Trying to Understand Wiring Gauge to an SPDT Relay
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=146310
Printed Date: April 26, 2024 at 11:14 AM
Topic: Trying to Understand Wiring Gauge to an SPDT Relay
Posted By: gircube
Subject: Trying to Understand Wiring Gauge to an SPDT Relay
Date Posted: July 04, 2020 at 5:08 AM
Hello, I am currently gathering all of the needed equipment to complete an install in my 04 Honda Pilot. I am installing a 5 channel amplifier that is listed as 3200w. The RMS is actually 1200w RMS at 4 ohms. I am running a 0Ga wire to power the amplifier. Upon researching I found that I should also wire a fan in order to keep the amp cool. Which then lead me to reading about the SPDT relay. The wiring diagram on here is fantastic and I do not have a question as far as the wiring is concerned. My question is more so if it’s safe to go from a 0Ga run to the relay and then from there using the smaller gauge wiring and daisy chaining to the amp, thermostat, & fan? I just know it was a big deal to make sure I ran 0Ga and then the wire from the relay is like 12ga I do not want to burn anything down lol. I looked for this information everywhere but was unable to obtain an answer. I apologize if this information was available and I just missed it somehow. Any help/clarification would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Replies:
Posted By: eguru
Date Posted: July 04, 2020 at 6:46 AM
Run the 0Ga directly to the amp and run your relay/thermostat wiring from the amp's terminal block.
Posted By: gircube
Date Posted: July 04, 2020 at 1:50 PM
Okay so at that point I would run the 0Ga to the amp and then from the amp put the 87 cable in with the 0Ga, the 85 to the amp ground & 86 to the remote wire to the amp? And then from there the 30 to my thermostat & fan/ any other accessories? Would I skip the remote turn on altogether on the relay if the amp is only sending power when it senses the remote turn on? Thanks for your help! This is what I though originally but all of the diagrams I came across put the relay before even the amp, even the diagram I found on here so I was doubting myself.
Posted By: geepherder
Date Posted: July 05, 2020 at 4:28 AM
As eguru has said, it's perfectly fine to use the 0 gauge run for power.
Coming off the amp power terminal, fuse your connection feeding your relay. If you have a remote turn on wire, I'd use it. Otherwise you can just tap an accessory wire. While you can use a thermostat, I just think it's unnecessary and just one more thing that could fail. It's fine to let the fan run whenever the amp is.
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Posted By: gircube
Date Posted: July 05, 2020 at 4:46 AM
Okay great! Thank you so much for your help!
Posted By: eguru
Date Posted: July 05, 2020 at 8:07 PM
geepherder wrote:
As eguru has said, it's perfectly fine to use the 0 gauge run for power.
Coming off the amp power terminal, fuse your connection feeding your relay. If you have a remote turn on wire, I'd use it. Otherwise you can just tap an accessory wire. While you can use a thermostat, I just think it's unnecessary and just one more thing that could fail. It's fine to let the fan run whenever the amp is.
In addition to geepherder's advise, you don't need the relay at all if you eliminate the thermostat. Not sure that point was obvious.
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