Few questions for y’all

[Glen Livet]

I’m looking at installing a sub box, amp, and LOC. it’s going in a ‘15 VW Passat. I’m keeping the factory head unit and door speakers.

I’m thinking of using this sub box

TROPO-2X8D4 // Dual 8” 1600-Watt Loaded Tropo Series Ported Car Subwoofer Box

The CT Sounds TROPO-2X8D4 is a loaded dual 8” ported car subwoofer box that comes with two of our TROPO-8-D4 800-watt max power 8-inch car subwoofers pre-installed and pre-wired internally to a 1-ohm final impedance.

www.ctsounds.com

And this LOC

LC2i PRO - AudioControl

www.audiocontrol.com

As for amp. I’m not sure. I think the subs are wired to 1 ohm. Will a mono channel amp work? Run a 800 w rms? What amp would be good to use with this setup?

As for the LOC. I’m thinking of tapping into the rear speakers for the signal to go to LOC.

Wiring questions
I’m thinking of a distribution block mounted on the battery terminal. Run the wire to the trunk. Where another distribution block can take the larger wire and then connect 2 smaller wires to go to the amp and LOC.
my questions are. What size wire from battery to trunk block? What size wire from block to amp? What size wire from block to LOC? What size “ for lack of better term “ fuse for the battery block, trunk block, amp, LOC? Do I need 4 fuses? I get the fuses protect the equipment and wires. Depending on how it’s wired and fused.

I’m thinking of getting all the blocks, wires from one supplier. Ease of ordering. Less chance of messing up and missing something that I need.

Thanks in advance for any/ all the help.

Click to read more...

 

[HardofWhoring]

Yeah, you can use a 1 ch amp. 1ch just means you have to wire it in mono, and can't wire it in stereo. That doesn't matter with subs. The one you listed is a 1 ohm final impedance. You just need a 1ch, amp that can do about;
800-1000w RMS 1ch @1ohm.

Basically when you do this, you are starting at the end, and figuring it out, working your way up to the battery AFTER you have your amps figured out, (and roughly know where they wil be mounted).

For fuse sizes, you need to know or figure out the sizes for your amps.
Your wiring going off the distribution block will need to be fused at least the same, but better if just slightly higher. The size of the wire will need to be capable of handing at least 10-15% more than what those fuses are rated for.
The main wire off the battery to the distribution block needs to be fused at least as much all combined fuses off the distribution block, and the fuse as close to the battery terminal as possible. The wire size needs to be able to handle 10-15% more than the fuse size.
There are a lot of AWG wire size charts, and they vary slightly. here is the one off crutchfield.

If you have 2 amps, one is fused at 40 amps, and one fused at 120 amps, then
For the 40 amp, amplifier, wire it with either 10 or 8awg (8 because that is probably what you will find), and fuse that wire at 50 amps.
For the 120 amp, amplifier, a short run could be 8awg, but I would 100% go 4awg. Then I would fuse that wire 125-150amps. (You can always go bigger with wire, it just costs cents more per foot, and is a little bigger physically to run it). The wiring can be as oversized as you want, but the fuses need to be sized for what they are doing. They need to be less than what the wire is capable of, but more than what you need downstream.

The main wire would then need to handle at least 160 amps. I would do 1/0, and fuse it for 200amps at the battery. The fuses at the battery and the distribution block are for the wire. As close to the battery as possible, and on the terminal is best. If that wire burns through you have some length between the terminal and fuse that could be a large, exposed power wire that could burn your vehicle to the ground.


If you can find a seller that offers all the blocks that you like, then WOW. I have a box of about 15 of em, and some off the top of my head are:
DS18
Knuconceptz
tspec
Metra
Skyhighcar audio
Jl Audio
Stinger
A couple chinese / Amazon ones I'm not proud of.

The DS18, tspec & Knuconceptz are some of my favorite designs, I would suggest at least checking those two out. (Sealed better, adjustability, and quality).

The fused battery terminals are where I would start, those are just going to be the fewest options. The fused distribution block will probably need a reducer and some times they just aren't designed for the size of wiring you are using in and out. It's two blocks, and with this example you would need 3 sizes of wire, which not everyone sells. There are places where you can get all of that, but I wouldn't worry about getting it all from one place that much. You need a wire from each amp, a distribution block, a main power wire, and a fuse at or near the battery.

 

[Glen Livet]

MD 800.1 Amplifier Free Shipping Worldwide | Taramps Store - Taramps Store

Check out the full range amplifier with 1 channel of 800W available in 1 or 2 ohm versions, ideal for any type of automotive sound. Enjoy free shippin

www.tarampstore.com

I found this amp. If I remember right. The Taramps are good for the price.

I’ll have to look at the wire size charts more.
I’m very much a newb. Fumbling through this process.

 

[huberoy123 10+ year member]

I run 4 gauge wire from the battery to a distribution block in the trunk. Fuse near the battery (I use a 60 volt fuse). Follow the manufacturer's recommendation for your amplifier. 8 gauge wire from the block to 3 amplifiers, and a cooling fan. The amps have fuses so no other fuse used. I initially, I had a fuse just before the block, but got rid of it. There are lots of videos on youTube.com.

