Installing an amp

[Chowder Head 10+ year member]

Maybe you guys can knock some sense into me. I have no idea how to install an amp. I don't actually have the amp just yet, but I like to know how to do it before I get in. Anyone care to point out a link or mind telling me and the materials that are required?

Thanks all, as you can see, I'm new lol.

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[djjdnap 10+ year member]

The amp should come with instructions..

But you'll need power wire and ground wire, and some RCA cables.

pretty sure you can search this on google.. try "car amplifier installation" or something like that

http://www.carstereo.com/help/Articles.cfm?id=37

 

[Chowder Head 10+ year member]

Whoops, I didn't even check Google, lol.

Does anyone have pics of their finished amp install they wouldn't mind showing? I like visual aids.

Thanks all.

 

[gnet158 10+ year member]

Well, the actual install/hook up of the amp is the easiest part. Wiring takes the most time. You didn’t mention if you wanted an amp for your speakers, sub, or both. I just went thru the process this past weekend and it was actually pretty fun. Here’s some pics of the wiring process, like I said the actual amp install is the easiest part, My amp arrived on Tuesday so I just dropped it in and hooked everything up in about an hour. But the wiring too me 2 ½ hours only because it was my first time and I was taking it slow. I still have to properly secure the amp to my truck, maybe this weekend.

This is a shot of my power and amp remote turn on wires down the drivers side door.

http://chevytruckworld.tenmagazines.com/gallery/gnet158/183505.jpg

This is a shot of where everything meets

http://chevytruckworld.tenmagazines.com/gallery/gnet158/183503.jpg

This is a shot of my RCA ran down the passenger side door.

http://chevytruckworld.tenmagazines.com/gallery/gnet158/183509.jpg

My ground.

http://chevytruckworld.tenmagazines.com/gallery/gnet158/183510.jpg

Here are a few questions you need to ask.

1. What is the amp for? Speakers or sub, both?

2. Decide on the gauge (wire thickness) you want to buy your amp kit

3. PLAN, PLAN, PLAN, on how your going to run all of your wiring, take your time and do it right.

4. Allow plenty of item for the wiring install.

5. Buy the right amp for you needs.

 

[PhatTonyDeMarco 5,000+ posts]

http://www.crutchfieldadvisor.com/S-DarRV8PAngZ/learningcenter/car/amplifiers_install_steps.html

Best tutorial I have seen on the net...

 

[wingnut691983 10+ year member]

http://www.ehrensplace.com/sourceimages/photo/2004/car_newbox/index.htm

picture of my amp install, I ran power from the battery and attached the ground to a good grounding point in the trunk. Ran RCA's from the back of the deck to the trunk. I have 2 amps so i used power blocks ot split the 4ga into 2x8ga leads one to each amp for both power and ground. Ran the RCA's from the sub out on the deck to the input on the first amp and then got a 2' rca and plugged that into the pass through on the first amp and into the input on the second. Not too difficult.

Nice buick by the way, you will like my pictures //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[Chowder Head 10+ year member]

1. What is the amp for? Speakers or sub, both?

2. Decide on the gauge (wire thickness) you want to buy your amp kit

3. PLAN, PLAN, PLAN, on how your going to run all of your wiring, take your time and do it right.

4. Allow plenty of item for the wiring install.

5. Buy the right amp for you needs.

1. Hmm, what would cost more, two amps, one for speakers and the other for the subs or just one powerful one to power them both?

2. How would I plan on doing that?

3. I'm thinking if I mount one in the front like near the front seat, where would be the best place to mount it? And what about cooling issues? When is it neccesary to purchase a fan to keep them cool?

Now one off the wall question. Could a single amp power a set of DLS Iridums 6.5 component speakers and two 10" subs? How bout two 12' subs?

Thanks all!

 

[wingnut691983 10+ year member]

1. YOu could power both components and subs off of one amp but its not reccomended at all. To power your component (front and rear) speakers you should use a 4 channel amp, one channel for each speaker. For one sub you either need a mono amp or a 2 channel (bridged).

2. the guage of wire you need depends on the power draw of the amp and how much it outputs. I would say if its under 500 watts 8guage would do but I would personally do as I said above and run 4 guage from the battery to your trunk and then split off to 8 guage, there is very little price difference but 4 guage is hard to get into the holes on some amps.

3. are you talking about mounting your amp in the front of the car?? I wouldnt. Put your amps wherever your subs are unless you are doing some crazy custom thing, I generally mount the amps on the sub box. Generally its not neccesary to use auxilary cooling for the amps, they are designed to be housed in a closed area (trunk) and designed to disspiate heat.

If you got a big *** 4 channel amp you could power your two components and two 10's MAYBEE of course depending on the amp and depending on the subs. You would have to have a way to turn down the gain quite a bit on the 2 channels that would connect to your components and it would have to have enough RMS per channel to power each of the 10's connected independently to the 2 remaining channels. You would also require some external crossovers to cut the highs out of the signals going to the subs, and possibly the lows going to the components.

Personally I never suggest connecting components and subs so the same amp because it is botlenecking your system because you cant tweak the amp as well because you have to accomodate two completely different kinds of speakers. If you only want to power 2 component speakers I would buy a smaller 2 channel amp for those and buy a bigger 4 channel and bridge the 4 channels down to 2 channels for your two 10" speakers or 12" speakers. (or get a bigger 2 channel that provides enough RMS per channel for each sub) if you got a 4 channel You would have to ge a 4 channel that when bridged would provide the RMS power that your subs require.

This could go over your head, if so let me know and i will explain further, or ask any more questions you have. If possible give some speaker models that you have and thier power requirements.