hooking up 2 amps

[joshy123]

I have 1 amp in my boot currently hooked up to a 12" sub its a kenwood mono block, im getting another 2 channel amp which i want to hook up my speakers 2 how would i go about doing that im guessing for the power i just run wires from battery and a ground wire but what do i do for the rca and remote control wire in back of cd player?

the kenwood amp has a input and output rca at the back can i just run a wire from the output of that amp to the 2 channel one? and just split the remote control wire?

[sweefu]

hey mate,
for power/earth you can run a distribution block provided your wiring is thick enough. it has one hole at one side of the block, then 2-4 holes at the other side.. like a power board for your house.
considering they are monoblocks they most likely use more power.. do you know how many amps of power they need each? you'll need 4awg most likely.
then for RCA's you can get splitters which are basically one female to two male
or run more from your headunit
and for remote, just split that, as thats only used as a trigger to turn the amp on/off.

[acarmody]

EDIT: Damn you Sweefu posting your while I'm still typing.

If your headunit has multiple RCA outputs than you need to run the front RCA output down to the amp. If your headunit only has the one RCA output then yes you can run a RCA cable from the RCA output of your mono amp to the input of your 2-channel amp.

For the remote turn-on wire yes you can just split it.

For the power depending on what sort of amps you have and what size power cable you currently have you may get away with just splitting the current power cable. We would need the cable and amp specs to further advise. Otherwise you can either replace the current power cable with a bigger size or run another cable next to the current one, though this tends to look messy.

[joshy123]

what is a good cheap amp to get to run the speakers wanna connect standard vp front speakers and 2 back 6x9s

[calais4life]

i can help you out with it for freee if u wud like? its really easy ey

[acarmody]

what is a good cheap amp to get to run the speakers wanna connect standard vp front speakers and 2 back 6x9s

Go down to JB or WOW Sight and sound or other like place and ask for a cheap amp. But what is the point, the factory speakers will blow if hooked up to an amp, and all you will get is sound coming from behind you.

[sweefu]

what is a good cheap amp to get to run the speakers wanna connect standard vp front speakers and 2 back 6x9s

Hunt around on ebay mate. i just picked up a really good sherwood (usually do home theatre) amp for $30. Try look around
Cheers.

[joshy123]

ok so i just ordered another amp so in acouple of days ill try and hook it up

[sweefu]

sounds good mate. i'm in no way an expert but feel free to pm if you need some help.
Cheers.

[joshy123]

now about splitting the power cable the red power cord i have is 8 gauge and the 2 amps im wanting to connect is a kenwood 1000w amp and a 2 channel 2800 watt amp can i just split the power wire to both of them or will i need to run another cable

[sweefu]

hey mate by the sounds of it you will need to buy 4awg power/earth cables and a distro block. do you have the RMS ratings or the current that they draw? Just look at the fuses and add them up. 8awg can carry about 50amps of current.

[joshy123]

one fuse is 40A and the other is 25A

One amp is which i use for my sub
http://au.kenwood.com/Car_Entertainm...iers/KAC-8104D

and the other amp is which im going to use for my speakers ( i know its only a cheapy but its better then the standard headunit one) http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI....=STRK:MEWNX:IT

[sweefu]

yeah mate, you'd be going for the 4AWG power/earth cable. what i did was run these to a distro block. eg run power from battery to boot (If you have amps in boot), then into a distibution block (these usually accpet 1x4awg to 2 or 4 x 8awg cable) and the same for the earth. remember to keep all the 8awg cables as short as possible. if i were you, assuming you have the rca cables already, i'd go for the fusion 4awg power cable kit at supercheap auto for $45-$50 depending on which store. then distroblocks seem cheapest at jaycar.
let me know if you need anymore help mate.
cheers.

[joshy123]

Thanks for your help so far mate, im still waiting for the amp to come, once i get it ill look into getting the power and earth cable and distibution block, i already have enough of the other cables, and then try my luck at hooking it up lol

[sweefu]

haha no worries mate, it'll be easy really its not too bad, just set aside alot of time eg. a saturday not a night after work, cus then you wont end up rushing it and will be able to take all the trim apart etc to do it well.
Good luck mate.

