If your car headlights, your interior lighting or your subwoofer is very strong, you need to connect a powercap. This will not shorten the life expectancy of the car battery and your subwoofer can develop its full power.
What tools do you need?
To connect the Powercap you need the following tool:
- Imbus
- Cutter (Stanley knife)
- Crimpzange*
You only need an Allen key and no more pliers or cutters to remove the Powercap. If you don’t have crimping pliers at hand, you can also use a side cutter, but the quality of the connection is worse and in the worst case it can come loose again quickly!
What material do you need?
- Powercap
- Screws (supplied with Powercap)
- Power and remote cables
- Light bulb or ceramic resistor
- eyelets*
The eyelets are only necessary when you connect the powercap. Once the connections of the cables are made correctly, they will last a lifetime and do not have to be made again when removing the Powercap.
Where can you install the powercap?
Anywhere you like! But it would make sense to place it close to your power amplifier or active subwoofer. In the trunk you have enough space to fix all components properly and you have no problems with the installation, because you have more than enough space. It would be different if you want to squeeze the capacitor into a small room. If you have to change the battery, you have to take it out to discharge it or if you want to change it, you have the same problem. Therefore, always think when choosing a place, that it is always accessible.
Prepare everything
If you want to connect a powercap afterwards, you have to switch off all consumers in the car at the beginning. Once this is done, the next step is to take the voltage from the cable. The easiest way is to remove the fuse and make sure that the loose cable does not come into contact with metal, otherwise there will be a short circuit. If you want to be on the safe side, you can disconnect the cable from the – pole of the battery and thus prevent an electric circuit.
This part applies to any installation, whether retrofitted or not. Now it’s about preparing the power cables so that you can connect the Powercap. To do so, lay the cable in your car and cut both cables at the place where you want to install the Powercap. Leave 20 cm more of the cable for safety, so that you have a reserve. Then we come to the trickiest part, the mounting of the eyelets. First you have to cut the insulation of the power cable with the cutter, take care not to cut too deep into the cable, so that you don’t cut any strands (are the small wires in the cable). Now twist the strands in one direction and place the ring eyelet. The strands should come through a little at the front.
Now you only need to press the ring eyelet with the crimping tool. Turn the cable again and again so that you can crimp from all sides as well as possible. If you have done it right, the strands on the front side will bend outwards.
If the eyelet is tight, it will conduct better and there is no risk of it coming loose over time. A bad connection can cause a small arc, which heats up strongly and in the worst case becomes a fire.
Connect Powercap
Now you have 3 power cables with eyelets at the ends and your remote cable (if you want to connect it). The powercap is connected between battery and power amplifier. First connect the + cable to the + screw of the powercap and then the – cable to the – screw. The fuse is still removed! If you want you can also connect the remote cable to the screw provided for it, but it is not absolutely necessary. Tighten the screws on the Powercap as tight as possible, this ensures a minimum resistance and therefore a better cable. If it is not tight enough, it can also happen that your power amplifier and therefore your subwoofer cannot reach its full potential.
Currently the powercap is still unloaded. You must not connect it directly, otherwise it may break. Now all – power cables must be connected to the body. Take your light bulb or ceramic resistor and hold in instead of the fuse. The light bulb will immediately start to light up. Over time it will get weaker and weaker until it goes out completely. If you use a resistor, connect it for one minute. Unfortunately, you will not be able to control it visually.
Now the Powercap is fully operational and you can look forward to a great sound!
Extend Powercap
The removal is mainly necessary for maintenance work on the car or replacement of components. The procedure is similar to connecting the Powercap. At the beginning you take the fuse out of the power cable. Next you make a connection with your bulb or the ceramic resistor between the + and – screw of your Powercap. The light bulb will start to glow immediately and will go out over time. Only when it has gone out is it discharged and you can remove it. With the ceramic resistor, the 1 minute counts again.