| 12v power wire for amps - Click HERE for Original Thread |
| white99GT |
| My car is running a single 4ch amp for my system with 8 ga power wire currently. I plan to add another monoblock for the subs...my question is, is it a bad idea to run a single power line for each amp? I have some 5 ga I got with the new amp and I'd kinda like to leave the old stuff and run this too. |
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| Soulfly |
quote:
Originally posted by white99GT
My car is running a single 4ch amp for my system with 8 ga power wire currently. I plan to add another monoblock for the subs...my question is, is it a bad idea to run a single power line for each amp? I have some 5 ga I got with the new amp and I'd kinda like to leave the old stuff and run this too.
It's not a bad Idea to run both...
But If I was you, I'd pick up maybe.. some 4g or bigger.. and get a power distribution block and run 8g to your 4channel.. and whatever you feel like to your other amp... :thumbup: |
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| JoshP2002 |
How much power are both of your amps running, RMS values?
I agree, run 4g, and when you distro to 8g its not a huge deal because its such a close distance to the amp. 4g is just a safe choice. |
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| white99GT |
Yeah, I'm sorta lazy tho and don't want to buy new cable if the stuff I have will work. I see what you're saying about the long runs, I guess that's why most people use a distribution block instead. I could always go with some of that #4 welding cable PA sells for dirt cheap.
The amps will be a 500/1 and a MTX404. Depending on whether or not I choose to bridge the 404, you'd be looking at either a conservative 900 or 670 watts RMS combined. |
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| JoshP2002 |
| 8g is rated up to about 8-900RMS depending on the quality of it, so you should be fine, make sure you have it fused near the battery so you dont burn up that wire though! Otherwise you might be looking at a new car instead of just new wire. |
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| Ravendarat |
| Dont worry about the RMS of your amps when choosing power wire, its a fairly insignifigant number in this case. The number that must concern you is the total amperage draw. Look at the spec sheets for the amps and see what the max amperage draw is, add it up and if your wire is rated to handle that amount of draw over the length you are running then your fine. If not than its time to upgrade. If the manuals dont tell you then your next option is to check the size of the fuses in the amps and add them up. Once you do that I would normally add about ten amps more onto that number and thats your safe draw. In reality though a properly functioning amp cant draw more than the total combined fuse rating in the side so its generally a safe bet. If the gear isnt internally fused and the sheets dont say what the draw is THEN you can resort to the RMS rating for a safe number |
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| white99GT |
| The MTX is internally fused, but the JL is not. I haven't been able to find the max amperage draw for it, only that it draws 25 amps at 1/3 power and it's not terribly efficient. Any help would be appreciated. |
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| Ravendarat |
| That JL is a max draw of 50 amps |
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| white99GT |
| The 404 is dual 25A fused so I guess it would be a max of 100A for both amplifiers, although I would only likely be using 2 of the 404's channels. Bridging it would overpower my fronts. |
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| drew_goring |
quote:
Originally posted by white99GT
The 404 is dual 25A fused so I guess it would be a max of 100A for both amplifiers, although I would only likely be using 2 of the 404's channels. Bridging it would overpower my fronts.
Run 4g to be on the safe side. What size of fuse do you have under the hood on the 8g wire? |
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