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2 subs 4 speakers 3 amps how to wire?

Printed From: the12volt.com
Forum Name: Car Audio
Forum Discription: Car Stereos, Amplifiers, Crossovers, Processors, Speakers, Subwoofers, etc.
URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=103323
Printed Date: May 14, 2024 at 3:24 PM


Topic: 2 subs 4 speakers 3 amps how to wire?

Posted By: twobig86
Subject: 2 subs 4 speakers 3 amps how to wire?
Date Posted: March 22, 2008 at 8:10 PM

I am wondering how to run the power and ground wire for this setup if both the two subwoofer amps require 0 Gauge wire.

From what I know usually you would run 0 guage from the front battery to the rear distribution block.  From the block you would run one 0 guage wire to the sub amp and say 4 guage to the 4 channel.

How do you do this now that you need 2 separate 0 gauge runs since instead of one sub amp you have 2.

Do you need to run a completely new 0 guage run from the battery for the second amp or are there distribution blocks that go from 1 o guage wire into almost like a Y splitter?

Thanks




Replies:

Posted By: twobig86
Date Posted: March 22, 2008 at 8:12 PM

Correction on last line --

Do you need to run a completely new 0 guage run from the battery for the second amp or are there distribution blocks that go from 1 - 0 guage wire into 2 - 0 guage wire output?  almost like a Y splitter?





Posted By: stevdart
Date Posted: March 22, 2008 at 8:24 PM

Think about it:  if you have two amplifiers that require 0 gauge (and I'd really like to know what amps these are), using a single 0 gauge run back to a splitter isn't going to give the capacity of 0 gauge to both amps, is it?  You'll have two amps that each need the capacity of 0 gauge sharing one 0 gauge wire to the power source.  Because of this reality there are no "splitter" distro blocks that have one 0 in and two 0's out.  (At least there shouldn't be!)  The closest match of two common output sizes to one 0 ga. input is 4 gauge (see circular mils, https://www.interfacebus.com/Copper_Wire_AWG_SIze.html

The only solution, if this is what you truly need, is to run separate power wires from the source.



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Build the box so that it performs well in the worst case scenario and, in return, it will reward you at all times.




Posted By: twobig86
Date Posted: March 23, 2008 at 8:28 AM

I assumed as much however I just wanted to make sure.

Now then I have two TA 81001 mtx amplifiers and each uses 0 guage wire for input.  1000 watts rms.  I would assume that each one needs its own length of 0 guage as it has 0 guage inputs for the power wire.  or could you just use one run of 0 guage to the back then two short runs of 4 guage to each amp even though they specify to use 0 guage?

Thanks





Posted By: stevdart
Date Posted: March 23, 2008 at 10:23 AM

At this point, I don't know if you just have amplifiers that are bigger than the system or if you have modified the power source.  This paragraph is from the amplifier manual:

Note: When strapping two of these amplifiers, it is important to remember that in order to get the desired powerout of them, you have to supply them with the power they need. With the current draw these amplifiers are capable of pulling, we at MTX highly suggest upgrading to a high output alternator rated at 300 amps- or a dual alternator set up. At the same time, you must upgrade the stock battery and add a couple more batteries to the system. We recommend a minimum of three batteries with a cold cranking amp (CCA) rating of 725 or more. Please remember to install a minimum of 1/0 AWG power and ground cable for the electrical system upgrades and the amps. Just adding extra batteries will not solve the need for power; it will actually put more
of a load on the alternator, in turn yielding less power to the audio system.

Unless you have modified the vehicle so that it produces prodigious amounts of current, the amplifiers will not benefit from having 0 gauge power wires.  You can use a fused distro that supplies 4 gauge as long as the terminal inputs of the amps are designed to accept smaller diameter wire.

Edited to add:

Well, look at this (FBX S20).  Looks like what you want is available from Streetwires.  I guess you could have found this on a Google search like I did!  posted_image



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Build the box so that it performs well in the worst case scenario and, in return, it will reward you at all times.




Posted By: twobig86
Date Posted: March 23, 2008 at 8:47 PM

I was just wondering how you would hook up two amplifiers with 0 guage.  I assumed that each would need its own run of 0 guage from the battery but I wasnt sure.

For my system I have a 300 amp iraggi alternator, 2 optima red tops and will have the big three done when alternator is installed.  I will have the batteries trunk mounted so im just going off the battery for each amp.

I was asking this more for the general knowledge of how someone who is using a battery under the hood can hook up 3 amplifiers, 2 of which are supposed to have 0 guage wire inputs. 

So at this point i assume that if you want to run your amps / subs at the 1000 watts rms you would need each to have 0 guage wire inputs from seperate cable runs / a charging system capable of renewing your batteries while your pumping out those beats.





Posted By: stevdart
Date Posted: March 23, 2008 at 11:37 PM

Actually, in this scenario one single 0 gauge will easily supply the amperage needed for two amps at 1000 watts each, even in a worst case scenario.  So the use of such a "splitter" would be appropriate and help minimize any voltage drop incurred by downsizing to smaller wire to each amp. 

If you want 2000 watts output and in a worst case the amplifiers are only 70% efficient, then you would need 2600 watts of power production from the alt.  In terms of amperage, and again at a scenario where voltage is measured at only 12.6 V, the current draw would be 206 amps.  A single 0 gauge wire will handle more than that much without significant voltage loss.

Sounds like you've got a nice system worked up.



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Build the box so that it performs well in the worst case scenario and, in return, it will reward you at all times.





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