Quick question about wiring?!?!

[twinkieC405 10+ year member]

I'm going to be running 2 amps (JBL 600.1 & Profile ca400)....do i really need to run a distribution block or is ok just using inline fuses within 12 inches of the battery for both?? also what size wire should i use from the battery to the amps? and what fuse size for both?? Opinions, comments, and recommendations welcome.

Nice and quick answers is good. TIA.

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[Black_Jesus 10+ year member]

would be cheaper and cleaner looking to just use a thick guage wire and distro it down by the amps

 

[johnecon2001 5,000+ posts]

x2 on that.

 

[twinkieC405 10+ year member]

so get something like 0awg. to the distributor block and have 2awg. running to the sub amp and 4awg. running to the component amp????

how would i set up the fuse situation then? still put them inline or what?

 

[johnecon2001 5,000+ posts]

yeah fuse the 0 awg from the battery, and then the most distros come with a fuse per line out. so just pick a fuse that correspondes to the amperage of the.. of well the amp! So three fuses total. One at the battery to protect the wire, and then two at/in the distro to protect the other wires going to the amps.

 

[twinkieC405 10+ year member]

gotcha....last question, what size fuse from the battery to the distributor and the for the amps?

 

[johnecon2001 5,000+ posts]

get a 300 amp for the main wire, as for the other ones... for the 2 awg, get a 175 or 180 amp. for the 4 awg get 100 or 80.

 

[twinkieC405 10+ year member]

where can i get 0awg. wire......i think i'm just gonna get my distribution block from sounddomain.com cause they seem cheap and i'll get my fuses there also.

 

[RattlinStratus 10+ year member]

You only need 4AWG, but a thicker wire will allow easier upgrades later. Ebay sells wire, but the shipping will kill you. I got my wires from a local car audio place.

 

[johnecon2001 5,000+ posts]

weldingsupply.com

If you plan on any system upgrades later in life, just do the bigger wire.

 

[twinkieC405 10+ year member]

well being in college i wont have the money until i'm outta college to do ANY more sub/amp upgrades that are drastic so that being said should i back down the sizes a few steps.....like the 0awg. to a 2 or 4awg.....then would i have to back down the ones from the block to the amps also?

 

[`pr0digy 10+ year member]

well being in college i wont have the money until i'm outta college to do ANY more sub/amp upgrades that are drastic so that being said should i back down the sizes a few steps.....like the 0awg. to a 2 or 4awg.....then would i have to back down the ones from the block to the amps also?

I run close to 1500 watts total through 4 gauge, works fine.

 

[twinkieC405 10+ year member]

well sounds like i'll just run 4 awg. from the battery to distribution block, 250 amp fuse that, then run two 8awg. wires out of that to the different amps with 175amp fuse to the 600watt amp and 80 to the 400 watt amp.

any corrections need to be made?

 

[johnecon2001 5,000+ posts]

you need a bigger wire or a smaller fuse for the other 8 awg (175 fuse) leg. 8 awg is only supposed to be rated at 600 watts and 100 amps at short legnths. So maybe go with 100 amp fuse or replace that leg of the 8 awg with more 4 awg? Up to you, but the fuse IS supposed to protect the wiring, and by the time that fuse pops, the car might light up lol.