Starting my car with a super capacitor array!

[btwbrand]

433farads@ 12.75V starts a small car. Very nice! I've not looked into cap technology lately but the information I'm running across shows that it has grown by leaps and bounds in the last ten years. Thanks for sharing your experimentation.

[Mississippiking03]

I'm sold. I'm just gonna grab a cap over the battery! I listen to my music while driving so sitting in the car while the neighbors are cursing me out, doesnt sound like a good way to go!

[warren52nz]

I'm still wondering about hooking these up in series (they're only about 2.5 volts these things right?) and charging them, with nothing to make sure each capacitor in the bank gets an equal charge. Anyone know how they do this? A resistive divider is the obvious answer but is this how they charged them?

If they don't balance the charge one could go beyond its rated voltage and we all know what that means.....

KABOOOOOM!!!

[seneca65r]

@warren52nz Zener diodes

[warren52nz]

@seneca65r Yeah Zeners are the obvious answer but their voltage vs current curves aren't very steep, you really want them to kick in hard at the design voltage and not leak below that. I guess with careful design it would be workable though. I'd quite like to design a voltage clamp with a "cliff-like" response at the clamp voltage. I imagine such things already exist. I made one for charging three 12V lead acid batteries in series to balance them with partial success.

[seneca65r]

@warren52nz I employed supercap / zeners in a design to use solar panel to charge light aircraft battery. Simply connecting panel to battery no good , because panel seldom receives direct sunlight! The panel charges a pair of 2.5v supercaps the zeners protect them from imbalance and overcharge. then as cap voltage builds up to 4.5v an inverter turns on producing 27.6v this is sustained until cap <3.6V, the cycle then repeats. I think remarkable, the device "fires" every few minutes at NIGHT!

[warren52nz]

@seneca65r That's a fabulous way to use them. Batteries hold their voltage until almost dead then taper off but capacitors ramp down in voltage as you use them (I know you know this) so a voltage regulated inverter would get around the problem.

I think I'm going to get some and have a play. Where did you get yours?

[seneca65r]

@warren52nz I buy from Allied electronics. ( I live in USA )  There are many suppliers.

[warren52nz]

@seneca65r Thanks, I'll have to try to find them here in New Zealand. Is there more than one brand yet?

[warren52nz]

Even though we knew this must work, thanks for actually testing this. I think ultra capacitors will play a serious role in the future of storing electricity.

[MrCalman65]

I saw a device advertised that will start your car called a "mighty jump". I assumed it was a capacitor? It plugs into your lighter socket.

[patrickikis]

@HappyMeal255 Yes, the alternator will keep the capacitors charged while the capacitors store the entergy used by the heater, the audio system, and the car computer. However, when you leave the car not running, eventually parasitic loads will drain the caps faster than the battery. If you get the car started again after having the car off for a while, the alternator will quickly recharge the capacitors.

[L38Crow]

@patrickikis I wonder how do you protect your car battery from overcharging if those caps are connected in parralel. As far as I understand - after you stop engine, leaving caps charged up to 14V, they start charging a car battery until 12,5V. The car battery usually charged up to 90% in normal conditions.

I wonder if overcharging issues may occur. What's you experience on that matter?

[urveen]

@L38Crow You could connect a starter solenoid between the hot terminals of the cap bank and battery so they remain disconnected when the engines off, then have some control circuitry to cntrol the charging of the cap bank once the alternator kicks in. Anyway the alternator rectifier will typically kick out ~14.5Vdc during running which the battery can handle all day no problem...

[meade9166]

with no load,will the capacitors discharge in a couple of days?

[patrickikis]

@meade9166

With absolutely no load, the caps will discharge about 10% over a day or two, then stay at around 90% of the charge. if you have the caps connected to your car while still on, there are parasitic loads such as the computer and clock that will drain the caps over night. If they are still within the 12v range in the morning, and you can turn your car on, the alternator will quickly recharge the caps.

[YummyMercury]

LIKEABOSS

[acrophobia123]

@PAYTONTECH He told us how many fards the bank was and you can see how many are there....They are all of equal values. Do the math and quite being lazy lol

[paytontech]

How many Farads you got there? What's the C and V for each cap?

[Iseekoutthetruth]

could you run a window air conditioner off capacitors and solar power?

[TheOffPowerZero]

would be nice to have some but im living in europe..... love it !!

[panyolito1929]

wow nice.... how many volts capacity for charging of that cap. and are going to blow up if over charge ????????

[khoham]

AAAAWWWWWWW YYYYEEEAAAAHHHH!

[gunnertonpandaman]

Great idea given me some help on my project very KISS. I like this.One thing makes me think twice.What happens If this is coverd in water? How did you find out the wiring for building the capacitors?

[SKYNETDUO]

One question will the alternator stop charging cap at certain point or will it continue until it reach the top full point of cap charge?

[rtty21]

i'm loving this video! amazing video, man!

[afdhalatifftan92]

How much does it cost for me to buy those supercaps? $373?

Do you accept international order?

[SKYNETDUO]

@afdhalatifftan92 those cap are expensive i found some that are 3000 farad and in total it would be like $630 there 2.7 each so if u know math and stuff 16.5 volts and 500 farads

[TommyLuptak]

Nice work! :)  \\m//