Need help w/ wire size and maybe electrical upgrades

[Bartak1 10+ year member]

Hey everybody. I was able to get a Rockford 501S amp really cheap to replace my 301s. Anyway, I was wondering what size wire I need to run to it. Rockford says to use a 50 amp fuse on the wiring. Is 8 gauge big enough or should I go 4 gauge. I was thinking 4 but I think I saw somewhere that the amp will only accept up to 8 gauge wire(you connect bare wire, no terminals) That seemed a little small to me but Im sort of a newb So what do you guys think. Or should I go 4 gauge and then use a distribution block and drop it down to 8 right before the amp.

Also, once I decide on some component speakers I am going to put the 301S I have on the comps. ROckford recommends a 30 amp fuse for this amp. When I have both amps in, would 4 gauge back to a Distribution block branched ito 2 8 gauge wires to each amp be big enough? Or should I run separate wires to each amp. I already have 10 gauge wire ran back to the 301S that Im using now.

One more thing //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif Once I get both amps in there, should I do the "Big 3"? And If so what size wire sould I use for it?

If it makes a difference its a 99 Ford F150 wiht the heavy duty (or high output, cant remember what they call it) alternator. I have no Idea what the alt. is rated at though.

Thanks a million guys //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/toast.gif.bc0657bf54b9ee653b6438524461341e.gif

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[johnecon2001 5,000+ posts]

do 2 awg to the distro, and then from the distro, do whatever the max awg of wire the amps will accept. Doing the big three can only help you so go for it.

 

[Apoc 10+ year member]

I would run the biggest wire that you can afford...if you want to upgrade later, it will save you the trouble of re-wiring

 

[supa_c 5,000+ posts]

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/offtopic.gif.470a8b0541c72322a0037f48a8237473.gif

my wood shop teachers last name is Bartak.

I think he is from Nebraska

 

[Apoc 10+ year member]

haha, I am from Nebraksa...ask him what town hes from

 

[supa_c 5,000+ posts]

All i know is that he likes the Huskers or is it Huskies ?

 

[Bartak1 10+ year member]

Ok thanks guys. I dont think anyone sells over 4 gauge so I might have to do that.

Will 4 gauge be big enough if I step it down to a pair of 8 gauge wire, 1 going to each amp? That would be 80ish amps there through 4 gauge. Is that to small of wire?

What do you think about the wire size for the big 3. 4 gauge, 2 gauge, or just the biggest I can afford (probably not real big //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif )

As for the shop teacher, is his first name Jerry?

He is my cousin and I remember he teaches a shop class somewhere in California.

And although I am ashamed to say it, its the Huskers. Tex. Tech beat em 70 to 21.

They think they will spring back when they beat Baylor, but Baylor will probably woop on em too.

 

[Apoc 10+ year member]

yeah, its the huskers and they did get their ***** kicked....

 

[supa_c 5,000+ posts]

Ok thanks guys. I dont think anyone sells over 4 gauge so I might have to do that.Will 4 gauge be big enough if I step it down to a pair of 8 gauge wire, 1 going to each amp? That would be 80ish amps there through 4 gauge. Is that to small of wire?

What do you think about the wire size for the big 3. 4 gauge, 2 gauge, or just the biggest I can afford (probably not real big //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif )

As for the shop teacher, is his first name Jerry?

He is my cousin and I remember he teaches a shop class somewhere in California.

1. I have 4 ga wire running 2 amps, it works just fine.Foe the big 3, 2 ga or 4 ga, whichever you can afford

2.Yep !

Thats his name.

Peeps call him Mr Ball sack if they dont like him:thumbsdo:

 

[Apoc 10+ year member]

lol...Ball Sack!!//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/hilarious.gif.02a037aad04aa96f19982b298a3d70a8.gif:hilariou://content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/rotflol.gif.b453361716769b8110ddefc85ff03cd2.gif

 

[Bartak1 10+ year member]

Haha, ball sack. Nice

I went to Wally World today and got 4 gauge runnin to a distr. block that branches off into 2 8 gauge wires. Works good.

Yes, the huskers ****.

Thanks

 

[supa_c 5,000+ posts]

No problem Ballsack1

 

[Bartak1 10+ year member]

No problem Ballsack1

Thats MR. ballsack.

B itch //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[waNtsumBuMP 10+ year member]

i would prob do the big 3 with 1/0 wire, for minimum overall resistance... And if you plan up upgrading in the future i would run anthing bigger than 2 guage to the distro then 4-8 to the amps.... but personally i would run 1/0 to the distro followed by 2-4 guage out.... so then if you do have to upgrade you wont ever have to worry about upgrading your power/ground wires!!!

 

[twinkieC405 10+ year member]

so from the battery to the amp you wanna use 4awg and from the amp to the speakers you wanna use 14awg?

i was told that twisted speaker wire is better wire.