Alpine PDX-F4 and SPR speaker help

[Joshstc]

So I'm gonna get an Alpine PDX f4 amp, it's 100x4 RMS to power 2 sets of alpine SPR60C's. I've been looking around the forms to answer my question but I'm still a little confused. I'm thinking 12 gauge wire will be good to run from the amp to the speakers from what I've read, but does that mean I can run 12 gauge to the battery and ground or should I go with 8 or 4? Any help will be great, this is my first Amp install. I've installed speakers without an amp and that was so easy, this just seems a lot harder than that! Thanks!

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[Joshstc]

Bump for some help. Also does anyone have experience with audio technix wire? It is really cheap compared to other stuff I have looked at? I am thinking about getting the big 3 upgrade they sell as well as whatever wire I need from them. Thanks for any help

 

[The Silverman 10+ year member]

So I'm gonna get an Alpine PDX f4 amp, it's 100x4 RMS to power 2 sets of alpine SPR60C's. I've been looking around the forms to answer my question but I'm still a little confused. I'm thinking 12 gauge wire will be good to run from the amp to the speakers from what I've read, but does that mean I can run 12 gauge to the battery and ground or should I go with 8 or 4? Any help will be great, this is my first Amp install. I've installed speakers without an amp and that was so easy, this just seems a lot harder than that! Thanks!

4 gauge to the battery and ground at the least.

 

[The Silverman 10+ year member]

Bump for some help. Also does anyone have experience with audio technix wire? It is really cheap compared to other stuff I have looked at? I am thinking about getting the big 3 upgrade they sell as well as whatever wire I need from them. Thanks for any help

Are you looking at OFC or CCA wire?

CCA is usually cheaper than OFC.

 

[Joshstc]

I didn't even know there were different kinds haha. Well I guess that's why it was cheaper I was looking at the cca not Ofc, I think I will go with ofc, i want good quality in this install. And okay that makes more sense, so I should run 4gauge from amp to battery and ground and 12 gauge to speakers.

I've read that you should have a fuse from battery to amp, is this true? Isome people say you don't need it on other threads I've read. I don't know how fuses work so I'll have to research all that if I do need one.

 

[CrossoverOre 10+ year member]

12 ga is probably overkill for the speakers. i would look at 16ga or 14 if you really want to. 4 ga definately for the amp power and ground.

 

[Joshstc]

12 ga is probably overkill for the speakers. i would look at 16ga or 14 if you really want to. 4 ga definately for the amp power and ground.

Okay, The speakers are 110w rms though.. Is going 12awg bad or is it just unnecessary? And do you happen to know anything about the fuse on the amp to battery?

 

[The Silverman 10+ year member]

I didn't even know there were different kinds haha. Well I guess that's why it was cheaper I was looking at the cca not Ofc, I think I will go with ofc, i want good quality in this install. And okay that makes more sense, so I should run 4gauge from amp to battery and ground and 12 gauge to speakers.I've read that you should have a fuse from battery to amp, is this true? Isome people say you don't need it on other threads I've read. I don't know how fuses work so I'll have to research all that if I do need one.

Speaker wire gauge depends on distance, but I can tell you from experience 12 will be fine if that's what you want to go with. I have a PDX 4.150 and i got 16 gauge.

Also, yep usually you want to have a fuse about a 12 inches from the positive battery terminal when installing an amp. That way if something goes wrong the fuse will blow instead of the amp. The fuse there should equal the total of all the amps you're using combined I believe. Whats that PDX...60 I believe? You're not running a sub?

 

[Joshstc]

Okay cool, that's good to know I might go with 16 like you if you are using it for 150w rms. And yeah the pdx f4 is 60 amps. And I will be putting in a sub when I put the speakers in. It's just a 10" 100w rms bazooka sub with a built in amp. I plan on going bigger with the subs later but for now and only $100 for a custom fit, the bazooka will do. Thanks for your help again

 

[Joshstc]

I just got my amp install kit and it came with a 100amp fuse, I was wondering if that would be fine or should I just go buy a 60 amp fuse?

 

[CrossoverOre 10+ year member]

You can do both but I would probably just use the one it came with. Primary reason for the fuse at the batt is to protect the wire. The amp has fusing itself in case anything bad happens to it.

 

[Joshstc]

Okay sweet! I was close to buying a new fuse for it. My head unit comes Monday, so the install will start then. This is a lot bigger project than I anticipated, throwing some coaxils and running them off a new head unit in my old truck was a lot easier than this sounds but with your guy's help it's making it a lot easier. I have fun figuring all this stuff out anyway, plus it saves me some $ and I know it's getting done right!