Extending Amp Wiring question

[kustomciv 10+ year member]

hey guys, just joined here.

When I bought my car it had a pretty generic system in it (12" Dual brand subs in ricey blue neon bandpass and a sony xplod amp) well I sold those today because I plan to put my audiobahn amp in it and buy a single sub.

As I got to looking at the amplifier wiring from the amp that I sold (I kept the wiring because I didn't want to have to re-run it) I realized its like 8 gauge (might be 6 but it looks small)

My amp calls for 4 gauge, and I know thats what is better to use. I have a 4 gauge rockford fosgate amplifier wiring kit that I bought with my amp a few years ago, However it is about 4 feet too short.

So my question is,

without having to buy another $50 kit is there a way that if I bought the extra feet of wire I need that I could just add it onto this 4 gauge rockford fosgate kit I have? I've gotten a few different answers, some that I could just buy a butt connector (gold finish one not plastic) and connect them, others that I would have to solder it (don't have a soldering iron and have never soldered in my life) or that no it would not work because it would bring down the power or something.

can someone help me on this one, I'd really appreciate it

thanks guys

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[All_Logix 10+ year member]

OK here are some options (in order of best to not so best):

1.) pick up a distribution block, use it to connect your wire, this will be a legit way of extending the wire and will give you the ability to upgrade in the future if you ever want to.

2.) Even though you don't have a soldering iron, finding someone who does and getting it done this way will be as if it was never separated, you want to minimize external resistance in the power wire.

3.) The butt connection is a possibility. If you are running a small scale watt system this will work, I have had to resort to it myself for someone who didn't want to wait and well...it worked. Also you can do it this way and then pick up that distro block later if you need to

 

[Bettr n' Revrse 5,000+ posts]

Sell it and buy new power wire?

 

[sacsking916 5,000+ posts]

Just get new wire. EBay might be your new friend. Check classifieds here too

 

[jco1385 5,000+ posts]

put a fuseholder/fuse in and keep truckin //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/fyi.gif.9f1f679348da7204ce960cfc74bca8e0.gif

16k post ITT //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/woot.gif.aaa6090e619a97b6090d16dd863c5a69.gif

 

[mclerico83 5,000+ posts]

4 gauge amplifier installation kit

here u go

 

[kustomciv 10+ year member]

ok thanks guys, by the time I buy new wire and something to connect it with (dist or other) it will be about the same as buying a whole cheapo amp kit. guess I'll just have to buy one and hope its not crappy

 

[jco1385 5,000+ posts]

put a fuseholder/fuse in and keep truckin //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/fyi.gif.9f1f679348da7204ce960cfc74bca8e0.gif
16k post ITT //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/woot.gif.aaa6090e619a97b6090d16dd863c5a69.gif

this is what i'd do. no need to pull new wire or buy a new kit this way. just get the wire you need and a fuseholder and a fuse. boom. done.

 

[kustomciv 10+ year member]

I'm confused about what you're saying to do? just buy new wire and a fuse holder and fuse? or add on to the wire thats in there (the small wire)?

 

[jco1385 5,000+ posts]

take the end of the wire you have thats too short and attach it to one side of a fuse holder. take the new piece of wire and attach it to the other side. put a fuse in the holder. you have effectively extended the wire.

 

[kustomciv 10+ year member]

but it already has a fuse holder and fuse on it, so I'm not really accomplishing much because the fuse holder is only 8 inches from the end so I would only be gaining 8 inches, if that's what you mean. It seems like only way out of this is to just buy all new wire and I'll try to sell the rockford kit, Really wish I had $50 extra to put into getting another set of rockford wire cause its made much nicer than most of the wires I have/friends have. I sold the subs and amp that were in the car when I bought it because I knew I had my other amp and wiring kit so I could use the money to just buy the sub I want and now I have to buy a lot of extra things I have that I thought would work so thats why I was looking for a way around it

by the way, does the fuse holder/fuse have to be a certain distance from the battery? I thought about running the extra wire on that end of it but I didn't know if it needed to be close to the battery or not, cause I could hide it somewhere in the cab if it doesnt

 

[jco1385 5,000+ posts]

ok....

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wire thats too short ^^ fuse holder ^^ wire you added ^^

you can add as much as you need. 2 fuse holders wont hurt. or you could just buy new wire, but the question was how to extend it. and that will do it.

 

[mclerico83 5,000+ posts]

just buy the knuconceptz wiring kit

they are the best kits on budget oversized

4 gauge amplifier installation kit

4 Gauge Amplifier Installation Kit

Copper Clad Aluminum

run 0 guage to be really sure and nice

Cadence AmpKit4 Four 4 Gauge Amplifier Installation Kit | eBay

http://cgi.ebay.com/Cadence-AmpKit0-Zero-0-Gauge-Amplifier-Installation-Kit-/260667507104?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cb0fe81a0#ht_4846wt_905

all legit 4 guage and 0 guage kits.

if money is not an issue id buy the cadence 0 guage kit and be really happy and safe and never have to change wire again

 

[kustomciv 10+ year member]

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wire thats too short ^^ fuse holder ^^ wire you added ^^

you can add as much as you need. 2 fuse holders wont hurt. or you could just buy new wire, but the question was how to extend it. and that will do it.

thats where I was confused, I assumed the fuse had to be a certain distance from the battery thats why I didn't think I could just add to that end. Thanks for your help, sorry for all the questions

 

[jco1385 5,000+ posts]

you need one within 18" of the battery, but you can add to the short end like i said. it won't hurt anything and might save you some coin. or just pony up and do it right. i'd also recommend looking at knukonceptz wire. it seems to be the go-to wire place on ca.com