1/0 power wire, lights dim
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=109129
Printed Date: May 17, 2024 at 2:08 AM
Topic: 1/0 power wire, lights dim
Posted By: pac123
Subject: 1/0 power wire, lights dim
Date Posted: November 21, 2008 at 10:42 PM
If I have 1/0 gauge power wire going to distribution block to 2 amps should the big three wires be 1/0 gauge also?The reason i ask is when its up loud the lights dim a lot I have a capacitor but it don't help much.The amps I have are both alpine one is MRP-M1000 other is MRP-F300
Replies:
Posted By: arnshrty
Date Posted: November 22, 2008 at 12:43 AM
First what gauge power wires do you have going to the amps from the distribution block and what size are the ground wires?
Posted By: pac123
Date Posted: November 22, 2008 at 4:01 AM
From the block to 1 amp is 4gauge other amp is 8 gauge I think.the block itself has a spot for second input that is where my cap is.Is that right.The cap is wired with 1/0 wire both pos and gnd and is a seprate ground.The amps are grounded with 4awg and 8awg to a 4 gauge ground block.I would like to get rid of the cap if possible.If i switched the 1/0 main for a 4 awg one would that help...Thanks
Posted By: arnshrty
Date Posted: November 22, 2008 at 2:32 PM
The rule of thumb is whatever gauge you have going in for power is what gauge you need to have for ground also. That being said here is what you should do based on what I can get from your last post.
1. Don't get rid of your cap. (helps with the problem you are having and reduces strain on your charging system)
2. You need to have 1/0 gauge for your ground also so, you need a different ground block if the one you have won't accommodate it.
3. Run one 4 gauge wire from the power block to the + terminal of your cap and run one 4 gauge from the + terminal on the cap to the power on the MRP-M1000.
4. Run one 4 gauge from the ground block to - terminal on the cap and one 4 gauge wire from the - terminal on the cap to the ground on the MRP-M1000.
5. Run one 8 gauge from the power block to the power on the MRP-F300.
6. Run one 8 gauge from the grounding block to the ground on the MRP-F300.
This should solve your problem. If not, look into having your charging system checked. Your battery or alternator might be weak. If you are still having the problem and your charging system is good, the next step would be a red or yellow top optima battery.
Posted By: pac123
Date Posted: November 22, 2008 at 4:40 PM
Ok thanks for the help i will upgrade the ground to 1/0.The cap I'm still a little confused on is it still gonna need a sepeate ground or can it be combined with the main or should it be in line with the mrp m1000
Posted By: forbidden
Date Posted: November 22, 2008 at 5:42 PM
Use 1/0 for the big 3. Measure your ground return resistance. A cap can be combined with the other lines, it does not need a in and a out, current flows in both directions, so one power and one ground from the distro block to the cap is all that is required.
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Top Secret, I can tell you but then my wife will kill me.
Posted By: arnshrty
Date Posted: November 22, 2008 at 5:59 PM
everything needs to be grounded at the same point (i.e. the ground block). and as for the m1000 and the cap, go from the m1000 ground to the cap ground to the grounding block.
Posted By: pac123
Date Posted: November 22, 2008 at 6:30 PM
Thanks for the help I'll reply after I get a new ground block
Posted By: whiterob
Date Posted: November 23, 2008 at 4:00 PM
arnshrty wrote:
1. Don't get rid of your cap. (helps with the problem you are having and reduces strain on your charging system)
How does a cap reduce the strain on your charging system. The way I see it it will actually increase the amount of strain your system is under. A cap is just another load the charging system needs to keep charged.
arnshrty wrote:
4. Run one 4 gauge from the ground block to - terminal on the cap and one 4 gauge wire from the - terminal on the cap to the ground on the MRP-M1000.
6. Run one 8 gauge from the grounding block to the ground on the MRP-F300.
It is unncessary to run the grounds back to the cap. Simply run the - from the amps to the ground location. Below is a link of a sample wiring setup. It should help you figure out how to wire it.
https://www.crutchfield.com/learn/learningcenter/car/amplifiers_wiring.html
Posted By: arnshrty
Date Posted: November 24, 2008 at 12:47 AM
arnshrty wrote:
1. Don't get rid of your cap. (helps with the problem you are having and reduces strain on your charging system)
whiterob wrote:
How does a cap reduce the strain on your charging system. The way I see it it will actually increase the amount of strain your system is under. A cap is just another load the charging system needs to keep charged.
Well for one there isn't as signifigant of a current draw on you charging system.
arnshrty wrote:
4. Run one 4 gauge from the ground block to - terminal on the cap and one 4 gauge wire from the - terminal on the cap to the ground on the MRP-M1000.
6. Run one 8 gauge from the grounding block to the ground on the MRP-F300.
whiterob wrote:
It is unncessary to run the grounds back to the cap. Simply run the - from the amps to the ground location. Below is a link of a sample wiring setup. It should help you figure out how to wire it.
https://www.crutchfield.com/learn/learningcenter/car/amplifiers_wiring.html
The cap doesn't need to be on his mid/high amp, just the sub amp. Also, I said go from amplifier, to cap, to ground. I'm not having him run an extra ground. I have actually ran into having an interference problem not grounding everything in the same spot. Just trying to save him from having to back track more than what he is already having too.
Posted By: haemphyst
Date Posted: November 24, 2008 at 5:55 PM
The cap doesn't need to be there at all... It's not helping any; until he has an adequate charging source (Ummm... I think it's called an "alternator") he will continue to chase his tail. At an absolute minimum, I'd make sure the Big Three is done, but, I'm betting cash that won't be enough by itself.
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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."
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