 

[Glen Livet]

I run 4 gauge wire from the battery to a distribution block in the trunk. Fuse near the battery (I use a 60 volt fuse). Follow the manufacturer's recommendation for your amplifier. 8 gauge wire from the block to 3 amplifiers, and a cooling fan. The amps have fuses so no other fuse used. I initially, I had a fuse just before the block, but got rid of it. There are lots of videos on youTube.com.

I looked at the amp spec sheet. I think it recommends 7 awg power/ ground wire. I guess an 8 awg will work. It asked for a 50 fuse. I’m assuming 4 awg from battery to the trunk block. Then go from 4 awg to 8.
The LOC asks for power wire of 16 or 14 awg. So I’ll need an adapter from the block to the LOC wire?

 

[huberoy123 10+ year member]

I looked at the amp spec sheet. I think it recommends 7 awg power/ ground wire. I guess an 8 awg will work. It asked for a 50 fuse. I’m assuming 4 awg from battery to the trunk block. Then go from 4 awg to 8.
The LOC asks for power wire of 16 or 14 awg. So I’ll need an adapter from the block to the LOC wire?

If they are asking for 7 gauge wire, I would run 4 gauge from the battery to the block and from the block to the amplifiers to be on the safe side. Why is the LOC going to the block? Are you getting your power and ground from the amplifier?? I'm used to the LOC being located near the stereo and getting its power from the stereo power and ground wires. That also cuts the power to the LOC when you turn your ignition off. I believe that the 16 or 14 awg you mention is for the RCA cables that run from your LOC to the amplifier??? Let us know how you proceed with your project. https://learn.sonicelectronix.com/how-to-install-a-line-output-converter/

 

[Glen Livet]

If they are asking for 7 gauge wire, I would run 4 gauge from the battery to the block and from the block to the amplifiers to be on the safe side. Why is the LOC going to the block? Are you getting your power and ground from the amplifier?? I'm used to the LOC being located near the stereo and getting its power from the stereo power and ground wires. That also cuts the power to the LOC when you turn your ignition off. I believe that the 16 or 14 awg you mention is for the RCA cables that run from your LOC to the amplifier??? Let us know how you proceed with your project. https://learn.sonicelectronix.com/how-to-install-a-line-output-converter/

I’m thinking of hooking the LOC to the rear speakers. Having all the audio gear in the trunk.
I’m thinking of making metal straps attached to the package tray to mount the LOC and amp.
I thought the 14-16 was speaker wire. I’m not 100% sure. I’d have to look again.
I think the audio controls LOC has a setting. It doesn’t turn on until it registers music from the speakers/ head unit. I’m wanting to get the Audio Control Lc2i Pro

 

[HardofWhoring]

The bigger the gauge number, the smaller the wire. 8awg would be smaller than 7awg. Yeah, go with 4awg. 7awg sounds like it must be for an amp that's main market is outside of the U.S. I wouldn't even spend two minutes trying to find 7awg.

8awg would be fine if its a short run, but in the bigger picture of it. If 4awg works for your total amperage and length, you can run 4awg off the battery, then split it and run 4awg to each amp, as long as it is still big enough for the total amperage. What you need to know is what size connections all the equipment is designed for; the connectors on the amp, and the connectors on your distribution BLOCKS (fused one for power, non fused one for ground). You also then only need to buy one long wire, and you cut off what you need, instead of buying extra and wasting a little, (the cost of the larger wire kind of evens itself out if you can keep a usable length, as opposed to having a foot or two extra that's not good for anything).

Figure out what size connections your amp can take, then find your distribution blocks that work with that size, then buy your wire.

The LOC needs a dedicated power wire. You can add it to the distribution block. You might need a block with an extra fuse for it, or maybe you can attach it in a way that the power wire has a connection, depends on the style.

Your other option, and what I would do, is wire in a relay. Your remote wire / blue with white stripe wire is a very small circuit on your head unit. You can find the millivolt specs on some. They seem to usually be capable of powering about 300-500mv. On your amp, that input is just a switch, and can be anywhere from 100-400mv. SOME AMPS can burn out that switch and ruin your head unit with two amps, and some head units can power 3 amps, maybe more with no problem. If you can't find your specs, you can guarantee it won't be a problem if you run a simple 30 amp 4 pin/5pin relay. The relay will be switched on by that wire, and you run a dedicated power wire to your battery or if you upsize it, and plan for it, you can wire it to that main power wire/fused distribution block (, and ground to your ground block). That will give you up to 30 amps of switched power from off the fused distribution block (between your two blocks). You then wire all your amplifier's remote turn on wires to that relay (directly or through a busbar, or just stack rings/pins). If you do that you would then be able to wire the LOC to that as well. It would be on switched power just like the amps so it won't drain or draw from somewhere it shouldn't.