Can I do this the cheap way? (Powering a second amp)

[Punk In Drublic 10+ year member]

I'm installing a new amp this weekend to power my new RSD65cs's at about 100wrms per speaker. Right now I have 4 gauge wire running from my batt to my hifonics amp which is sending about 500wrms to my sub.

Now here's my question: I have 8 gauge power and ground wire. Can I just strip the casing off the wire and connect it where the 4 gauge goes into the power for the hifonics amp, and do the same with the ground wire from the new amp? Or should I just **** it up and buy 2 distro blocks and run the 4 gauge into the distro, then run 8 gauge to the new amp and 4 gauge (or maybe 2 runs of 8 gauge?) to the sub amp? Obviously doing the same with the ground wires.

Sorry if that's confusing, I'll try to explain it better if I need to.

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[Supergumby5000 5,000+ posts]

technically, you could.

I wouldnt be a cheap *** like that though. Messy and more chance of something going wrong.

 

[93dakota 10+ year member]

I would highly advise to not do this. I would either get a distro block or just run another wire.

 

[Phlipbak 10+ year member]

Ya I'm lost..

 

[brynm 10+ year member]

Basically he wants to daisy chain the power for his amps... kind of like when you parallel your voice coils. I wouldn't, you can get a 4 guage distro cheap. Spend the extra few bucks,

 

[quins90lac 10+ year member]

8 awg for power wire what . 8 awg aint power wire its speaker wire . either one run another lenth of 4 awg and run it from the battery to the second amp get a 4 awg in 2 4awg out fused distro block . doing it the way your wanting to do it you going to clip the hell out of that second amp from low voltage . and possibly destroy your subs from sending them a clipped signal. now is it worth all that to be cheap

 

[Punk In Drublic 10+ year member]

Alright thanks for saving me from that one guys. So is it possible to buy a distro block with a 4ga input and 2 4ga outputs? I want to still run 4 ga to my sub amp (or 2 runs of 8 gauge, is that the equivalent?) and also run 8ga to my new amp for my comps.

 

[lincolntc690 10+ year member]

go to your local hardware store buy a few ring terminals and 2 bolts/nuts that will fit thru the rings. put rings on wires and bolt them together, remeber shrink wraqp or elec. tape is your friend!

this is how a local shop does it //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/fyi.gif.9f1f679348da7204ce960cfc74bca8e0.gif//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wow.gif.23d729408e9177caa2a0ed6a2ba6588e.gif

they dont have blocks in stock

 

[alvitae 10+ year member]

Alright thanks for saving me from that one guys. So is it possible to buy a distro block with a 4ga input and 2 4ga outputs? I want to still run 4 ga to my sub amp (or 2 runs of 8 gauge, is that the equivalent?) and also run 8ga to my new amp for my comps.

It doesn't cut the number in half when you double. 2 runs of 4 gauge = 1 run of 1 gauge. Not 1 run of 2 gauge. The number steps up 3 on a gauge chart if that makes sense.

 

[scoob8000 10+ year member]

Are you talking about putting two wires under one screw terminal on your amp?

No, for safety sake don't do it. Go buy a cheap distro block.

 

[DidUHearThat? 10+ year member]

Alright thanks for saving me from that one guys. So is it possible to buy a distro block with a 4ga input and 2 4ga outputs? I want to still run 4 ga to my sub amp (or 2 runs of 8 gauge, is that the equivalent?) and also run 8ga to my new amp for my comps.

Yes, that is what I have, except in my case the 4 and 8 gauge are reversed. 4 gauge fuse at the battery to a distro block under my seat. Fused 4 gauge to the main amp (big 4 channel). Fused 8 gauge to the sub amp (class D).

Get a distro, or you can Y a 4 gauge to each amp without a distro, but you cannot reduce the wire size on one side without adding a fuse. You must add a fuse when you step down in size to protect the wire.

So the 4 gauge can be fused at the battery @ 120 Amps, then use a bolt, nut (or solder) and heatshrink to make a Y splice to 4 gauge for each amp. If you want one side to be 8 gauge then just get a small distro with built in fuses. I think 8 gauge must be fuse at 50 amps.

NO! You cannot use two runs of 8 gauge to "equal" a 4 gauge. Don't do that. If you need 4 gauge, then use 4 gauge.

Check out knukonceptz.com and Darvex.com for good prices on wiring, fuses and distros.

 

[Punk In Drublic 10+ year member]

Alright, sounds like a plan. I think I'm going to just get a bolt and a couple extra ring terminals, and split the 4 gauge and have 4 gauge running to each amp, then just do the same thing for the ground. Or should I not worry about grounding to a single point and just use a shorter ground wire for the new amp and ground it on its own side of the car? (Sub amp is under my seat, the new amp is going under the passenger seat)

 

[bigaudiofanati2 10+ year member]

I wouldn't I actually just fixed a guys system that was wired like that a shop installed it like that not only looked like crap but i think it should be done the right way. I used a 0 gauge in to 4 4 gauge out for my setup only I didn't use 0 gauge wire i used 4. Worked fine.

 

[Redlineaudio 10+ year member]

Buy the Blocks.

 

[lincolntc690 10+ year member]

i agree, he should just use blocks. but his question is how to do it cheap, not nice and pretty.

and since he said his amps are under the seat looks dont matter

and OP ground your amps the same way