[K Lewy]

Hey Guys Just reading through:
-Got told other day by a guy at Dick Smith Electronics, that if running to amps, they need to be FUSED (I.E Distributation block), within like a certain amount of length I.E 1 Metre.
Otherwise it is illigal, but im unsure on that ay.
Anyway, as guys above have said you will need to Run distributation block, and for negitive best to run that off the BATTERY aswell, if earthing it in boot (Of any metal, like most of usdo) can get some certain interferiance. If earthed of the battery, you will eliminate any of this interfirance.
Also you should make sure that you have the power wire running down the side with main power in the car, if not when running speakers will pick up some interferiance, but you wont if running a sub, because lower frequencies. So Check they are right, other wise have the hassle of re-wireing it.

Cheers bro

[sweefu]

Hey Guys Just reading through:
-Got told other day by a guy at Dick Smith Electronics, that if running to amps, they need to be FUSED (I.E Distributation block), within like a certain amount of length I.E 1 Metre.
Otherwise it is illigal, but im unsure on that ay.
Anyway, as guys above have said you will need to Run distributation block, and for negitive best to run that off the BATTERY aswell, if earthing it in boot (Of any metal, like most of usdo) can get some certain interferiance. If earthed of the battery, you will eliminate any of this interfirance.
Also you should make sure that you have the power wire running down the side with main power in the car, if not when running speakers will pick up some interferiance, but you wont if running a sub, because lower frequencies. So Check they are right, other wise have the hassle of re-wireing it.

Cheers bro

Hey mate,
just wanted to say i've heard that too, if its not externally fused within a certain distance its illeagle.
Also, with the earthing thing, it'd be bad in my opinion to earth off the battery, as long as you find a good earth place in the car, you will provide a much stronger earth than running it a few metres from the battery. just my opinion though.

[K Lewy]

I was thinking that.
But Asked a mate who is an electronics teacher has been for 30 years and he said ya may possible get slight interferiance, Best to do it off battery, but yeah not to sure.
I have always just earthed in boot, or near my amp.

cheers man

[sweefu]

I was thinking that.
But Asked a mate who is an electronics teacher has been for 30 years and he said ya may possible get slight interferiance, Best to do it off battery, but yeah not to sure.
I have always just earthed in boot, or near my amp.

cheers man

yeah no worries dude, i've done a few setups earthing well in the boot, i've yet to get any signal myself though, i just make sure all ends are well terminated and everything is well covered.
Cheers.

[acarmody]

Your ground cable should be as short as possible, some places recommend never more than 3 feet. As long as the earth point is good and has solid contact than there will be no problems. There is no benefit to using the battery as the ground, as the battery itself isn't the ground, your just using ground cables from the battery to the chassis and engine, and usually these are not up to the task anyway.

As for those amps the OP will be using for their door speakers, those amps don't seem to have a HPF on them so tuning them would be difficult. Then again you could always make your own filter. Also the ebay page doesn't mention THD figures.

[djs7cc]

earth it onto any metal of the car
i wouldnt go near the battery with the earth.
yeh like acarmody said u want the ground cable to be short
in most wiring kits u can buy the cable is only 1 metre.
so run the ground to the closest metal of the chassis and ur all sweet

[joshy123]

any tips on where a good place would be to run the 4 gauge wire as its pritty fat wire lol and what do you mean by if running 2 amps you need 2 fuse it

[acarmody]

I don't know about VPs but the VT/VXs have a clutch grommet that is pretty convienient. As for the fuses just one fuse near the battery will be fine, though some people as put another between the distribution block and the amp, up to you.

[Philthy]

I run a fuse near the battery, then a fused distro block as well.
You can never be too safe, especially when it is only an extra $5 or so for the fused block

[joshy123]

ok so i run the 4 gauge wire from the battery to the top of the boot, Then hook that wire into the distribution block and then run 8 gauge wire from the distribution block to both the amps? will that work best or do you still have to use 4 gauge wire aswell. im still learning about all this stuff that is why im asking so much questions also after you put it thru the clutch grommit do you just run it under the carpet or where?