Help with wiring amps

[rivarat462]

Hey guys I'm new to this audio stuff and would like help wiring my amps. I have 05 f-150 xcab , putting in two JL audio amps 300/4, 500/1 whats the best location, wiring kits to use and how to wire. Any info would help thanks.

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[boomzilla 10+ year member]

anywhere is good, just not in the open where passers-by can see it, and dont mount them upside down, they need to give off heat the best way they can.

knuconceptz has some good wires, stinger, audiopipe, all those are good. youll probably only need a 4g wire, but if you need headroom to buy bigger amps/subs later, just buy 1/0 wiring.

as for everything else, thats why we have a search menu. this topic has been covered a bagillion times.

 

[jrwalte 10+ year member]

running a single 4g to a distro block for both of your amps will be OK, as mentioned above, especially with your short distance in a truck. Unless you plan on upgrading your amps in the future to make your total RMS over 1100 I wouldn't worry about running 0g.

 

[rivarat462]

anywhere is good, just not in the open where passers-by can see it, and dont mount them upside down, they need to give off heat the best way they can.
knuconceptz has some good wires, stinger, audiopipe, all those are good. youll probably only need a 4g wire, but if you need headroom to buy bigger amps/subs later, just buy 1/0 wiring.

as for everything else, thats why we have a search menu. this topic has been covered a bagillion times.

Thanks for the help.

 

[boomzilla 10+ year member]

every section here, ie amps, subs, headunits, ect. have their own "stickies" those are topics that stay at the top of that particular forum for newcomers/ or make it just simple to find. youll find alot of info here, and if not, thats why were here.

welcome!

 

[SethPhillips 5,000+ posts]

Hey guys I'm new to this audio stuff and would like help wiring my amps. I have 05 f-150 xcab , putting in two JL audio amps 300/4, 500/1 whats the best location, wiring kits to use and how to wire. Any info would help thanks.

you will need a 4ga wire kit, with a disto block. and 8ga from the disto to the amps.

in the ex cab ford's, there is not a whole lot of room depending on where you are putting the sub(s) usually i put the amps under driver and pass seats.

on the 4 ch you will need 4ch rca's. and 9 wire. Stinger makes the 9 wire, it consist's of all youre speaker wires and a rem wire all in a caseing. run the nine wire from youre 4ch amp's output's up behind the deck into a aftermarket wire harness of to the factory harness to the speakers.

then 2 ch rca's off to the 500/1.

hope that helps.

 

[rivarat462]

you will need a 4ga wire kit, with a disto block. and 8ga from the disto to the amps.
in the ex cab ford's, there is not a whole lot of room depending on where you are putting the sub(s) usually i put the amps under driver and pass seats.

on the 4 ch you will need 4ch rca's. and 9 wire. Stinger makes the 9 wire, it consist's of all youre speaker wires and a rem wire all in a caseing. run the nine wire from youre 4ch amp's output's up behind the deck into a aftermarket wire harness of to the factory harness to the speakers.

then 2 ch rca's off to the 500/1.

hope that helps.

If I remember right, the head unit only has to sets of RCA outputs 2reds 2whites. Where will I hook up the RCA's from the 500/1

 

[jrwalte 10+ year member]

That depends on your HU. Most likely the two RCAs are for front and rear and your HU doesn't have a dedicated sub out. You should take it out (or look at the manual) and determine if it has 4 RCA OUTs or 6.

If your HU has 4 RCA outs, this means you should take the front or rear RCAs from the 4-channel RCA line you run (doesn't matter which) and connect it to the RCA IN of your 500/1 amp. (the other 2 RCAs from the 4-channel will go directly to the 300/4 amp). Then purchase a short 2-channel RCA cable to go from the RCA OUT of your 500/1 amp to the RCA IN of your 300/4. FYI, your 300/4 amp doesn't have a RCA OUT option, that's why you have to go to the 500/1 first.

This is assuming you are running all 4 channels of your 300/1 and not bridging it to 2 channel.

If your HU actually has 6 RCA OUTs then you will run 3 sets of RCA cables and not 2. One set for front, rear, and sub.

 

[SethPhillips 5,000+ posts]

use rca y splitter's. and tune the amps properly..

or get a new deck with all the right pre-outs and you will have allot more options for cleaner better sound

 

[rivarat462]

That depends on your HU. Most likely the two RCAs are for front and rear and your HU doesn't have a dedicated sub out. You should take it out (or look at the manual) and determine if it has 4 RCA OUTs or 6.
If your HU has 4 RCA outs, this means you should take the front or rear RCAs from the 4-channel RCA line you run (doesn't matter which) and connect it to the RCA IN of your 500/1 amp. (the other 2 RCAs from the 4-channel will go directly to the 300/4 amp). Then purchase a short 2-channel RCA cable to go from the RCA OUT of your 500/1 amp to the RCA IN of your 300/4. FYI, your 300/4 amp doesn't have a RCA OUT option, that's why you have to go to the 500/1 first.

This is assuming you are running all 4 channels of your 300/1 and not bridging it to 2 channel.

If your HU actually has 6 RCA OUTs then you will run 3 sets of RCA cables and not 2. One set for front, rear, and sub.

I just took it out and it has a set of RCA marked SW, a set marked front and a pigtail with RCA's on it marked rear.

 

[jrwalte 10+ year member]

I just took it out and it has a set of RCA marked SW, a set marked front and a pigtail with RCA's on it marked rear.

That's what you want. you'll need to get 3 sets of RCAs (two of which can be on the same run as Seth mentioned)