what gauge wire and fuse?

[Choongas]

I have no idea when it comes to audio.. :oops:

soo just wondering what gauge power/grounding wire i should use, and how big the fuse should be for 2 amps that i wanna wire up:

- 4 channel amp running at 2x200w RMS @ 4ohms draws maximum 40A current.
- 2 channel amp running at 1x200w RMS, don't know what current it draws.

Also how should i wire the 2 amps?

battery --> fuse --> splice the wires? or should i use those distribution block thingys?? --> 2 amps --> separate grounding cables?

thanks heaps.

[Per10d]

i'd use a minimum of 4gauge power and ground cable. if you can go a little bigger, but i'd say 4gauge will be ok.
as for how to wire it up, if it were me i'd get 2 distro blocks, one for power and the other for ground.
for the power you could use a fused distro block and just a normal one for ground.
also use a fuse as close as you can to the battery.
for the remote, in my set up i just ran one wire from the headunit and made it split into 2, issolated it well and there u go. but there might be a better way to do this so wait a bit til others reply, in particular FHRX, he's well experienced in terms ofcar audio.

[Bol]

Either 4awg: Battery -> Fuse -> Distro -> Amps -> Ground

OR.

2 seperate, 8awg: Battery -> Fuse -> Amps -> Ground

[poid]

Here's what i would do. Get 2ga or 1ga equvalent from BOC Gases (its welding cable, costs $7 for the 2ga and about $9 for the 1ga) and use that from the battery to the boot, with say a 150A fuse about 12" from the battery. Then use a distribution block in the rear to your two amps (this cable to your each amp can be 8ga or 4ga if you want...that size cable is also available at BOC Gases).

The reason i suggest doing it this way is that then in the future if you get more powerful amps, you already have the cable there and wont need to re-run it or waste money on new cable. And the BOC Gases stuff is dirt cheap compared to the cable you buy in audio stores but does the same job (unless you done like the industrial orange plastic casing :) ). If i knew about it when i originally did my stereo i would have done it this way, and it would have saved me buying some of this stuff later on anyway and re running everything

[Choongas]

cheers for the replies :)

where can i pickup boc gas cables?? a hardware store or somethin?

if i cant find them i think ill go 4guage, or bigger if it isnt too expensive..

[bumthology]

Dont be silly ! listen to me !
4 Guage power into distribution block, 2 x 8 guage wires into amps.
Upgrade the main battery cables (+ and -) to 4 guage or higher.
for protection, maybe get a killswitch 60 amp.. or 50 amp... Or just a Fuse holder that can hold a 60amp fuse.

My old setup was in total of 1000wrms (2 amps were rated at 60a max each) and the 60amp fuse near the battery only blew once.

[alan]

u mean get a circuit breaker?

[poid]

Look up BOC Gases in the Yellow Pages, thats the name of their retail stores, and ask for the welding cable. The thickest stuff they have is 1ga i believe, then the second thickest is 2ga and goes down from there (though they measure it in mm sqared rather than gauge).

BTW, the main fuse near the battery should be related to the maximum current the cable you are running to the back can hold. The only purpose is to stop fire due to short circuit, not protect the amplifiers. So on 4ga about a 150A fuse is good

[Psyklops]

BTW, the main fuse near the battery should be related to the maximum current the cable you are running to the back can hold. The only purpose is to stop fire due to short circuit, not protect the amplifiers. So on 4ga about a 150A fuse is good

IMHO get a fuse that is below the max amps the cable can carry....go on par to the max amps or higher and you could have a fire with the fuse intact. Knowing the limits of your cable is important to fuse selection

[poid]

yes it should be below, sorry that wasnt clear when i said "related to" :)

[h22a accord]

i have a friend that felt a $15000 alpine system in his n13 pulsar hatch would be good. it uses zero guage power cable. its a good spl car, that about it, its agony sitting in it. 4 amps, 2 15" 2 sets of splits, external amp controller, fancy head unit. Blows the bloody doors off nearly.

I myself have 4 guage cable , an amp, sub, uprated speakers and HU, it does the job for the money but i want more, more, more!!!!!

[Choongas]

Thanks for all the help..

I ended up getting 4gauge to the back of the car and then into 8 gauges using a distro block.

What size fuse should i use for the two 8guages in the distro block??

I only bought a 60a for the fuse at the battery..

[Javed]

For the two 8G runs you dont need fuses if your amplifier has internal fuses. Otherwise if it uses external fuses, use the recommended rating by the manufacturer of the amps. I have a system comprising of 2 amps, pulling a maximum of 90 Amps at the mo that I am installing. Fuse at the battery is 100 amps, and is on 4 gauge wire down to the block where it splits into two eruns of 8g just like you.