Should I upgrade wiring??

[rdlyn13000 10+ year member]

I have a 99 Saturn and recently put in a 10" W7 and JL 500/1, today I should be picking up a JL 1000/1 and swaping out the 500/1. Do I need to do a big 3 upgrade and do I need to run zero gauge back to the amp? How about an extra battery? I currently have 4 gauge running back there and everything else is stock. Im more concerned about hurting my electrical system...

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[disturbed471985 5,000+ posts]

Id run 0awg. Want hurt thats for sure. Same with big 3 want hurt so why not. Depending on the size of ur current batt you may can slide by with just that one batt but you better have some way to monitor the voltage. Best bet buy a second batt and toss in trunk or buy the biggest batt you can fit in your factory location.

P.S just a heads up our cars will start to fall apart at a certain point. The plastic clips just dnt hold up well at all so be prepared for things to start falling..

 

[LosIsATool 5,000+ posts]

Those amps are great but they are true current hogs. Something like 53% efficent

 

[rdlyn13000 10+ year member]

Sounds like I better upgrade! I also might be throwing in my JL 300/4 if nobody buys it so I might as well. I'm just trying to keep things as cheap as I can, this is just a 1500 dollar car that gets me to work and back so I don't want to invest to much. Although I can always take it out!

As far as saturns falling apart, do you have any tricks for preventing it? I've heard put a little silicon on the clips/screws when putting it back together. Also my rear view mirror wants to fly off with just my 500 watt! Is there anything I can do with that besides remove it? It sounds like crap too!

 

---------- Post added at 07:32 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:31 AM ----------

 

Also why are JL amps so inefficient?

 

[disturbed471985 5,000+ posts]

Sounds like I better upgrade! I also might be throwing in my JL 300/4 if nobody buys it so I might as well. I'm just trying to keep things as cheap as I can, this is just a 1500 dollar car that gets me to work and back so I don't want to invest to much. Although I can always take it out!
As far as saturns falling apart, do you have any tricks for preventing it? I've heard put a little silicon on the clips/screws when putting it back together. Also my rear view mirror wants to fly off with just my 500 watt! Is there anything I can do with that besides remove it? It sounds like crap too!

 

---------- Post added at 07:32 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:31 AM ----------

 

Also why are JL amps so inefficient?

I am sure there are tricks but I founbd the best way was just to remove all panels. Only panels left in my car are the door panels. Just got tired of the rattles. Oh and I just removed my rearview so cant help with that one either.

 

[07denali 10+ year member]

Id run 0awg. Want hurt thats for sure. Same with big 3 want hurt so why not. Depending on the size of ur current batt you may can slide by with just that one batt but you better have some way to monitor the voltage. Best bet buy a second batt and toss in trunk or buy the biggest batt you can fit in your factory location.
P.S just a heads up our cars will start to fall apart at a certain point. The plastic clips just dnt hold up well at all so be prepared for things to start falling..

Do you really need 0 gauge for 1,000 watts? I'm not disagreeing but I ordered a 4 gauge wiring kit for a RF P1000 but I'm going to upgrade to a T1500bdcp. I thought I could get by on the 4 gauge but if you think otherwise, let me know. Sorry OP for high jacking your thread. I figured we both could benefit from my question.//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/toast.gif.bc0657bf54b9ee653b6438524461341e.gif

 

[rdlyn13000 10+ year member]

I am sure there are tricks but I founbd the best way was just to remove all panels. Only panels left in my car are the door panels. Just got tired of the rattles. Oh and I just removed my rearview so cant help with that one either.

Makes sense, I'll probably just remove the rear view mirror thats been driving me nuts! Besides the mirror everything else sounds pretty tight in that car I was very surprized! Im still going to at least deaden the trunk and maybe a little more just for fun //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[rdlyn13000 10+ year member]

Do you really need 0 gauge for 1,000 watts? I'm not disagreeing but I ordered a 4 gauge wiring kit for a RF P1000 but I'm going to upgrade to a T1500bdcp. I thought I could get by on the 4 gauge but if you think otherwise, let me know. Sorry OP for high jacking your thread. I figured we both could benefit from my question.//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/toast.gif.bc0657bf54b9ee653b6438524461341e.gif

No worries man thats why I started the thread, I always heard once you hit 1000 + you should start upgrading everything. Expecially with the amp i'll be running...

 

[disturbed471985 5,000+ posts]

Do you really need 0 gauge for 1,000 watts? I'm not disagreeing but I ordered a 4 gauge wiring kit for a RF P1000 but I'm going to upgrade to a T1500bdcp. I thought I could get by on the 4 gauge but if you think otherwise, let me know. Sorry OP for high jacking your thread. I figured we both could benefit from my question.//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/toast.gif.bc0657bf54b9ee653b6438524461341e.gif

Well lets just assume a 1000 watt amp is usually fused for 100amps. Most tru ofc 4awg is good up to 150amps so no you dnt really need to at this point but the OP plans on adding a 4 channel so now he has the potential to pull over 150amps. So now you got a problem..

 

[LosIsATool 5,000+ posts]

[/color]Also why are JL amps so inefficient?

Its the price you pay for RIPS. They **** a ton of juice and store it to give you the rated power from 11.5-14.4v. JL even recommends a HO alt for them. They only put 4awg but after they where on the market they said use AT LEAST 2awg. You really cant compare it to any other 1000 watt amp.

 

[rdlyn13000 10+ year member]

Its the price you pay for RIPS. They **** a ton of juice and store it to give you the rated power from 11.5-14.4v. JL even recommends a HO alt for them. They only put 4awg but after they where on the market they said use AT LEAST 2awg. You really cant compare it to any other 1000 watt amp.

I was wondering how those amps were able to put the power down in those voltages and in between any 1.5-4 ohm

 

[LosIsATool 5,000+ posts]

I was wondering how those amps were able to put the power down in those voltages and in between any 1.5-4 ohm

You cant get all the good stuff with out the draw back. When the voltage drops they try to pull even more current. If its not there they will start to mute

 

[rdlyn13000 10+ year member]

Yeah a buddy of mine has 2 JL 1000/1 and a JL 450/4, running an extra battery/big 3/and all zero gauge and the volts are still dropping into the 11's. It may not be tuned right but **** them **** the juice!