Need suggestions on electrical system fixes and upgrades

[loopkiller 10+ year member]

Always fuse based on the rating of the wire. For example, most 4 gauge is rated to 125A, so you should buy a 125A fuse for the power wire. And just so your sure, you never need to fuse a ground wire. Not sure how much you know. Just didn't want anyone to tell you you needed that too, like the cap. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

 

[deepdespair 10+ year member]

lol, I know you don't have to fuse the ground wires, but it will be good for others that may be reading. What is the rating for 2 or 0 gauge wire?

Are you just running the one amp right now? 1200 watts, is that max or rms? If you are running the one amp only right now just fuse somewhere between the fuse rating on the amp and 100 amps

1200 Watts Max.

I really do appreciate everybody's help. I'm not a complete n00b to car audio, but when it comes to power and protection (ha ha) I'm a little lost. Thanks!

 

[loopkiller 10+ year member]

lol, I know you don't have to fuse the ground wires, but it will be good for others that may be reading. What is the rating for 2 or 0 gauge wire?
1200 Watts Max.

I really do appreciate everybody's help. I'm not a complete n00b to car audio, but when it comes to power and protection (ha ha) I'm a little lost. Thanks!

Your humility is why you are getting help. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/fyi.gif.9f1f679348da7204ce960cfc74bca8e0.gif

We don't mind helping people that are looking for real advice. as long as you can spell halfway decent and don't try to act like an e-thug, you will do fine around here.

On to the help. There are charts all over the web that give you the recommended max amps for given cable sizes, but really it all depends on the brand and length of the given wire. Here are some examples:

Wire Gauge - Recommended Maximum Fuse Size

00 awg - 400 amps

0 awg - 325 amps

1 awg - 250 amps

2 awg - 200 amps

4 awg - 125 amps

6 awg - 80 amps

8 awg - 50 amps

10 awg - 30 amps

12 awg - 20 amps

14 awg - 15 amps

16 awg - 7.5 amps

Now those are just general guidelines and should be verified with your particular wire you are using. Just to give you an idea, I have seen some 1/0 wire rated for as little as 250A, not the full 325A the chart above shows.

 

[deepdespair 10+ year member]

No E-thugishness here. I'm a metalhead, not so much into the rap/hip-hop stuff. I go for "brutal" not "str8 up bumpin' dawg". I ain't here to cap no mutha fukkas fo talkin' that sheez, just here for some pro advice from people that aren't trying to rip me off and sell me crap. lol

Thanks for the quick ref chart loopkiller, it should come in handy. Time to go get my hands dirty trying to reach that pain in the *** hard to access Japanese cluster**** of an alternator.

 

[Etac 10+ year member]

dont listen to rap eh

good. at least you have some taste.

 

[deepdespair 10+ year member]

dont listen to rap ehgood. at least you have some taste.

Yeah, it's funny though... People are always giving me crap about having subs with the type of music I listen to. One minute inside the passenger seat with some Heaven Shall Burn at high volume is more than enough to shut them up, lol. Main reason I have them is to FEEL the double-bass, since hearing it is not enough.

Any other metal-heads here?