need help on wire set up

[Eclipsetuner01 10+ year member]

I just wanted some people opinions on what gauge wire to use. Im going to be running it through a 2001 eclipse. so i am going to be hooking up a 1600watt Kenwood amp along with a 960watt kenwood amp. I've had a few people tell me that 4 gauge will be fine and split it into 8 gauge at a distro block, but i dont want to spend all kinds of money on the wire and distro blocks if i just need to upgrade to 0 gauge later on. Also has anyone put 0 gauge through a 2001 eclipse? I've run 4 gauge through the side underneath the sill plate before but i wasnt sure if 0 gauge would fit. Also this may be a dumb question, but does the manufacturing company of the wire matter? Becuase I hear a lot of good reviews on stinger and street wires distrobution bocks and wire, but my friend owns a shop that i can get cost on lightning audio. I just didnt know what people thought of that company. Because i had a lightning audio amp and i thought it ****** so i didnt know about their amplifier assesories. Any help would be greatly appriciated, thanks guys.

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[rocky 59 5,000+ posts]

4 awg will be fine

 

[forbidden 10+ year member]

Nothing wrong with Lightning Audio wiring, nothing at all. Matter of fact it is a heck uva lot better than half of the crap out there marketed as the best wire there is evar dontcha know. As far as the guage of the wire used if the combined value of the fusing of both amps is 60 or above a 4 gauge line is a must, 100 amps or above, 2 gauge line, 140 amps or above a 0 gauge line. These are just basic values that change with the length of the wire as well. Do not skimp on your wire. If an amp is struggling to get power, how do you think your speakers are going to perfrom?

 

[johnecon2001 5,000+ posts]

Nothing wrong with Lightning Audio wiring, nothing at all. Matter of fact it is a heck uva lot better than half of the crap out there marketed as the best wire there is evar dontcha know. As far as the guage of the wire used if the combined value of the fusing of both amps is 60 or above a 4 gauge line is a must, 100 amps or above, 2 gauge line, 140 amps or above a 0 gauge line. These are just basic values that change with the length of the wire as well. Do not skimp on your wire. If an amp is struggling to get power, how do you think your speakers are going to perfrom?

Your figures a a little off

up to 150A you can use 4awg.

up to 225A you can use 2awg.

up to 350A you can use 1/0awg.

 

[Eclipsetuner01 10+ year member]

how can i tell if they are 150A or what not. I need to add both of the amplifiers together right?

 

[knukonceptz 10+ year member]

Keep in mind gauge, current, and length of run must all be considered. I think 120A is the most I would put to a 20 ft section of 4 gauge. Using the standard AWG rating for 4 gauge cable (Dia = 5.18922mm) at 120A on 20ft you would have a 1.4V loss with 12VDC.

At the same time, unless you are competing you will probably not ever draw the max of all your amps at the same time. Here is a fun little calculator to show loss using standard AWG cables.

http://www.powerstream.com/Wire_Size.htm

 

[Eclipsetuner01 10+ year member]

im getting a little confused because im kind of a newbe. So say it was your system, what would you used for wire? I want it to its full potentional, but if it can run off of 4gauge splitting to 8gauge i would rather save $50. Just a reminder its a Kenwood mono block 1600 watt and a Kenwood 4 channel 960 watt.

 

[Prowler573 5,000+ posts]

im getting a little confused because im kind of a newbe. So say it was your system, what would you used for wire? I want it to its full potentional, but if it can run off of 4gauge splitting to 8gauge i would rather save $50. Just a reminder its a Kenwood mono block 1600 watt and a Kenwood 4 channel 960 watt.

What are the model numbers of both of these amps? I ask because what you are quoting us are 'Peak' power ratings. Realistically it is best to simply disregard peak ratings as they are nothing more than numbers provided as part of a marketing strategy and your real-world application will yield nothing close to those output levels.
Like forbidden has already posted...you'll want to use the combined fuse rating of both of those amplifiers as a guide.

