How do i properly fuse an amp

well i am going to be ordering the rest of the parts for my system today and i'm not sure how to fuse my amp. i have an eclipse DA7232 and for some unfortunate reasons i will only be using one of the channels. my question is, should i use the recomended fuse size for the amp (200 amps i think) or do i half that because only one channel will be wired to a sub? my initial thought was to half it, but i was then told by an friend that works in car audio that regardless of how much of the available power i'm using i should still fuse it to the recomended amperage.2005 Nissan Frontier - stock

comming soon...

Eclipse CD8443 deck

Eclipse PA5422 4-channel

Infinity Kappa Perfect 6.1 front

MBquart DKE116 rear

Eclipse SW9122 the 12's

Eclipse DA7232 bass amp

Choose the correct size wire (power and ground) for at least 110% of the amplifier's full capability.  Put the correct fuse on the wire to protect the WIRE from over current.  The amplifier has its own fuses and will protect itself.  And yes, definately, regardless of how you plan to use an amplifier you should choose your wire size for the amp's normal full load draw.  Be safe, not sorry.Support the12volt.com

TI240 wrote: well i am going to be ordering the rest of the parts for my system today and i'm not sure how to fuse my amp. i have an eclipse DA7232 and for some unfortunate reasons i will only be using one of the channels. my question is, should i use the recomended fuse size for the amp (200 amps i think) or do i half that because only one channel will be wired to a sub? my initial thought was to half it, but i was then told by an friend that works in car audio that regardless of how much of the available power i'm using i should still fuse it to the recomended amperage.

I noticed you have the SW9122 12 inch sub(s) as well. Are you going to run one or two of them? I have that VERY same setup in my Civic, and the reason I ask, is because this conversation hooked my memory about running one channel on the amp - that was you, right? As a suggestion, (if you do NOT already have two woofers) use the one woofer, and feed ALL of the power that amp can make to the one SW9122. It'll take it - in a sealed enclosure. According to the guys at Eclipse, that amp makes about 1350 watts per channel into a 4 ohm load. Leave the amp in stereo (it isn't bridgeable, as you know) and run one channel to each voice coil on the woofer. You'll be AMAZED at the amount of noise that combo makes. You might find you don't need to spend the additional cash on another woofer. You will get better damping, less heat, better efficiency, lower distortion... all the good things in life! In answer to the second part of your question, DYohn hit it right on. You always fuse a power cable for the amount of current the power cable can safely handle - and NEVER larger. For example, a number 4 is good to 150A, so this is the fuse value you would put under the hood. You can go smaller safely, but then you run the risk of blowing the fuse too early, in normal use situations. (a #2 is 225A, BTW)It all reminds me of something that Molière once said to Guy de Maupassant at a café in Vienna: "That's nice. You should write it down."

thanks for clearing that up. never even thought the fuses in between the batt and amp were there to protect the wire, makes sense though. so would it be possible for the DA7232 to draw its full current when one channel is hooked up?2005 Nissan Frontier - stock

comming soon...

Eclipse CD8443 deck

Eclipse PA5422 4-channel

Infinity Kappa Perfect 6.1 front

MBquart DKE116 rear

Eclipse SW9122 the 12's

Eclipse DA7232 bass amp

ya that was me and it's too late, i already have two. i plan on hooking up both to the DA7232 but right now i am just wiring up one of the channels so i don't totally destroy my charging system. WOW! all that power to one titanium, that must sound so sweet. i thought the amp had to be operating at 2ohms to dish out that kind of power. and the sub - is it really that underrated? thanks for the info btw nice setup, that must sound so clean. i've only heard my subs twice, once at the shop where i bought them and once when i hooked them up to a JL 1000 x 1. really looking forward to getting this finished! 2005 Nissan Frontier - stock

comming soon...

Eclipse CD8443 deck

Eclipse PA5422 4-channel

Infinity Kappa Perfect 6.1 front

MBquart DKE116 rear

Eclipse SW9122 the 12's

Eclipse DA7232 bass amp

anybody know?2005 Nissan Frontier - stock

comming soon...

Eclipse CD8443 deck

Eclipse PA5422 4-channel

Infinity Kappa Perfect 6.1 front

MBquart DKE116 rear

Eclipse SW9122 the 12's

Eclipse DA7232 bass amp