alright, right now i just hooked up my amp kit (1200wt max) to my two 200watt amps. well it was a 4 gauge off the battery and splitted off into two 8 guage. now i plan on getting a bigger amp. like 1000+ or so. and i want to hook it up to the kit i have now, which i see no problems with it. but, should i hook one of the spiltted 8guages in and just take the other one out of the split socket. or somehow jimmy-rig the 4 gauge to go into the amp itself?
8 gauge? 4 gauge?
sonnguyen
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alright, right now i just hooked up my amp kit (1200wt max) to my two 200watt amps. well it was a 4 gauge off the battery and splitted off into two 8 guage. now i plan on getting a bigger amp. like 1000+ or so. and i want to hook it up to the kit i have now, which i see no problems with it. but, should i hook one of the spiltted 8guages in and just take the other one out of the split socket. or somehow jimmy-rig the 4 gauge to go into the amp itself?
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587 Posts
you shouldnt have to do any splitting just run the 8gauge threwout 
The easiest way to tell is to look at the fuses in the amp you will be hooking up. 1000w amp means nothing if it has a puny 20 amp fuse. Amplifier wattage ratings don't mean much. If an amp has 2 30 amp fusees in it, the the most it is going to put out at 14 volts (assuming you alternator will supply this) is 840 watts (w=va).
I don't like to run more than 60 amp fuse on an 8 gauge. So if the amp will draw more than 60 amps of current, then go with the 4 gauge into the amp.
I don't like to run more than 60 amp fuse on an 8 gauge. So if the amp will draw more than 60 amps of current, then go with the 4 gauge into the amp.
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4,277 Posts
Exactly.GS-T said:
Remember if the total current pull from ALL the amps is greater then that, you need even bigger wire (2) or a new circuit. (just wanted to make that extra clear)
i see...
so... i think im gonna go to a home theater place.
well on the 4 gauge. it has a 80Fuse. (probabaly not the best but hey, it's good enough) should i change that cuz i only have two lil 200wat (not best brand either, jensen) they have like 30wat fuses or less in them.
how would i run the 8 threwout?...
aw man now im confused. SHIT:tree:
so... i think im gonna go to a home theater place.
well on the 4 gauge. it has a 80Fuse. (probabaly not the best but hey, it's good enough) should i change that cuz i only have two lil 200wat (not best brand either, jensen) they have like 30wat fuses or less in them.
how would i run the 8 threwout?...
aw man now im confused. SHIT:tree:
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980 Posts
ok lets see if i can get this. you got an amp kit. what it came with was a long 4 ga. wire to run to the trunk, to a distribution block.
this block has 2 wire outputs, each on for 8 ga. wire. correct? right now you have 2 200 watts amps. one day your going to move up to a bigger amp.
heres what i think. as long as you don't exceed 1000 watts, the 4ga. will be fine. if you going to use just one amp instead of 2; then just hook the 4ga. wire directly into the amp.
if you still want 2 amps, you can still do it, as long as the power they want isn't more then what your 4ga. wire can handel (about 1000 watts). you can still use the 8 ga. wire too. even with a bigger amp, as long as the 8ga. wire isn't longer then a few feet it could support up to 1000 watts. the amount of power a wire can handle depends on its length.
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really, i should have used amps instead of watts to explain it, but basicall its the same, look at that chart. if its less then 4 feet, 8ga. could handel up to 125 amps (thats cutting close)
the only reason you needed the 4ga wire is because the length was so long (battery to trunk), but after that you could use the 8ga. off the block to 2 amps. but don't exceed what your weakest length of wire handel (in this case it would be the 4ga. wire, limiting you to about 80 or some amps.)
hope that might help you alittle bit
this block has 2 wire outputs, each on for 8 ga. wire. correct? right now you have 2 200 watts amps. one day your going to move up to a bigger amp.
heres what i think. as long as you don't exceed 1000 watts, the 4ga. will be fine. if you going to use just one amp instead of 2; then just hook the 4ga. wire directly into the amp.
if you still want 2 amps, you can still do it, as long as the power they want isn't more then what your 4ga. wire can handel (about 1000 watts). you can still use the 8 ga. wire too. even with a bigger amp, as long as the 8ga. wire isn't longer then a few feet it could support up to 1000 watts. the amount of power a wire can handle depends on its length.
really, i should have used amps instead of watts to explain it, but basicall its the same, look at that chart. if its less then 4 feet, 8ga. could handel up to 125 amps (thats cutting close)
the only reason you needed the 4ga wire is because the length was so long (battery to trunk), but after that you could use the 8ga. off the block to 2 amps. but don't exceed what your weakest length of wire handel (in this case it would be the 4ga. wire, limiting you to about 80 or some amps.)
hope that might help you alittle bit
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