I recently picked up a 4ch amp for my speakers, im just wondering what i need to run down the car so it can be installed?
Power wire down one side (what gauge?) and what 2 sets of rca's down the other?
What else is involved in the installation of a 4ch amp for use with the front and rear speakers?

the amp is a Pioneer GM-6300F 4ch Amplifier

thanks guys!

You've pretty much got it sussed.

Some things to consider before going shopping:
1) where will you install the amp? Under the dash, under a front seat or in the boot? I'm guessing it's too big for under dash, under seat could be iffy too I imagine.
2) how powerful is the amp? Probably 4Gauge power cabling is sufficient but if it's very powerful, you may have to get thicker cable.
3) where will the power cables run? LHS, RHS? Where can it pass through the firewall? Typically I find there's a few grommets to choose from, but worst case you'll be looking at the accelerator cable on the drivers side. Knowing where it will go will let you work out how much cable you need.
3) how long for the RCA cables - length is a little less flexible, so either 3m or 5m cables to the boot or 1m or 2m cables to reach under a seat.
4) how will you wire the amp to the speakers? From amp to factory wiring behind the head unit is not recommended for high power, but probably fine for an average install, otherwise it's amp to speakers and you'll have fun with the doors, I always do :(


What to get:
1) Power cabling to the amp:
Probably 4 gauge power cable, anything up to 10m of red for the positive and up to 1.5m of black to earth the amplifier to the chassis.
You may want a new battery terminal with multiple cable connections, eg: http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=HC4046, or you might reuse the original. My original terminal broke on the last install.
You have to have a fuse on that power cable, as close to the battery as possible. EG: http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=SZ2075
You'll need a blue 'remote' wire from the headunit to the amp - this only runs a small current to 'switch' the amp on, so can be a thin wire.

2) Connectors - not necessary, but make life easier. You can just wrap bare wires around the amp's terminals, but if you're changing things about often, crimped spade connectors will make life easier.

3) Speaker cabling - go crazy and get oxygen free if you want, but I just use generic paired (figure 8?) cable normally. Length to be determined if you're going to the speaker directly or to the headunit.
For simplicity you may choose to wire the rears directly to the amp but jump onto the factory wiring for the fronts.

4) RCA's - shielded will help eliminate alternator whine and other unwanted interference.

Jaycar IMO has some good quality gear - probably beats showroom prices at car audio specialists and there's pics on line. There are cheaper options to the couple of examples I gave.

Also give our newest sponsor a look see - maybe he has installation kits and the like.

Hope this helps.
graham.

Factory speaker cabling will be fine for what you are doing, but if you feel like it run some new stuff.

Good write up above, I would only add one more thing and that is run your signal cables (RCA cables from headunit output to amp inputs) on the opposite side of the car to the 12V power cable. If you run them along side of each other you will most likely pick up noise which is very frustrating!

I ran signal down the drivers side and power down the passengers to avoid the ECU which can also be a little noisy.

question about the RCA's and normal speaker cabling.. i was told u shouldn't mix the 2.. as in having the fronts directly connected with speaker cable and having the rears connected with RCA as it would mix the signal or something.. didn't make sence but this was from a so called professional.. i have very loud 6x9's in the parcel shelf so could do without them and it would mean i don't need to use 2 amps as i have a sub. However i guess this would mean i can't use more speakers in the front as you shouldn't bunny hop..

nixxss try not to highjack everyones threads... but you dont run speakers by RCA's all speakers are run with speaker wire.

the person may have been talkin bout high level inputs(running amp imput from head unit speaker outputs) and low level imputs(running amp imput from rca)

nixxss try not to highjack everyones threads... but you dont run speakers by RCA's all speakers are run with speaker wire.

thought asking the question may help [shhh]ayne. sorry.. :(

well I went into the local autobarn and ripco today to try and find a 4ch amplifier wiring kit
they only had one 4ch amplifier wiring kit with 4guage wiring and it was like $180

so what do people think on this Audioline 4ch Amplifier Wiring Kit (http://www.jbhifionline.com.au/car-sound/car-accessories/audioline-kit-al011-4-ch-amp-wiring-kit/435798)?

sounds alright for $120?

