for all the quick responses, i will go the safe route, its not any more of a hassle, just thought the other way might be quicker.. anyways, with any luck ill have some pics up soon woop!

 

B is best bet.