Power Distribution, Questions Reguarding HiAmp/Watt Setups???

[smullen 10+ year member]

Power Distribution, Questions Reguarding HiAmp/Watt Setups???

For those of you that have several additional batteries and several power hungry amps, how are you wiring it all up???

Especially those with 5-6K and up....

EX:

How did you connect from the front to the back? What guage wire, How many Runs??? How'd you connect it???

I'm guessing most use one or more runs of 0/1 ga wire....

Back in the back, I'm guessing you fused it with a large fuse or breaker right before the batterys...

Then, how did you tie all the batts together???

Then, What kind of Power Distribution Block are you using??

Most of the ones I have seen have have like 1-2 0/1 ga. inputs and like 2-6 4Ga outputs...

Most of the new amps I've looked at have one or more 0/1 ga inputs, so those retail Distribution Blocks like the from Rockford, Phoenix Gold, Esoteric, etc. etc... Won't cut it....

Pics would be awsome!!!!!

Click to read more...

 

[Pioneer~Saturn 5,000+ posts]

You have to get kind of creative. multiple runs front to back isn't a bad idea and have busbars to handle everything makes things easy and simply better

This is the 4 runs of power and 4 runs of ground 1/0 I have running front to back and how it's all connected in the rear to the 2 D3100's (.25" thick x 1.25" wide copper bar connecting them, with tapped holes across it for connection points)

 

[GetLikeMe 10+ year member]

SHOW OFF!!! haha jk thats a sexy picture Maybe you can make me some bussbars in the future

 

[Pioneer~Saturn 5,000+ posts]

Lol, thanks. And I made those with the guidance of a buddy and using his tools (I actually see him viewing the thread, lol)...so I can't really //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/frown.gif.a3531fa0534503350665a1e957861287.gif Some day I'll add metal tools to my shop but dont have the cash right now.

I just hate how a ran out of blue 1/0 gauge so I had to use silver on the pair of power runs to the amp //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/frown.gif.a3531fa0534503350665a1e957861287.gif

 

[GetLikeMe 10+ year member]

haha i'm picky like that too I prolly would of waited and ordered more blue LOL none the less its hidden under box anyways. Nice job tho thats the best way and how most people wire and run multiple wires to batts.

 

[93dakota 10+ year member]

Lol, thanks. And I made those with the guidance of a buddy and using his tools (I actually see him viewing the thread, lol)...so I can't really //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/frown.gif.a3531fa0534503350665a1e957861287.gif Some day I'll add metal tools to my shop but dont have the cash right now.
I just hate how a ran out of blue 1/0 gauge so I had to use silver on the pair of power runs to the amp //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/frown.gif.a3531fa0534503350665a1e957861287.gif

lol I would be that buddy

 

[Pioneer~Saturn 5,000+ posts]

Yea, right now the busbars and batts are in plain site though with this setup...it still doesnt look horrible but down the road they'll be fairly covered by more stuff going in the trunk //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

 

[MakeshiftAudio 10+ year member]

Nice, nice. My mind says to use thicker busbars, but that's just me. Sexy though.

For future reference, when making a low inductance pulse based system (we're talking

I made a distro block in my other system that was a 1.25"x1.25"x6" copper bar, drilled holes on one face for the wire connection, and drilled a smaller hole perpendicular to it on another face to make a setscrew distribution block style thing. By far the best connection style you can find. I believe I used .53" for the main holes, and whatever the size is for 5/16"-18 bolts for the set screw.

 

[Pioneer~Saturn 5,000+ posts]

Yea, kind of had to have bends here

 

[93dakota 10+ year member]

those bussy bars should be able to hold up to 600 amp + continuous

 

[MakeshiftAudio 10+ year member]

See, that's just me though. xD Current density calculations in my head.

Bends are not important here. I was just reminded of something way back when I was working on pulse delivery systems.

 

[McIntosh 10+ year member]

those bussy bars should be able to hold up to 600 amp + continuous

Probably not, those look like 1"X1/4" buss. The rule of thumb is 1000A/square inch of buss cross sectional area. 250Amp max if that is indeed their size.

 

[ngsm13 5,000+ posts]

You just add to accommodate the current you need.

I have triple runs of 1/0 from alternator, to frame grounds, and to the rear batteries.

nG

 

[Pioneer~Saturn 5,000+ posts]

Probably not, those look like 1"X1/4" buss. The rule of thumb is 1000A/square inch of buss cross sectional area. 250Amp max if that is indeed their size.

Close. Theyre 1.25" wide and .25" thick

 

[93dakota 10+ year member]

Probably not, those look like 1"X1/4" buss. The rule of thumb is 1000A/square inch of buss cross sectional area. 250Amp max if that is indeed their size.

not according to all of the charts i have seen, I did miss label by putting continuous on the last post . but the manufacturer that makes this copper alloy says on there chart that this size copper will only incur a 30*C rise from 560 amps and in car audio since the power is never continuous it can take even more then that.

 

[smullen 10+ year member]

You just add to accommodate the current you need.
I have triple runs of 1/0 from alternator, to frame grounds, and to the rear batteries.

nG

Any Pics??? of the runs of 1/0 From the Alt, and back???

not according to all of the charts i have seen, but the manufacturer that makes this copper alloy says on there chart that this size copper will only incur a 30*C rise from 560 amps and in car audio since the power is never continuous it can take even more then that.

Who makes these??? you have a link?

I see in your sig, you have ""8 runs Knukoncepts 1/0"" Any pics of those???

Admittedly, I'm a pic hound... I love seeing pics of how people did stuff...

 

[ngsm13 5,000+ posts]

I'll see if I can dig up some of my pics...

nG

 

[93dakota 10+ year member]

As for the buss bars I made mine and helped Pioneer~saturn's. Here as some pics of my power/ ground wires.

 

[McIntosh 10+ year member]

not according to all of the charts i have seen, I did miss label by putting continuous on the last post . but the manufacturer that makes this copper alloy says on there chart that this size copper will only incur a 30*C rise from 560 amps and in car audio since the power is never continuous it can take even more then that.

A 1/4 X 1 1/4 buss is rated for 312.5 amps. That's what it is. It certainly matters where the power is supplied/tapped. I see plenty of claims for higher current capabilities with wire. None have as of yet been willing to back them up. They simply blow smoke. The "fact" car audio isn't continuous is part of that smoke. How can they possibly know how "continuous" my audio is? Most of this larger wiring/buss is used for subs AFAIK. That seems to be pretty "continuous" to me. You be "bangin", "burpin", whatever but you do it CONTINUOUSLY. 55% seems kind of low for actual usage. A 30 degree C rise is just that, whatever you start out with add 86 degrees F. A nice sunny day your car will be 140F+ inside to start with. 140+86=226 degrees F. That may be a tad hot to touch (unless boiling water doesn't hurt you). The wire's insulation isn't rated for that. You're buying a sales pitch.

 

[sctattooer 10+ year member]

I'm only running 1000 watts, but I installed a constant duty relay to separate the front battery from the rear. My 'big 3' is all done in 2 gauge, and 2 gauge to the back as well. I also wired another of the constant duty relays in the back that I can shut off when I work on my sound system. It beats remembering to pull a fuse.

I probably should have done it all in 1/0, but it seems to work okay, and nothing gets hot.