help newbie with gauge sizing

[banks8604 10+ year member]

Lets say that I have a MTX JackHammer JH404 amp for my interior speakers and a MTX XThunder 1000XD amp for my sub, what gauge should my power wire be if Im using a distribution block with 4 gauge outputs to hook the 2 amps to? Do I even need a distribution block? What size inline fuse should I use?

Thanks in advance

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[keep_hope_alive Premium Member]

Most likely, 4 awg will be enough, if your length is less than 12' - I consider you to be in the 90A range in the table below. If you are more than 12' then look at 2 awg or 0 awg. The inline fuse is sized for the wire. If you want to have one power wire ran to the back, then split to two amps - you'll need a way to do that safely - that is where the distribution block comes in. If the wire size in is the same as the wire size out - you don't need a fused distribution block. If the wire in is larger, then you want fused so you protect the smaller wires.

Visit this page and read it (provides fuse sizing):

FUSES

 

[banks8604 10+ year member]

Thanks for your advice. I have a 97 camry so im assuming im under the 12' mark lol.

 

[wet_rat 10+ year member]

That is exactly the info I was looking for. In the wire chart is the amperage your total peak of the amps or RMS?

I was going to run a 10' run of 2g to a dblock into (2) 4g runs to the amps. According to the fuse explaination I should be good with a 200 amp fuse for the 2g and then run a 125 amp for the (2) 4g after the dblock, is that correct?

Here are the two amps I will be running:

JBL GTO14001 - Monoblock Car Amplifier, Power Amp - Sonic Electronix

MB QUART DSC4125 1000W 4-Channel Amplifier: VMInnovations.com

 

[keep_hope_alive Premium Member]

you are correct with your fuse and wire sizing. The chart is RMS wattage.

 

[banks8604 10+ year member]

I think I like that MB Quart 4 channel. Since I've joined the forum, Ive noticed alotta people use them. If the table is rms, I think I should run 2 gauge to a dblock and then 4 gauge to the amps

 

[keep_hope_alive Premium Member]

people use the MB Quart because it's cheap. I would use a Powerbass ASA600.4x if i needed a cheap amp. Even the Alpine MRP series is decent for the money.

Hertz EP4 is a nice, affordable 4 channel amp.