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Wiring & Amp Upgrading - Have i made any mistakes?

sweefu

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Hey guys,
though the advice i've got on here i'm upgrading my amplifier wiring in my car so i can run another amp. Just wanted to check i'm doing it all right before i go and buy the stuff.

4AWG power cable
4AWG earth cable

into two distribution blocks

then 8AWG power/earth cable to both the amps

what sort of fuse will i need now?
My amps are 500wrms at 2 ohm monoblock
240wrms at four ohm four channel
total of 85amps of power

thanks, please let me know if i've made any mistakes
 

SMIT

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I would run the following cable> Battery terminal> 4 gauge > fuse (80amp)> 4 gauge > Fused Distro (fuse each amp individually)> 4 GAUGE to BOTH AMPS

Ground will be 4 gauge from both amps individually.

8 guage is way to small for a 500wrms, and depending on the amps i wouldn't suggest it for 240wrms either.

Also why are you running 2 distro blocks? wouldn't that make at least 4 outputs for 2 amps? or are you using one for ground? i wouldn't recommend doing that unless you are doing 4 guage> distro block. 1/0 guage to ground point.
 

sweefu

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i'm pretty broke haha and trying to keep costs down. a while ago holden boy said it would be okay to run 8gauge to each amp, i thought 8gauge was good for 100amps of power?
i was going to run 2 distribution blocks, one for power one for ground.
if i do what i said, and still fuse it properly, at worst wont i just not have maximum power?
thanks mate
 

SweetWagon

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Hey guys,
what sort of fuse will i need now?

A good rule of thumb is to add up the ratings of all the fuses on the back of the amplifiers, and fuse the main power wire with a fuse rated of that amperage or slightly higher.

I would run the following cable> Battery terminal> 4 gauge > fuse (80amp)> 4 gauge > Fused Distro (fuse each amp individually)> 4 GAUGE to BOTH AMPS

Ground will be 4 gauge from both amps individually.

8 guage is way to small for a 500wrms, and depending on the amps i wouldn't suggest it for 240wrms either.

8 gauge is still fine for 500wrms, what you could also do is run 4 gauge all the way to the monoblock, then a 8 gauge 'jumper' wire from the monoblock to the 4 channel.
Also why bother with fused distro blocks? the main fuse is mainly to protect the wire and is plenty in my opinion, the amps have their own fuses.

i'm pretty broke haha and trying to keep costs down. a while ago holden boy said it would be okay to run 8gauge to each amp, i thought 8gauge was good for 100amps of power?
i was going to run 2 distribution blocks, one for power one for ground.
if i do what i said, and still fuse it properly, at worst wont i just not have maximum power?
thanks mate

Remember the current draw is dependent on the amps, its your job to make sure that the wiring can support that current draw. A suitably fused 4 gauge to a distro block with 8 gauge to each amp will suffice.
 

sweefu

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A good rule of thumb is to add up the ratings of all the fuses on the back of the amplifiers, and fuse the main power wire with a fuse rated of that amperage or slightly higher.



8 gauge is still fine for 500wrms, what you could also do is run 4 gauge all the way to the monoblock, then a 8 gauge 'jumper' wire from the monoblock to the 4 channel.
Also why bother with fused distro blocks? the main fuse is mainly to protect the wire and is plenty in my opinion, the amps have their own fuses.



Remember the current draw is dependent on the amps, its your job to make sure that the wiring can support that current draw. A suitably fused 4 gauge to a distro block with 8 gauge to each amp will suffice.

Thanks for all that help mate :thumbsup: i might go with the idea of 4awg to monoblock then jumper to my four channel, or i'll just go witht the 4awg to distro then 8awg.
Thanks again
 
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