Multi Amp Install gauge 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=30370
Printed Date: May 10, 2024 at 2:26 PM
Topic: Multi Amp Install gauge wire?
Posted By: bbusbee
Subject: Multi Amp Install gauge wire?
Date Posted: April 14, 2004 at 5:28 PM
I will be installing two amps that require a minimum of 4 gauge wire each. What gauge wire should I use coming off the battery if I want to run one single wire to the back of the vehicle and then use a distribution block to split off to each amp? Thanks
Replies:
Posted By: minitruck_freq
Date Posted: April 14, 2004 at 6:15 PM
4 ga. for the main power and 8 ga. from the dist. block to the amps should be fine.
Posted By: pureRF
Date Posted: April 14, 2004 at 6:25 PM
If a distribution block has fuses and you run one power wire do u add the amps of the 2 fuses and for the fuse close to the battery? and what are the fuses at the dis. block for?
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dream it, build it, fiberglass it
Posted By: doc t
Date Posted: April 14, 2004 at 6:52 PM
they are there for another link in the safety chain. they should not be larger than the fuses on the amps.
Posted By: Ketel22
Date Posted: April 14, 2004 at 7:51 PM
which amps are we talking about because it makes a difference, on the specs.
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Quad L Handyman services
Posted By: customsuburb
Date Posted: April 14, 2004 at 7:53 PM
bbusbee wrote:
I will be installing two amps that require a minimum of 4 gauge wire each. What gauge wire should I use coming off the battery if I want to run one single wire to the back of the vehicle and then use a distribution block to split off to each amp? Thanks
If the fuse size of both amps added together isn't greater then 600 watts RMS then you can run 4 gauge to the distrobution block and 4 gauge to each amp. If they are greater then 600 watts RMS then you need at least 2 gauge cable to the distrobution block and 4 gauge to each amp.
Posted By: Ketel22
Date Posted: April 14, 2004 at 10:21 PM
custom suburb, its not necessarly 600wrms thats what i asked the amps. i know for a fact that you can run atleast 1000wrms off of 4ga wire, even if it is 2 amps.
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Quad L Handyman services
Posted By: bbusbee
Date Posted: April 15, 2004 at 6:39 AM
The amps are a Rockford Fosgate 851S and a Sony XM-DS1600P5. This feedback is awesome! Thank you. BBusbee
Posted By: kevinbo5
Date Posted: April 15, 2004 at 10:49 AM
Is what minitruck_freq said OK to do? If the manufacturer says 4 gauge to amp, is it ok to run 4 to the distr. block and 8 gauge to each amp?
Sounds contradictory....
Posted By: kgerry
Date Posted: April 15, 2004 at 10:58 AM
when dealing with potential line loss keep in mind that you are only running 8 ga. for about 6 to 12 inches, the rest of the cable is 4 ga. which should be sufficient.... the individual fuses in the distribution block should reflect the proper protection for each individual amp, whereas the primary fuse is there to protect your vehicle from burning down if you are running 2 60 amp AGU's in the distr block for example, then your primary should be at least an ANL 120, etc.
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Kevin Gerry
Certified Electronics Technician
MECP First Class Installer
Owner/Installer
Classic Car Audio
since 1979
Posted By: bbusbee
Date Posted: April 15, 2004 at 11:10 AM
Kevin, I rarely turn the volumn way up for extended periods because I primarily want the power for the lower volumn quality. So when I crank it up it is only for short periods. With that said, is there any advantage to coming off the battery with the 4 gauge or bigger and then splitting at the disblock with two more 4 gauge runners to the amps? Or is the 4 and 8 gauge combo adequate? The Sony amp uses 3 40 amp fuses and I'm not sure about the Rockford Fosgate because the fuses must be under the primary cover which I have never removed. Also, I have not installed a capacitor yet either. After adding this Sony I may have too. Thank you BBusbee
Posted By: kickerstang
Date Posted: April 15, 2004 at 11:50 AM
if your current draw is more than 80 amps between both amps then you need to run 0 awg. you can run that from the battery and split that with a distribution block into 2 4 awg for the amps
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what!?!?! you want some??
Posted By: Ketel22
Date Posted: April 15, 2004 at 12:06 PM
running the 4/8 ga combination should work for those amps as long as the 8ga run is kept to a minimum.
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Quad L Handyman services
Posted By: DYohn
Date Posted: April 15, 2004 at 12:16 PM
kickerstang wrote:
if your current draw is more than 80 amps between both amps then you need to run 0 awg. you can run that from the battery and split that with a distribution block into 2 4 awg for the amps
That's wrong. 0 AWG cable is good for up to 350 amps. 80 amps only needs 8 AWG to support it. Check the Power and Ground page on this site before you spread bad information, please. ------------- Support the12volt.com
Posted By: bbusbee
Date Posted: April 15, 2004 at 4:10 PM
The Rockford Fosgate draws a maximum of 60 amps and the Sony draws a maximum of 120. That's a total of 180 amps so based on the Power and Ground Cable chart I would need to run a 2 gauge wire. Should I come off the battery with a 2 gauge and then split into two 4 gauge wires or should I run a 0 gauge and then split into two 4 gauge wires? This should be the end of this problem. Thanks guys for all of your help! BBusbee
Posted By: customsuburb
Date Posted: April 15, 2004 at 4:16 PM
bbusbee wrote:
The Rockford Fosgate draws a maximum of 60 amps and the Sony draws a maximum of 120. That's a total of 180 amps so based on the Power and Ground Cable chart I would need to run a 2 gauge wire. Should I come off the battery with a 2 gauge and then split into two 4 gauge wires or should I run a 0 gauge and then split into two 4 gauge wires? This should be the end of this problem. Thanks guys for all of your help! BBusbee
Sounds fine to me. Sorry about the misleading information i posted last night. Hard day yesterday.
Posted By: kickerstang
Date Posted: April 15, 2004 at 4:40 PM
you can never have to big of wire, more head room = cleaner power, i hate to sit in DYohn's car for fear of burning alive.
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what!?!?! you want some??
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