Go to supersh1t auto and pick up one of their rampage kits, im almost certain its cheaper.

Make sure your amp can take 4AWG wire too.

Poita - I usually agree with 'keep RCA's on opposite side' theory. Buy good RCA's and that becomes a non-issue.

Iridium RCA's, bloody awesome.

http://www.ryda.com.au/Aerpro-MX404-800W-4CH-Amp-Wiring-Kit-4GA-p/mx404.htm

You can get a Sony one for about $90 easy with 4ga, 2x RCA etc.

Easy to get a full kit under $100, just do some research :D

thanks guys!
how do i know how powerful the amp is? like how do i know whether to use 0, 4, 8 gauge etc wire?

add up the amps (fuses) of the amp, then look in the DIY thread up the top (sticky) and determine which wires best
or just ran 4ga ;)

add up the amps (fuses) of the amp, then look in the DIY thread up the top (sticky) and determine which wires best
or just ran 4ga ;)

thanks man!
all sorted
off to buy some gear tomorrow it seems :)

How much power to determine what gauge wire?

<begin update>
Don't read this bit I wrote originally, since it's not the best way to work it out and there may be no correlation between the amount of electrical energy that the Amplifier will draw from the battery and the amount of musical power (Watts RMS) that it can produce on the other side.


I'm not too sure and can't be bothered searching, but at a guess I would suggest: up to 100W = 8 gauge, up to 600(or a bit more) W RMS = 4 ga, 2ga might handle up to 2000W RMS, over that 0ga. Just guessing though.

Actually, I think I was on the safe side there - 4ga power cable from jaycar is rated at 110amps, so at 13.8V = 1500W - since amps only run at ??? 80% efficiency ? then 80% of 1500 = 1200, so 4ga power cable should be good for amps up to 1000W RMS and still be on the safe side.

About the only thing of relevance is that the Jaycar cable is rated to handle 110amps, so if the fuse(s) on the amplifier are less than 110amps, then that power cable should handle that amplifier.

So look at the Amplifier's fuse(s) and ignore how many musical Watts it can produce.
<end update>

I just priced up the components on Jaycar's website, based on the list from the JB Link you provided and it came to approx $150 - the RCA or power cable might have been higher quality, but otherwise it would all be the same. Jaycar also had an amp wiring kit for amps up to 100W - had 8ga power cable - price just $45.

G.

How much power to determine what gauge wire?

I'm not too sure and can't be bothered searching, but at a guess I would suggest: up to 100W = 8 gauge, up to 600(or a bit more) W RMS = 4 ga, 2ga might handle up to 2000W RMS, over that 0ga. Just guessing though.

Actually, I think I was on the safe side there - 4ga power cable from jaycar is rated at 110amps, so at 13.8V = 1500W - since amps only run at ??? 80% efficiency ? then 80% of 1500 = 1200, so 4ga power cable should be good for amps up to 1000W RMS and still be on the safe side.

I just priced up the components on Jaycar's website, based on the list from the JB Link you provided and it came to approx $150 - the RCA or power cable might have been higher quality, but otherwise it would all be the same. Jaycar also had an amp wiring kit for amps up to 100W - had 8ga power cable - price just $45.

G.

Thanks Graham!
extremely helpful!

your bloods worth bottling!

Personally I dont bother with X amount of W = 4AWG.

The guage of the wire is dependant on the current draw / voltage drop.

If you dont plan on adding extra amplifiers, just run the maximum gauge your amplifier can handle (should be in the manual).

If you plan on adding another amplifier, the run 2AWG.

Oggy if you can not be bother to check, don't post.

As Ers look at the current draw - not the actual output wattage. Great example is an amp I had only had a 30A protection fuse ( on the amp ) to make over 600WRMS. Most others I seen had 2x 30A or 2x 40A in the same class.

This: Actually, I think I was on the safe side there - 4ga power cable from jaycar is rated at 110amps, so at 13.8V = 1500W - since amps only run at ??? 80% efficiency ? then 80% of 1500 = 1200, so 4ga power cable should be good for amps up to 1000W RMS and still be on the safe side.

