I have an old Audiovox amp ( I purchased it new in 1987) that I want to install in a '94 Dodge Spirit to power my front door speakers Panasonic CJ-DD133. Don't laugh, the amp still works. Its rated at 50 watts per channel. Do I really need a distribution block or can I tap into the 8 ga power wire I have in the trunk running my Lightning Audio amp and add a bigger fuse at the battery?
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Harv
Each separate wire should be fused, so if you're not using a fused distro block you can install inline fuses (rated for the power wire) into each of the feeds, close to the distro. Even though the main wire is fused at the battery, splitting the wire will create an electrical connection between amp A and amp B. The amps are fused to protect them, but the feed wires from the distro to the amps are not, so thus the additional fuses.
I'm currently planning to do the same thing, and I also had/have the same question. But when I answer to someone else, it becomes clearer to me. So I will be fusing the wires like I posted here unless someone clarifies this issue for me. I thought I would use a simple brass distro block like this and install inline fuse holders before the amps. Whatever costs the least.
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Build the box so that it performs well in the worst case scenario and, in return, it will reward you at all times.
One problem with older equipment that you should be aware of is input voltage sensitivity. Most gear manufactured before 1990 can handle a maximum input voltage of 2 volts. So, if you have a modern head unit with a 4 volt (or greater) output level, you can introduce noise and strange ringing (from circuit overloads) that cannot be eliminated. Be sure to carefully adjust input gain, and it will most likely remain all the way "down." This problem is especially true for older crossovers and equalizers, and with lower-level amps like Audiovox.
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Support the12volt.comThanks, D'Yohn, I have a JVC KS-12 so I don't know what the voltage is. I've had it for about 4 years or so and it doesn't have RCA jacks. I didn't know the old stuff couldn't handle more than 2 volts of input. Also a funny thing I noticed with the Audiovox amp was that it is labelled in reverse. The RCA jacks say Hi input and the speaker jacks say low-input. Could it be mis-labelled? It seems the new stuff you can adjust the gains whether you have the speaker inputs used or the RCA jack used. The Audiovox I remember using the speaker input jacks and the gain control didn't make a difference.
Thanks Stevdart, I had an inline fuse for this amp when in 1986 I 'decided' to let Circuit City install this amp with an old Coustic cassette in a 1975 Ford Torino. At least they knew enough then to put a fuse next to the battery. I'll use that. I think it was either a 20 or 30amp glass fuse and it never blew. I 've had this amp in 4 different cars with about 5 different HU's over the years.
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Harv
My mistake, 1987 in the last post. It's been so long ago you forget things sometimes.
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Harv