My Own Install

[KickerSoItBump 10+ year member]

I'll be honest, I'm not car literate. I understand the car audio better and better each day, and I enjoy it. Right now I have my small subs wired, with 4 or 8 gauge wire (not sure which, havent looked well enough) that was installed by my local shop.

Well now I'm upgrading alot further than b4, and am dealing w/ an extra battery (kinetick 1400) and playing with over a kilowatt of power.

The shop this time, wants over 100 to install it. I'm a bit frustrated by this, and am tempted to do it myself, or w/ a friend.

They told me using 0 gauge is different, and they need to diff things or something.

So my question posed is should i attempt my first install with all this equipment that has costed me over a grand? //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/crap.gif.7f4dd41e3e9b23fbd170a1ee6f65cecc.gif

Mind you if i blow something, it will be a long time coming before i can replace ne of it.//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/uhoh.gif.c07307dd22ee7e63e22fc8e9c614d1fd.gif

Or should I fork up the 100 and just get it done with?

Click to read more...

 

[Moron]

Ask yourself do you know how to wire subs to get the impedance you would like? Do you have a DMM to troubleshoot? Do you know how to properly ground a wire? Determine what size fuse you will need? Mini-Anl, Maxi, or ANL?

 

[Safe-N-Sound215 10+ year member]

$100 bucks is cheap. What all are they doing for you?

 

[KickerSoItBump 10+ year member]

LOL, the answer is no to close to all of those.

I mean they did a great job w/ my last install, but i figured it wouldnt be much more besides the power im running... sorry to sound newbish.

I really want to learn this stuff, and i want hands on experience, i jsut dont know where to start, since im worried about ruining my own equipment ykno?

I guess thats all i have to say, so 100 it is...?

 

[KickerSoItBump 10+ year member]

They'd be installing my new amp, running the 0 gauge, hooking up the second battery, and wiring the speakers inside my box.

 

[Moron]

Then id say have em do it and just keep reading and learning until you feel that for your next install your ready. Possibly see if they will let you watch and see whats goin on so you can learn

 

[theCybe 5,000+ posts]

A hundred's very cheap.

 

[PsychoTheRapist 5,000+ posts]

If I were you, I'd pay to have it all hooked up, but I'd ask if I could hang around whilst they're working to learn a bit more...

 

[KickerSoItBump 10+ year member]

Alright, what you're all tellin me makes me feel better lol. but btw, its not like I'm rollin in dough, im 19, an pay errrrything myself, so this new system i built is killin me to get hooked up. 100dollars = 10hrs of demanding hard work from me. So i mean its not like i have one hundred to toss, but if its a good price like you're all saying I can't complain.

Thanks everyone,

I doubt they'll let me watch, but i'll ask.

And I will be reading this forum till my wallet evaporates and my car rattles to dust.

Thanks for the fast responses:veryhapp:

 

[Blove1991 10+ year member]

One qeustion........

Doesnt adding another battery just put a bigger strain on your current alternator?

Has your alternator been upgraded?

 

[TIeclipseMOJO 10+ year member]

does the 100 include supplies? the 0 gauge wire, ring terimnals and fuseblock? if so its a really good deal, id say your looking at 75 dollars give or take (shop price) for supplies alone. the wiring really isnt hard (provided you know how to get through the firewall, and get under your carpet). but setting your gains on your amp is another thing. if you really want to learn, it wouldnt be a bad idea to have them do it, and even if you cant watch them do it, show us some pictures and we can tell you exactly what they did to your car and why.

 

[req 5,000+ posts]

this might help you

http://www.bcae1.com/amplfier.htm

 

[Bluecamry 10+ year member]

Wait, if you just have an experienced friend help you, thats sometimes best. As long as he/she 100% knows what they are doing, your set. They will probably have you still help them a lot with moving stuff and wiring everything around, but they know where wires go, and thats the only hard part.

I second the concern of having a second battery on a stock alternator. Not good. It should be HO, if not already. Blow your 100$+ on that...

Setting amps, usually some shops will do if you just stop in when they are empty, if the shop staff is friendly. Just get it all wired, but dont really play it loud until you get your gains and stuff properly adjusted. Gains are something a lot of people will never learn how to do because they dont have to. Hopefully this will include me.

 

[KickerSoItBump 10+ year member]

I made a thread a while back specifically to get feedback on if getting a second battery will help me out.

I was told I have a 130 amp alternator, and that would be fine for a second battery.

A high out put alt, was 400 something for my car, and i used a link i found in one the threads to get that quote. So that would be another ball buster if i have to get that done.

I'm going to be running a kicker sx 1250.1, and im hoping i wont need to upgrade my alt to do that.

If i ever get another one to strap it too, then i understand thats when i would def need to upgrade my electrical system. but til then, or if ever im hopin to get by on my stock.

I haven't done the big 3 yet, for the same reason i'm not installing the stuff myself, i dont want to piss off my car by hooking it up wrong, and end up in the shop. Since I'm in school i cant afford another 300 dollar bill like like that. So idk if the audio shop would do the big 3 for me. THough i do want it done.

So the second battery while a strain, should help more than hurt. If you guys think diff let me know, cuz this weekend is when im looking to buy that.

The install tho, I already bought a kicker install package with the 20 ft of 0 gauge, 300A fuse, and the distro blocks. So I should have just about eerything to hook this stuff up. But I'm thinking i should use the 150A fuse that came with my amp.

All they will be really doin is takin out my old wires, and ploppin in the 0 gauge, setting up my amp, and wiring the speakers. Hooking up the extra battery too if thats what im goin to end up doin:eyebrow:

The same shop tho told me to get a battery to put in the trunk, and they never metnioned upgrading my alt, so hopefully it will b ok.//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/uhoh.gif.c07307dd22ee7e63e22fc8e9c614d1fd.gif

Ne more comments appreciated.

( http://www.caraudio.com/forum/showthread.php?t=220777 ) *thread about my alt*

 

[regal8r 5,000+ posts]

when you wire in an extra battery, u want to wire it in PARALLEL (all +'s together and all -'s together). as for running the wire, thats pretty much self explanatory, just make sure it is properly insulated and if you are running through your firewall or any other sharp sheetmetal, USE A GROMMET. you cant learn teh car audioz without doing it yourself. even when your watching, its still not the same. do it yourself. also, read up on http://www.bcae1.com