Does not make sense. The other 20 - 50% that is lost mostly in the output stage, doesn't just disappear. The amp will still pull the current as it is making 1500W, however in your case, 1200W will be clean power and the other 300W or there abouts will be heat....

Remember if you post something up, someone might follow what you say... sometimes it is worth checking first.

Dude, read your PM.

settle down guys!
:)

just a question now, whats the go with the wiring of the speakers, do the speaker wires get connected directly from the amp to the speakers?

if so, obviously the rear speakers are easy enough to do, but does it mean i have to run speaker wire from the front of the car to the boot?

the stock wire will be fine to use
easy way to do it is tap into the main harness behind the deck then run 4 lengths of speaker wire to the amp
its up to you wether you rerun your own speaker wire from each speaker

the stock wire will be fine to use
easy way to do it is tap into the main harness behind the deck then run 4 lengths of speaker wire to the amp
its up to you wether you rerun your own speaker wire from each speaker

thanks man!
yeh thats what i thought

is it best to run it down the side with the RCA's rather than the power?

the power wire shoud be keep away from any signal wires (speaker wire, RCA's and remote)
RCA's should be run down the center of the car to avoid the sneaky power wires on the drivers side
run the speaker and remote wire down the drivers side and power on the passenger side

ayne;1137737']thanks man!
yeh thats what i thought

is it best to run it down the side with the RCA's rather than the power?

Doesn't really matter if you use quality cables. I have never had a problem running either with the power or with the RCA.

Don't worry mate, not trying to start a fight. No doubt ill get another infraction for speaking the truth...I have not nothing against anyone on here... Except Ers because he is better looking than me.

the power wire shoud be keep away from any signal wires (speaker wire, RCA's and remote)
RCA's should be run down the center of the car to avoid the sneaky power wires on the drivers side
run the speaker and remote wire down the drivers side and power on the passenger side

Look to an extent thats the rule of thumb.

Run quality cables (like Iridium brand, or Stinger......*ahem same cable different colours*) and that is no longer an issue.

Mine run very close, and sometimes along power wires (0AWG & 4AWG), under amps around the racks.....and no engine noise.

ayne;1137731']settle down guys!
:)

just a question now, whats the go with the wiring of the speakers, do the speaker wires get connected directly from the amp to the speakers?

if so, obviously the rear speakers are easy enough to do, but does it mean i have to run speaker wire from the front of the car to the boot?

Its not about starting a fight, its about pure mis-information.

Yes a just about every wiring kit is labeled for Xwatts......thats fine, they base that on current draw and a 100% effecient amplifier, which - is incorrect, its called a marketting tactict. Just like watts vs rms.

You run power cabling based on two things in stereo:

Current draw and minimising voltage drop. Watts and the fair godmother have nothing to do with it, at all.

How much current a cable can handle is based on a couple things:
1) the size of the cable
2) the length of the cable.

The longer the cable run is, the less current it can handle. Also this is where voltage drop becomes visible (lost as heat).

The answer is simple, if you plan to upgrade in the future - run a bigger cable and use a FUSED distribution block to then run the correct (for your amplifier) size cable.

If you dont, run the maximum size your amplifier can run.

EDIT: speaker wire.

I run 16AWG for my front speakers, 10AWG for my sub. For the vast majority of systems, the factory speaker wire is more than capable of doing the signal duties.

From memory it measures in at around 22AWG, which is more than enough for most speakers.

well i bought 2 packs of 12m 16AWG speaker wire yesterday!
I didnt realise how expensive it was!
cost me $50 all up
hopefully Ill get time to run it down the car this week

Ooh, cringe at the price. :) Hopefully it's good stuff and suits the job to a T.

Just wait until you buy RCA cables though! I think my last set were close to $200, but that's probably cheap for 20m of A/V (3 RCA) cable + connectors.

Mr Charisma has enlightened me that the current draw from the batter may not relate to the W RMS power of the amp in any way, so please don't use that as any guide unlike my previous post, which I'll edit now as well. Best would probably be to look at the standard fuse(s) on the amplifier and know that they shouldn't draw more current than that, then make sure your power cable is rated to handle more than that.

Cheers, Oggy.