How much wire ?

**stew215** · 01-06-2010, 06:47 PM

I was wondering how long of a wire i would need to run to my amp..... its going to be in the trunk.

how long do you guys think it needs to be to run it through all the panels and under carpet ?

-thanks, chris

**koda.Z28** · 01-06-2010, 07:33 PM

Originally Posted by stew215

I was wondering how long of a wire i would need to run to my amp..... its going to be in the trunk.

how long do you guys think it needs to be to run it through all the panels and under carpet ?

-thanks, chris

Alot more than you think, atleast 25 ft to ensure you have enough left over for the ground as well.

**stew215** · 01-06-2010, 08:03 PM

thats about what i was thinking..... and i am going to run a ground all the way up to the battery that way i cannot have a poor ground connection

**koda.Z28** · 01-06-2010, 08:06 PM

Originally Posted by stew215

thats about what i was thinking..... and i am going to run a ground all the way up to the battery that way i cannot have a poor ground connection

DO NOT DO THAT. The ground needs to be as close to the amp as possible....no more than 2ft.

Find a spot of metal close to the amp, use a dremel or similar tool & grind off the paint then secure the ground to that.

**stew215** · 01-06-2010, 08:21 PM

oooooo i thought it was better to have a ground straight to the battery .... thanks for the info and the save !

**koda.Z28** · 01-06-2010, 08:41 PM

no problem....just get the right gauge wire, make sure all your wires connections are secure & your good to go.

**35th-ANV-SS** · 01-06-2010, 09:04 PM

Originally Posted by koda.Z28

DO NOT DO THAT. The ground needs to be as close to the amp as possible....no more than 2ft.

Find a spot of metal close to the amp, use a dremel or similar tool & grind off the paint then secure the ground to that.

Phew......close call

What size amp are you running? Do you have what wire gage size you need figured out?

**koda.Z28** · 01-06-2010, 09:19 PM

Originally Posted by 35th-ANV-SS

Phew......close call

What size amp are you running? Do you have what wire gage size you need figured out?

that's what I'm wondering...hopefully he gets ATLEAST 8 gauge....if he is running 1 amp it may be small enough he doesnt need 4 gauge.

**Willfully Armed** · 01-06-2010, 09:27 PM

If he plans running 100 watts or less, 8 will cut it.

I always run 4 as a minimum. And my sub leads are 8 guage.

And, just because your amp says 600 watts(or whatever) does not mean it could ever push that much.

Voltage X amps = watts

So say your amp says 600 watts, and it has a 25 amp fuse.. At 14.4 volts, the most it could ever produce is 360 watts.

Like my amp specs are 800x1@1ohm. It has 3-30amp fuses. So it actually could be capable of a 1300 watt peak. Very few amps are efficient enough to come close to their potential though.

**stew215** · 01-06-2010, 09:38 PM

i have a 330 watt 2 channel alpine amp and 4 gauge wire

**stew215** · 01-06-2010, 09:46 PM

also i have an active crossover, will i need to run another power line or can i just run it off the same power wire as my amp?

thanks for the help guys.... i guess i need to learn a little more before i go blowing my stuff up

the sad part is i went to school for electronics and i never learned anything about car audio

**koda.Z28** · 01-06-2010, 10:13 PM

Originally Posted by Willfully Armed

If he plans running 100 watts or less, 8 will cut it.

I always run 4 as a minimum. And my sub leads are 8 guage.

And, just because your amp says 600 watts(or whatever) does not mean it could ever push that much.

Voltage X amps = watts

So say your amp says 600 watts, and it has a 25 amp fuse.. At 14.4 volts, the most it could ever produce is 360 watts.

Like my amp specs are 800x1@1ohm. It has 3-30amp fuses. So it actually could be capable of a 1300 watt peak. Very few amps are efficient enough to come close to their potential though.

true.

a JL Audio 500/1 amp is 500 watts....

a Sony 1800 watt amp is prolly around 3-400 watts

**koda.Z28** · 01-06-2010, 10:16 PM

Originally Posted by stew215

also i have an active crossover, will i need to run another power line or can i just run it off the same power wire as my amp?

thanks for the help guys.... i guess i need to learn a little more before i go blowing my stuff up

the sad part is i went to school for electronics and i never learned anything about car audio

yes....usually crossovers have your RCA inputs & 3 wires...power, ground, signal....easiest way would be....

... signal can be inserted in the amp remote wire terminal w/ the remote turn on lead from your head unit, the power can be ran in the battery amp terminal & u can ground it where the amp is or anywhere else u find bare metal.

**stew215** · 01-06-2010, 10:18 PM

thats what i though ... thanks

**stew215** · 01-06-2010, 10:24 PM

last question ... has anyone used this sub box/company before?

http://www.hifisoundconnection.com/S...id/0/SFV/30046

**koda.Z28** · 01-06-2010, 10:55 PM

Originally Posted by stew215

last question ... has anyone used this sub box/company before?

http://www.hifisoundconnection.com/S...id/0/SFV/30046

I haven't...but I would bet that's a lot cheaper than a audio shop will charge you.

if u decide to get it i would recommend getting a small container of resin to brush over the seams as it doesnt look like that box is sealed off.

**35th-ANV-SS** · 01-07-2010, 09:46 AM

Also, if possible, ground to the same point. It will alleviate the possibility of a ground loop.

**KMdef9** · 01-07-2010, 01:29 PM

Originally Posted by 35th-ANV-SS

Also, if possible, ground to the same point. It will alleviate the possibility of a ground loop.

Did you mean different points? I would ground (common) all components seperatley. That helps against a ground loop, especially in higher power systems, this partially why you don't bother running it all the way back to the battery. Also quickens troubelshooting and makes hooking things up easier because you can ground things in a shorter distance.

I have seen some people who have done this and after hooking too many things up to one point, the ground no longer worked for the addition of another component.

**koda.Z28** · 01-07-2010, 01:32 PM

Originally Posted by KMdef9

Did you mean different points? I would ground (common) all components seperatley. That helps against a ground loop, especially in higher power systems, this partially why you don't bother running it all the way back to the battery. Also quickens troubelshooting and makes hooking things up easier because you can ground things in a shorter distance.

I have seen some people who have done this and after hooking too many things up to one point, the ground no longer worked for the addition of another component.

beat me to it

**35th-ANV-SS** · 01-07-2010, 03:57 PM

Originally Posted by KMdef9

Did you mean different points? I would ground (common) all components seperatley. That helps against a ground loop, especially in higher power systems, this partially why you don't bother running it all the way back to the battery. Also quickens troubelshooting and makes hooking things up easier because you can ground things in a shorter distance.

I have seen some people who have done this and after hooking too many things up to one point, the ground no longer worked for the addition of another component.

Yes I did. Thank you for correcting me