How does everyone cable their amps?

I've got a 4x50 and 2x150 jaycar amps.

the 4ch is bridged for the fronts and the 2ch is bridged for a single 10"

Just wondering if I should split it at the eng bay and run 2x8g to the boot or go with 1x4g all the way to the boot and split it there.

Pro's and con's? makes no diff?

How does everyone cable their amps?

I've got a 4x50 and 2x150 jaycar amps.

the 4ch is bridged for the fronts and the 2ch is bridged for a single 10"

Just wondering if I should split it at the eng bay and run 2x8g to the boot or go with 1x4g all the way to the boot and split it there.

Pro's and con's? makes no diff?

I dont see why it would make a difference, But alot neater to just split it at the boot.
Also run the biggest power cable you can down to them, saves you having to upgrade later on.

its better to run a thicker cable to the boot to save the amps dropping over the long distance
it'll be much easier to run a 4ga power cable to the boot then buy a distrobution block to split it into 2 8ga power wires

I have mine split under the center console near/under the hand brake. splits into 3, one to each front seat and one up into the boot, works well, i get no dimming of the lights.

I run a 50wrmsx2 front splits, 75wrmsx2 rear 6x9's and a 450wrms mono. 12' alpine type s sub....

bare in mind it'll be more expensive to split further towards the boot, im currently facing this as I was stupid and ran 2 8ga from boot to battery before realising i'll need to do 4ga
im personally just going to split just through the firewall because i cant afford too much 4ga

I have 0 guage running to the boot then a splitter into 4 4 guage wires that go to each amp.

Cheers
Craig.

funny noones mentioned running single 4GA to boot and using unfused 4GA in to 2x4GA out (as they are cheaper than fused, ive checked) and running 4GA to each amp. thats all youll ever need if you ever decide to upgrade. i have almost 1000WRMS running in that set up, no dimming, no cutting out, no probs. if you decide to run 4GA and then split into 2x8GA make sure you run it through a fused distro block

Sweet 4GA to the boot it is.

Which side of the car do you all run your rca's down?

I run mine down middle then off to left under rear seat.....

Wont matter how many runs you use. I have done both.

You do not need a fused distro block if you run a 4ga and splits into 2x 8ga so long as you use a main fuse no more than 30cm from the battery terminal. Be sure to add all the fuses on your amps and add 10%. Add that size fuse in the holder.

Easiest way in a 3rd gen is all the way down the passenger side. There is a grommet in the firewall that side which pops out behind the glove box. If you run it under the removable door sills you will see plenty of room.

Ok... This makes me think... How would I attach my system?

response 4 channel to run 4 speakers 2 6 inch and 2 6x9s

and a monoblock (dont have it yet) to run a kenwood 12" 1500W sub

my plan is...

power down the pass side as everyone has said

rca's down the drivers side

speaker wires for the fronts from the amps going up one side of the tunnel.

Fun part will be getting the cables through to the doors.

Fun part will be getting the cables through to the doors.

Coat hanger and or Packing tape will help you achieve this. :D

Ok... This makes me think... How would I attach my system?

response 4 channel to run 4 speakers 2 6 inch and 2 6x9s

and a monoblock (dont have it yet) to run a kenwood 12" 1500W sub

You should attach it with wires :)

Add up the required power draw from your amps and see what ga power cable you require after voltage loss etc. The longer the cable you run, the fatter it will need to be. Do a bit of searching and you will find all the answers, if you get stuck, post up your question.

You should attach it with wires :)

Add up the required power draw from your amps and see what ga power cable you require after voltage loss etc. The longer the cable you run, the fatter it will need to be. Do a bit of searching and you will find all the answers, if you get stuck, post up your question.

or you can just get the biggest, best cables you can! then your all good.

You should attach it with wires :)

.


I personnaly would use screws:nuts: lol

or you can just get the biggest, best cables you can! then your all good.

Yes but people seem obsessed with putting 0ga in there car for only about 50-80A of Musical Current and don't buy a single sheet of Sound deadening or upgrade earths...

Her's a Guide (http://www.the12volt.com/info/recwirsz.asp) for Cabling and here (http://www.bcae1.com/images/swfs/speakerwireselectorassistant.swf) for Speaker wire

You should attach it with wires :)


haha i guess i left myself open for that.:redface:

otherwise, i might just get it pro installed, i only know what 4ga and 8ga etc look like and that for more power use less a smaller ga... but other than that, i basically know nothing bout it.
(well i know to run rca's, ground cable and speaker wire, and that it needs to be tuned, connected properly and et... jus trying to cover all bases so no-one tells me to attach with wires again haha lol)

Wont matter how many runs you use. I have done both.

You do not need a fused distro block if you run a 4ga and splits into 2x 8ga so long as you use a main fuse no more than 30cm from the battery terminal. Be sure to add all the fuses on your amps and add 10%. Add that size fuse in the holder.

Come on Charisma, you know you should always fuse a cable when you step down in cable size.

As for fuse sizes - I generally use the closest size fuse to the amp (at the distro block), simply due to the way fuses work, some can take 5-10minutes at 120% of their rating before they pop.

Eitherway.

Never used a fuse at a distro block and never probably will. Just because you are reducing the amount of current potential, doesn't mean anything will happen at the distro block. A cable will have x amount of current draw potential, and surges are not likely to pass though the main fuse. Anything else that happens is taken care of by the fuses on the amp itself. Waste of money for fused distro blocks if you are simply going from 4ga to 2x 8ga IMO. It's just another way to increase resistance over what's usually an already long run to the boot.

Bah :P

The fuse is not to protect the amp, as you said its already protected by its own fuse.

Its to protect the wire.

I travel on the 'better be safe than sorry' side of things, seen too many melted harnesses to take chances :P

Each to their own, though if you do the maths, depending on the length of the 8AWG, the 8AWG may be able to support as much current as the 4AWG.

Yeah but as I said you are just adding resistance. Take mine for example, I run 2 amps with 35A draw from one and 15A draw from the other. There is a 4m 4ga run into a 2x 1m 8ga runs to the amps. Now there is no real chance of any of the cables being overloaded and any short should not occur if it is well connected. I save money and don't lower resistance ( not really that it's gunna matter in my case though ). :D

Bah i'll get out my multi and find out the resistance and volts on either side of the distribution block then :P

That said my amps draw 70 & 30 amps respectively.....gotta love that massive class A/B amp lol

Sounds like a really good idea to see how much difference it makes in the real world.

Make sure you measure:
At the terminal
Just after the main fuse
Just before the distro
Just after the fuse on the distro
At the amp

Will be interesting to see how it changes ( it really at all ) the longer you get down the track. :D

Sounds like a plan for next weekend. I might even do a small write up :)