positive terminal getting messy with so many wires...

[Denno]

I was just wondering how people who put some fairly power hungry sound systems in their cars go about connecting it all to the battery? My positive isn't looking very attractive at the moment, and I want to add another 4gauge wire running to it.. (along with another 4 gauge wire, and a couple of smaller wires for lights etc.)

So I was wondering, how do people with some big stereo's in their car, attach it all to the battery (positive)? Or is everyone's as messy as mine is getting?

[LightningVP]

Mine isn't as messy, but i don't have that much running to the battery, although the wires from my light going to my fuse box all connect together, then one wire from them goes to the fuse box...Like a distribution block, but I'm not sure how well yo would go with putting the wires for a 2g or 4g on it

[gdunkley84]

I just had a quick look here

Streetwires distribution blocks

These blocks look as though the can pass through 0/1 Gauge wire with ring connectors

So maybe 0/1 Gauge off the battery terminal into DBX44, and this will give you 3x 4 Gauge terminals. 2x for your two 4GA and 1x for the other little bits.

Remember fuse blocks if you use something like this as the DBX44 doesn't have a fuse.

[pedrotski]

I was just wondering how people who put some fairly power hungry sound systems in their cars go about connecting it all to the battery? My positive isn't looking very attractive at the moment, and I want to add another 4gauge wire running to it.. (along with another 4 gauge wire, and a couple of smaller wires for lights etc.)

So I was wondering, how do people with some big stereo's in their car, attach it all to the battery (positive)? Or is everyone's as messy as mine is getting?

Just run some 0ga upto the boot then use a distro block up there if you are not running to much.

[Denno]

the only problem with just running 0 gauge to the boot and then off a distro block is that I don't want to waste the 4gauge wire, well I don't want it to work out that it was a waste of money buying it, as it wasn't cheap... So I was realy hoping someone had a trick that they use or something...

[Tasmaniak]

Use a nice clean looking terminal and then use split loom on the wires coming off of it. It's not going to be the tidiest but it stops the pig sty.

[StoneX]

I have a dual 0ga positive terminal which one 0ga goes to the boot and the other 0ga goes to a distribution block (0ga in - one 4ga & four 8ga out) near my battery which splits it to all the engine bay cables.

[edit - added pics]
My engine bay is filthy!
Positive


Positive & negative, I still have to put my negative terminal and earthing 0ga wires on

[Haydz]

get 0 gauge from the battery to just inside the car then hook it up to a distro block and run to the back of the car.

you can use the extra 4 gauge to upgrade your earth for your battery.

[Denno]

Ok thanks for the replies guys, and that looks very neat StoneX, good work. I've already got excess 4gauge to upgrade the earthing lol, but I guess I can add more.

Thanks again.

[Denno]

@StoneX, I can't see any fuses on the 0 gauge wires there, so do you have the 4 gauge wires fused after the distro block, or do you have the 0 gauge fused and it's just not showing in those photos?
Thanks

[StoneX]

I have the 0ga going to the amps fused just next to the battery. The other 0ga is about 20cm long then goes into the dist block where all the stock wiring is attached. No fuses here as it's all stock wiring that was connected to the battery like this anyway.

[Denno]

So your amps allow for 0gauge input? Or have you got a distribution block in the boot which goes out to 4gauge or somthing...

[StoneX]

One amp accept 0g, the other accepts 4ga so I have a dist block in the boot.

[Denno]

Ok cool mate. So by fusing ur 0 gauge at the battery, you don't have to fuse the wires after the distro block?
seeing as though I already have two 4 gauge fuse holders, would it be alright to run the 0 gauge from the battery to the distro block in the boot, or to just inside the cabin without a fuse, and then fuse the 4 gauge wires after the block?

[calais_cruzin]

No u must fuse the 0guage close to the batt, coz if u dont n the 0guage shorts out its goin to weld itself to where ever it touched the body n get really hot then melt n prob catch fire.

You will have to fuse the 0guage then prob best to have a fused distro block in the boot for the 4guage.

[Denno]

ahk then. Best to be safe really. Looks like I'm spending more $$$ on wires dammit lol.
Anyone suggest where I could buy some 0gauge from in Adelaide? I'm pretty sure it's not a stock standard product that shops carry..

[calais_cruzin]

Sum auto elecs will keep it in stock, i just go find specialist car audio places not strath n that, go to a proper car audio shop they will have it.

Mine cost me 18.50per/m

Copper is gettin pretty exy these days tho, price is only goin up each month

[Denno]

Oh really? Well I was looking at it on eBay and it worked out to be $18/metre delivered to my door, so maybe I'll just get it off eBay . That way I save the petty money haha.

[StoneX]

Yeah, both my 0ga at the battery should be fused, even though one is only 20cm long or so. The dist block in the boot should be fused too or have a fuse on the 4ga wires going to the amp because if the 4ga was to touch earth, it could melt/catch fire before the main fuse on the 0ga would blow. A dist block with fuses in it makes things easier.

[holdenboy]

You could also ring your local welding supplies store, welding flex is a little stiffer than normal car audio power cable, but much cheaper. Around 50mm2 equals 0g....dont say 0g cable, say 50mm2 when phoning too.....they wont know what youre talking about if you say 0g

[Denno]

You could also ring your local welding supplies store, welding flex is a little stiffer than normal car audio power cable, but much cheaper. Around 50mm2 equals 0g....dont say 0g cable, say 50mm2 when phoning too.....they wont know what youre talking about if you say 0g

I have read that the best wire is flexible. Means there's more separate strands of copper, and plus it can be run down the car easier, and won't break if it encounters vibration and stuff. So I'm not sure about the welding flex....

[immortality]

I have read that the best wire is flexible. Means there's more separate strands of copper, and plus it can be run down the car easier, and won't break if it encounters vibration and stuff. So I'm not sure about the welding flex....

welding flew is plenty flexible. i've used it before. i also use it at work (attached to the welder) and it's certainly not stiff. it's also double insulated too, so thats a bonus.

[holdenboy]

True, but ive used it many times for installs and im yet to encounter a problem (or hear of one years after). I personally use 95mm2 welding flex for over 3 years now and havent had a problem....granted its not very flexible, but its ran under the carpet etc and is not visible. Ive used the 50mm2 flex a few times and its ALOT better than the 95mm2.

I would think its about $10/m........even if you just go down and have a looksie at it, i can even post up some pics if you like.


In the end, i cant disagree with "you get what you pay for", but in my opinion there isnt that much difference in between cheap car audio power cable and welders flex.

[Galixia]

just thought i would show u a pic of my terminal setup its alright and does the job good. has the little reader there as well to let me know the volts im currently useing as well...

[commsirac]

Both the pics of battery wiring ^ dont have appeared to have upgraded the -ve wire to the battery to cope with the extra load, possibly not all the appliances connected to the +ve are used simultaneously?