Distribution block needed

[rjay 10+ year member]

Who makes a good distribution block, or are they all pretty much the same? Wanting one with 4ga input and (2) 4ga outputs, if that would work. Don't have the amps yet, but power will 400-500 watts mono amp to one 10" sub, and 50-60 watts 2 channel amp running front components. Would it be necessary if the distribution block has fuses in them? Also seen some that had voltage readouts, are these even accurate or just a waste? Thanks

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[Wingsfreak9 10+ year member]

ive got a distro thats 1 4 gauge in with 2 8 gauge outs let me know if youre interested

 

[All_Logix 10+ year member]

^^^ I would go with this, you don't need 4 gauge from the distro, just from the battery, maybe not even that, but just to be on the safe side. I want to say stinger makes one with a readout but quality is iffy

 

[keep_hope_alive Premium Member]

most distribution blocks reduce the output wire sizes. but you can get distro blocks that have rings for smaller wires - so you'd want a 1/0 in and 4 awg out.

if you are running wire that is smaller than the fusing at teh battery, and if the amp doesn't have built-in fuses - then you need to get a fused distro block. if the amps have fuses and the wire is sized for the amp fuses, then you technically don't need a fuse distro block even if the wire is smaller than the battery fuse. the reason for this is as follows:

battery fuse: provides short circuit protection for the wire.

amp fuse: provides over-current protection for the amplifier and wire.

in some cases the battery fuse is also used for over-current protection for the wire. it is typically safer to just use fused distro blocks, and it's nice being able to pull a fuse to kill an amp in case of setting adjustments or the general desire to turn off an amp while adjusting levels.

 

[rjay 10+ year member]

Well I already got the 4ga kit from Knu (the cca one) and figured I would just run 4ga to each amp from the block, but guess that won't really work? Can always buy a few feet of 8ga if won't work. Now I do have enough 8ga (ofc) from another install, if that would be fine. The amps will have built in fuses btw.

 

[kramer_212 10+ year member]

stinger makes one it has a spacer for the 4 and can be 1/0 in also

 

[All_Logix 10+ year member]

Yeah kicker makes one with (2) 1/0 or 4 in and (4) 4 or 8 out

 

[audiobaun 5,000+ posts]

I use stinger, and for a few years/fused dist block, and has served my needs for several systems

 

[rjay 10+ year member]

Think I may have found a free one!!! But now would it matter if the 4ga from battery to block is CCA and the 8ga from block to both amps are OFC? Probably a dumb question, but figure I better ask!

 

[TheUnderFighter 10+ year member]

Think I may have found a free one!!! But now would it matter if the 4ga from battery to block is CCA and the 8ga from block to both amps are OFC? Probably a dumb question, but figure I better ask!

That's fine. 4gauge to the distro, and 8 gauge from the distro to the amps is more than enough.

 

[rjay 10+ year member]

But does the type of wire matter? Main wire being CCA and the 8ga being OFC?