Massive newbie. Please help me out.

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

interesting to say the least lol, had to put it in sideways and fold the rear seats down then slide the box back into the boot, a lot of messing about but it’s in there, probably for good too lol going to be fun removing it again.

okay cool so a high output alternator would actually be a better idea than a second battery? As like I said it wouldn’t be used when the engine isn’t running. I just want the most cost effective solution to using this system correctly, it won’t be used at shows etc purely for my own entertainment really. I’m really struggling to find and alternators for my car over the stock amperage. Im guessing these HO alternators are custom made e.g send off a stock alternator and the internals get changed to become HO?

Dc power, mechman, singer are the brands you need to contact.

 

[Jaames93]

Dc power, mechman, singer are the brands you need to contact.

Guessing they are based in the states? Finding them in the U.K. seems kinda difficult

 

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

Guessing they are based in the states? Finding them in the U.K. seems kinda difficult

If thats the case, just do the batts. It's only a 2k amp. Whatever the doom and gloom stated earlier is good on paper but in reality you can get by for years on battery power alone. Just make sure you trickle charge once every other month.

 

[Jaames93]

If thats the case, just do the batts. It's only a 2k amp. Whatever the doom and gloom stated earlier is good on paper but in reality you can get by for years on battery power alone. Just make sure you trickle charge once every other month.

okay mate Thankyou, did you see my question about the remote? My amp has a 3.5mm remote, my head unit has the same. Is this just a standard 3.5mm jack lead like an AUX type cable for example or is there proper 3.5mm remote cable?

 

[Jaames93]

They are very powerful..A 2nd battery would be a must .. i haven’t used mine in a while but if I remember correctly they are only two ohm Mono stable .. also I think the input plugs fit only 8g power wire which is crazy on an amp that is so strong

this is the problem I’m facing now. Run 0awg through the car for the second battery however the input plugs are 8awg which isn’t strong enough surely? How can I get around this because running reducers they will contact and cause a big firework display to say the least

 

[02WS6]

You'll need a distribution block from the 0/1 battery cable to four 8AWG cables. Like this: https://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_45063_NVX-XDBU4.html

Get appropriately sized Ferrules for the connections

Then run your four 8 gauge power wires to your amp.

 

[Louisiana_CRX 5,000+ posts]

this is the problem I’m facing now. Run 0awg through the car for the second battery however the input plugs are 8awg which isn’t strong enough surely? How can I get around this because running reducers they will contact and cause a big firework display to say the least

You can use a distribution block a few inches from the amp to go from 1/0 to 8g . It's crazy that Orion did that for that powerful of an amp . There use to be 4g plugs on ebay to fit these amps . I'm not sure if they are still there . Be careful with the gains my gain pot broke on my amp and killed it ...I guess with age it had gotten brittle

 

[Jaames93]

Never easy is it. So in theory going to need 2 of them as there’s 2 power 2 ground. PITA springs into mind. So buy two of these, one for power one for ground and run 8awg to the connections basically? Is that safe though? 8awg? Seems way too small for this amp, won’t them small bits of 8awg get way too hot as they’re obviously the weakest component on the wiring?

 

[02WS6]

Never easy is it. So in theory going to need 2 of them as there’s 2 power 2 ground. PITA springs into mind. So buy two of these, one for power one for ground and run 8awg to the connections basically? Is that safe though? 8awg? Seems way too small for this amp, won’t them small bits of 8awg get way too hot as they’re obviously the weakest component on the wiring?

If the ground is the same way, then yes you'll need two of them. Its weird that Orion designed it that way, I assume it must've been so people could have aesthetic wire runs for builds. No need to worry about the wires heating up because the load is split between all four 8AWG wires, or eight between power and ground, either way the load is split and it should be fine as long as you use ferrules for the connections to make sure all strands of those 8AWG are being used.

 

[02WS6]

Personally due to the PITA of it - I'd sell that amp and get something else with 0/1 connections, but if you really like that amp then you'll have to run all the weird wiring to get it connected.

 

[Jaames93]

Right okay cool thanks for the reply’s, i have two adaptors from 8wg to 0 awg so I could use them for the earth then use the distributor block for the powers. Yeah I understand about making sure all the wires make contact otherwise like you say it’s not going to be ideal. Yes very annoying about the amp but I’ve heard good things about them and I’d rather run it than sell it.

 

[Slo_Ride 5,000+ posts]

Lower your carb intake and exercise more

Ahhhh, you focker, you beat me to the fat jokes.

 

[Jaames93]

Got them all installed and running last night, very very impressed. Pack an almighty punch. However the second battery we fitted had been sitting for some time and the voltage was very low, the subs kept cutting out when volume was high, I’ve taken the second battery out and giving it a charge over night as my lights were still dipping when the bass hit which tells me the amp is trying to pull from the second battery and there isn’t enough power in it. Will try again tomorrow, have also further cleaned up the earths just incase that’s an issue too.

Currently running 2 subs in that awful box but that is going to change to 1 sub in a custom built box by visual ice, once he’s finished building it

 

[Jaames93]

Update. Battery charged still cutting out. Voltage is at 14 volts on idle. Think the big 3 is needed, pain in the backside on this car, alternator is under inlet manifold and on the back of the engine but looks like it needs to be done.

this could be a stupid question but when my new box arrives I’ll be running 1 woofer instead of 2. Will this mean much less draw when the bass hits or is that purely down to the amp? In other words the problem may go away when running 1 sub instead of 2?

 

[02WS6]

Update. Battery charged still cutting out. Voltage is at 14 volts on idle. Think the big 3 is needed, pain in the backside on this car, alternator is under inlet manifold and on the back of the engine but looks like it needs to be done.

this could be a stupid question but when my new box arrives I’ll be running 1 woofer instead of 2. Will this mean much less draw when the bass hits or is that purely down to the amp? In other words the problem may go away when running 1 sub instead of 2?

Amperage draw is the result of impedance and wattage. If you run the single woofer at the same power levels as the two you have now the Amperage draw will be the same.