(Following #s are completely arbitrary and for example only)

If the monoblock has three 20a fuses in it then the maximum amperage draw of that amp is 60 amperes [20 amps X 3 fuses]

If the 4-channel has two 25a fuses in it then the maximum amperage draw for that amp would be 50 amperes [25 amps X 2]

The combined maximum amperage draw of both amps would be 110 amperes [60 + 50]

Use that number and plug it into the table that johnecon2001 has procided for you and go from there. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[Eclipsetuner01 10+ year member]

the models of the amps are Kenwood Excelon KAC-X811D and the Kenwood Excelon KAC-X541

 

[Prowler573 5,000+ posts]

the models of the amps are Kenwood Excelon KAC-X811D and the Kenwood Excelon KAC-X541

Okay - a few more questions - the sub(s) that you are planning to drive with the 811D...what is their voice coil configuration and how do you plan to wire them?
The KAC-X541 puts out the following:

Power @ 4 Ohms, at 12V (20Hz-20kHz, 0.05% THD): 45w x 4

Power @ 4 Ohms, at 14.4V (20Hz-20kHz, 0.05% THD): 60w x 4

Power @ 2 Ohms, at 12V (1kHz, 0.5% THD): 90w x 4

Power @ 2 Ohms, at 14.4V (1kHz, 0.5% THD): 120w x 4

Bridged Output at 12V (1kHz, 0.5% THD): 180w x 2

Bridged Output at 14.4V (1kHz, 0.5% THD): 240w x 2

Nowhere near 960 watts, is it?

Lemme know the answers to my questions about your sub(s) and I'll get back to you on that monoblock. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[johnecon2001 5,000+ posts]

just use the 4awg and split to two 8awgs. that will be more than sufficient for both amps.

 

[Eclipsetuner01 10+ year member]

im going to be running two 10 inch MTX thunder 8000's off of the monoblock. They are dual 4 ohm and have 75-400 watts RMS and 800 peak. Im not sure how im going to wire them up becuase i dont really know how to wire up the dual 4 ohm for more power. I was just going to talk to my buddy at an audio store when i was ready to put them in. Also thanks for the help this will help me out a lot

 

[forbidden 10+ year member]

johnecon2001, notice the little part I had in my statement about wire gauge..."These are just basic values that change with the length of the wire as well." Just something to consider here dude. I do not have the customers car infront of me to know for sure what the length of his wire run is.

 

[johnecon2001 5,000+ posts]

johnecon2001, notice the little part I had in my statement about wire gauge..."These are just basic values that change with the length of the wire as well." Just something to consider here dude. I do not have the customers car infront of me to know for sure what the length of his wire run is.

even at 20ft though.. 4awg is still rated at 120A.

 

[Eclipsetuner01 10+ year member]

Ok I called Kenwood today and they guy said that the Mono block Kenwood Excelon KAC-X811D draws 55 amps and has 3-25 fuses and the four channel Kenwood Excelon KAC-X541 draws 42 amps and has 2-30 fuses. I wasn't sure if since there are 3-25 fuses on the monoblock that add up to 75 and he said that it only draws 55 amps if that was correct. and same with the 4 channel. With these numbers would running 4AWG and splitting it to 8AWG into the amplifiers be better than running 0AWG to 4AWG into the amplifiers?

 

[johnecon2001 5,000+ posts]

Ok I called Kenwood today and they guy said that the Mono block Kenwood Excelon KAC-X811D draws 55 amps and has 3-25 fuses and the four channel Kenwood Excelon KAC-X541 draws 42 amps and has 2-30 fuses. I wasn't sure if since there are 3-25 fuses on the monoblock that add up to 75 and he said that it only draws 55 amps if that was correct. and same with the 4 channel. With these numbers would running 4AWG and splitting it to 8AWG into the amplifiers be better than running 0AWG to 4AWG into the amplifiers?

Going bigger will always be better. But in your case you dont need it. Just do the 4awg to 8awg.

 

[Eclipsetuner01 10+ year member]

will i lose a lot of voltage with the 4 gauge? Will it make a huge difference to the ear?

 

[knukonceptz 10+ year member]

With what you listed, the 4 gauge will be fine. IF you plan on getting anything bigger later, an upgrade will mean new wire too.

 

[killahbean 10+ year member]

If you planning on upgrading later anyways I would get the 1/0 gauge now and that way you wont have to upgrade later....Less hassle....but your setup as of right now, 4 gauge-8 gauge is enough...

 

[killahbean 10+ year member]

and to use as a speaker wiring guide heres something that will help you wire up your subs...

http://www.rockfordfosgate.com/rftech/wiringwizard.asp