How to connect smaller gauge wire to the middle of a bigger wire?

[brandontw 10+ year member]

Run into a little question on a new install...

There will be a small alpine KTP-445u powerpack amp stashed behind the dash near the radio.

A RF PS-8 powered sub unit will live under the passenger seat.

I want to run an 8 gauge power wire through the firewall to power the sub. The powerpack can supposedly just use the power that feeds the stereo, but i'm running that power wire right by it, so I might as well use it.

I'm sure some sort of distribution block is probably the recommended method, but i really haven't had the greatest luck with the screws on a lot of them, and I don't like paying for them.

I'm considering just stripping a chunk of the insulation off of the 8 gauge wire, wrapping the 12 gauge for the power-pack around, solder the heck out of it, and finish with heat shrink and electrical tape.

There is an inline fuse included on both the alpine powerpack, and the rockford powered sub, and there will be another on the main line close to the battery.

Is this totally ghetto, or does it sound reasonable?

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[BSchrowang]

Totally ghetto, electricly speaking it will work fine. But i would think 12 ga would be too small. My suggestion would be run 4ga and use 8gauge instead of 12. It will cost a few extra dollars but will be able to handle the current better. But i would really reccomend a dist block but i understand you dont want to use one.

 

[brandontw 10+ year member]

From what I understand, the alpine amp really only accepts a 12 gauge wire... the wire is built in to the clip that plugs into the amp, so even if i use a bigger wire, i'd be splicing it down to connect to the amp anyway. I might even be overestimating the size of the wire... i heard somewhere that it was a 16, but it looks a bit bigger than that when i have it in my hands.

Same story with the powered sub... the wire is built into the clip and is 10 gauge.

Also, i already have the 8 gauge wire and fuse holder, and judging from the wire size built into these amps, it will be more than sufficient to run them both. This is a very modest setup... 2 amps running well under 300W rms

 

[BSchrowang]

Alright, i was unfamiliar with both of the amps that were mentioned, that should be sufficient then. Make sure the connections that you use to connect the 8 gauge and the 12gauge are extremely secure and you should be good.

 

[hispls 5,000+ posts]

I'm considering just stripping a chunk of the insulation off of the 8 gauge wire, wrapping the 12 gauge for the power-pack around, solder the heck out of it, and finish with heat shrink and electrical tape.

Yes, but strip back a good 2.5 inches of the 12 gauge and use an awl or small screwdriver to open up a hole in the middle of the 8 gauge wire after you peel back some insulation. Thread the 12 gauge through the hole then wrap it around a few times. Even with just tape that method is pretty sound. Hope that makes some sense but if you put the thinner wire through like threading a needle then wrap it around a couple times it'll be a solid connection.

 

[Umbra]

Like BSchrowang said, it'll work, but it's ghetto.

The ideal way to do it is with fused distro blocks. Each time you reduce the gauge it needs its own applicable fuse. If a smaller wire shorts in this configuration it could pose a fire hazard as it'll burn up long before the main fuse blows.

When you're dealing with these sized wires it's annoying when you consider purchasing distros, fuses, terminals, etc. because the hardware typically costs more than the wire.

You can do it, just be careful to run the wire out of the way of anything that could damage it. Use cheap split loom tubing on tight squeezes and plenty of wire ties.

 

[brandontw 10+ year member]

Yes, but strip back a good 2.5 inches of the 12 gauge and use an awl or small screwdriver to open up a hole in the middle of the 8 gauge wire after you peel back some insulation. Thread the 12 gauge through the hole then wrap it around a few times. Even with just tape that method is pretty sound. Hope that makes some sense but if you put the thinner wire through like threading a needle then wrap it around a couple times it'll be a solid connection.

That's pretty much exactly what I was planning on doing. I think if i wrap it through, then around, then around itself several times and solder it it will be stronger than a cheap Chinese dist. block.

Here's a ridiculous and unnecessarily detailed, but relatively inaccurate drawing I put together because its Friday.

View attachment 26555443

 

[imiguenes]

What u such do Is use 4 gauge from the battery that way if u want to up grade in the future the wire will be there u such two fuses one for each amp to be safe

Sent from my SM-T330NU using Tapatalk

 

[hispls 5,000+ posts]

That's pretty much exactly what I was planning on doing. I think if i wrap it through, then around, then around itself several times and solder it it will be stronger than a cheap Chinese dist. block.
Here's a ridiculous and unnecessarily detailed, but relatively inaccurate drawing I put together because its Friday.

View attachment 26555443

Yep. I was shown that by a top installer ages ago and it's been reliable for me.