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1 Remote Wire to 2 Amps?


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pitdawg47 
Copper - Posts: 72
Copper spacespace
Joined: February 27, 2010
Location: Wisconsin, United States
Posted: May 18, 2010 at 2:00 PM / IP Logged  
is it ok to use my 1 remote wire for both my amps?  
nday 
Member - Posts: 7
Member spacespace
Joined: May 17, 2010
Posted: May 18, 2010 at 10:37 PM / IP Logged  
Yes, you can do this. It will not be a problem.
Run the remote turn-on from the head unit (usually the blue wire) to amp1's remote turn-on connection, then run a wire directly from amp1's turn-on connection to amp2's turn-on connection. It is probably the easiest thing you will do during the whole install.
That said, are you sure you are comfortable installing 2 amplifiers?
ianarian 
Copper - Posts: 516
Copper spacespace
Joined: April 24, 2009
Location: California, United States
Posted: May 19, 2010 at 12:06 AM / IP Logged  
DUE to the fact that my media player runs straight into the pre-amp... and I use the factory cd head unit... disallows me the option to have that blue wire... so i got my ignition wired to a switch.... that switch is wired to a relay.... which sends out my 12v remote to my amps... Does anyone use relays for the remote? I'm cool with being the only one...
This is what I do for FUN!
kenwood_nut 
Stock Boy - Posts: 227
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Joined: April 10, 2009
Location: Washington, United States
Posted: May 20, 2010 at 8:41 PM / IP Logged  
I would NEVER do this, and never have. I have always used a Bosch-type relay. This is the safest way to do it, trust me. You avoid running the risk of the deck's amp turn-on wire from frying. I'm NOT saying jumping a wire from one amp's turn-on to the second amp won't work. I'm just saying I've never heard of anyone doing this, and my honest opinion is that it is not safe and not advised. Buy a relay for a few bucks and do it the safest way. Then you can turn on 3, 4, 5, or more amps and still only use that one wire from your deck. There are a few different ways to hook up a relay, but the principal is the same. It varies slightly by brand, that's all. Bosch & Matsushita relays are wired a bit different, but do the same thing. The whole idea is that it takes very, very little amount of input to trigger a relay. You have one terminal connected to 12 volts, one to ground, one to your deck's turn-on lead, and one terminal hooked to however many amps you want to turn on.
I would never recommend jumping any wires from amp to amp, and can't find anything about it in my MECP Study Guide nor my IASCA Competetion Handbook, and I'm going to bet you won't find any decent installer who would ever suggest it.
A relay is a LOT cheaper than a new deck! I've used them for 30+ years when I've hooked up amps.
drbizerk 
Member - Posts: 9
Member spacespace
Joined: June 20, 2009
Location: Oklahoma, United States
Posted: May 21, 2010 at 12:18 PM / IP Logged  
hell yea i use a relay for my remote. its the only way to roll. lol
icearrow6 
Copper - Posts: 497
Copper spacespace
Joined: February 02, 2009
Location: California, United States
Posted: May 21, 2010 at 3:11 PM / IP Logged  
Yep! relay is the way to go.
I've had customers come back because their amp shut off only to find out they hooked up another amp and neon lights to the REMOTE WIRE!
-warranty void- duhh
LOL. use a relay it'll save you headaches later.
KPierson 
Platinum - Posts: 3,527
Platinum spaceThis member consistently provides reliable informationspace
Joined: April 14, 2005
Location: Ohio, United States
Posted: May 21, 2010 at 3:54 PM / IP Logged  

The relay coil will draw ~160mA of current.  Although I've never done any actual measurements of remote wire current draw I would imagine it would but under 10mA meaning that you could run at least 16 amplifiers off of the current you are using to drive the one relay.  So the theory that it is "safer" simply is not true.

As long as you only plan to run amplifiers off the remote turn on wire then a relay is not needed.  It isn't a bad idea to put a 500mA fuse inline with the remote wire but that is true even if you are only hooking up one amp.

Relays are only required if you are going to be using substantial amounts of current (over 200-500mA).  My last big stereo had two amps and two fans connected to the remote out.  Because of the two fans I added a relay. 

Another thing to keep in mind is that even if using a relay you need to fuse the common input on the relay, otherwise if your remote wire shorts out you could have issues.

Kevin Pierson
kenwood_nut 
Stock Boy - Posts: 227
Stock Boy spacespace
Joined: April 10, 2009
Location: Washington, United States
Posted: May 21, 2010 at 5:32 PM / IP Logged  
I hate to say this, but I VERY MUCH disagree with you, Kevin. If you ask ANY reputable installer, or even ask Crutchfield, or look it up in any MECP Study Guide, and you will see how bad of an idea it is to hook up more than one item (ANY ITEM) to your deck's turn-on lead. I'd love to see it in writing where you learned it's okay. But hey, it's your deck and your car, but I'll bet you haven't done this to any customers' cars. It's just common sense and common knowledge. I've also never heard of fusing the turn-on lead from any deck. I fuse everything coming off the relay, but never have fused the turn-on lead since it's such a low voltage and it's in a wire loom (if done right).
So if your way works for you, that's great! But to advise someone else that they can hook up as many things as they want to their deck's turn-on lead without a relay is not a good way to make friends after they fry something.
We all do things differently, and I'll admit I tend to do what I have NEVER seen ANYONE do: I tend to use a SEPARATE distribution block for EACH amp. Call me weird (you won't be the first). But I have used a distribution block for POWER, GROUND, and TURN-ON leads. Why? Because I wanted to be different. And because I could run ONE ground wire from ground to block A, ONE power wire from fuse block to block B, and one Turn-On lead from relay to block C. It makes for a neater install and looks cool, but otherwise it even saves on length of each wire to each powered item.
So, since I don't agree with your theory on relays, I figured I would give you something to laugh about or not agree with about me.
1 Remote Wire to 2 Amps? -- posted image.
1 Remote Wire to 2 Amps? -- posted image.
1 Remote Wire to 2 Amps? -- posted image.
1 Remote Wire to 2 Amps? -- posted image.
drbizerk 
Member - Posts: 9
Member spacespace
Joined: June 20, 2009
Location: Oklahoma, United States
Posted: May 23, 2010 at 12:28 AM / IP Logged  
very clean kenwood nut! i like your way of thinking. i do the power and ground on blocks but never thought to do the remote

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