100a Circuit breaker constantly breaking circuit/ basic power issues.

[Brokenpath 10+ year member]

Again, i've searched google and this forum for an answer but I can't seem to find it.

I have a soundquest 100a Circuit Breaker instead of a fuse. (It came with the car)

When I blast music for more than 45 minutes or so it'll break itself. Which is really annoying because I have to pull over and push the little thing back in before I can listen to music again. I can tell when it happens because everything but my head unit shuts off.

I'm also running two amplifiers without a distribution block. (I had someone else originally install the equipment he just spliced into my main power wire :/)

Well, the wire going from my power to my most powerful amp 1200wattsRMS is 4ga and the wire going from the 4ga wire to my little 500 wattRMS 4ch i'm pretty sure is 6ga (It's not as skinny as 8ga speaker wire but it's not as big as the 4ga either) Maybe i'm a little off on these numbers but that's what i'm assuming.

Total Wattage its pulling is probably 1500watts.

I'm concerned because I do not want to end up writing a "Help i blew my amplifier/s" thread.

From everything i've searched on, this is simply from the equipment pulling more power than the circuit breaker is meant to handle. If this is the case, i'm considering taping it shut until I buy proper fuses.

I'm basically asking if this is a red flag and if I need to get a proper distribution block or a different fuse/upgrade wiring to fix this problem, or if my system is just pulling too much power and i need to get a bigger fuse.

Also, while i'm on the subject what's the best power upgrade? My headlights dim out pretty bad and they REALLY get dim at idle. I have 1 battery and haven't done the big 3 yet and I also do not have a capacitor.

From what i've read... A cap is basically useless and if i'm going to get a second battery i will need to get a battery isolator as well or run the batteries in parallell and fuse the wire. Also High output alt.

Everything i've read points to extra battery, but why do they even make capacitors if they're that bad. I'm only pushing less than 2000RMS so I wouldn't think i need any real major upgrades like a HO alt right? Would just a cap do it? Or is extra battery and cap the best way to go. It would be nice to listen to a little music when i'm parked and not have to run myc ar.

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[goingdef 10+ year member]

go by the basic 100watts=10amps roughly so you would need a minimum of 150amps of fusing(this is why your tripping the breaker),also circuit breakers go bad the more they trip the easier they get to trip I would just pull it and change to a fuse/holder, also your not fusing to protect the amp your fusing to protect the wire from burning due to shorts and over drawing what it's rated for it can only carry so many amps of current before it starts to glow(like a light bulb filement)

 

[Brokenpath 10+ year member]

ahhhh. Thanks again man, you've been a huge help. Someone gave me a 250a fuse with 0 guage and a really cool chrome terminal connector (Hopefully chrome plating doesn't affect it) that i've just been letting sit around. So i'll put that on prob right now and use the little bit of 0 guage that's left on it to try and get a free negative terminal to chassis upgrade :-D. I was reading on amperage and it didn't make sense why no equipment had amperage ratings because that's what fuses are rated for but i didn't know about that formula.

 

[Imtjnotu 5,000+ posts]

Try fiding a 200 amp breaker

 

[audioholic 5,000+ posts]

Amps = watts/volts. Then you multiply that answer by 1.2x, to account for the (approx) 80% efficiency of your amplifier.

So a 1200 watt amplifier at full tilt can pull 112 amps at 12.8 volts, or 100 amps at 14.4 volts.

Circuit breakers should not be mounted under the hood. They rely on mechanical motion to trip, and corrosion can affect that. Ive even seen a CB that was rusted shut, and you could not trip it at all. So placing one under a hood where it is exposed to the elements, is just not a good idea. In trunk, they are fine. Under the hood, use a fuse.

 

[goingdef 10+ year member]

ahhhh. Thanks again man, you've been a huge help. Someone gave me a 250a fuse with 0 guage and a really cool chrome terminal connector (Hopefully chrome plating doesn't affect it) that i've just been letting sit around. So i'll put that on prob right now and use the little bit of 0 guage that's left on it to try and get a free negative terminal to chassis upgrade :-D. I was reading on amperage and it didn't make sense why no equipment had amperage ratings because that's what fuses are rated for but i didn't know about that formula.

no problem man I would throw the fuse in and the breaker away or if you could run another power wire to your highs amp and use it there where the amperage draw isn't going to be near as bad and leave the 4g wire for your sub amp with your 250a fuse there, it should be good to go after that!

 

[DukeNut 10+ year member]

the 250a fuse is too big for 4 ga wire. I believe max capacity of 4 ga is 150 amps.