smaller wire/distro block question

[meistah 10+ year member]

ok so i have a viper 1200.1...and for the life of me i couldnt figure out why the batt and grnd terminals are so small. then i was told that im supposed to use a distro block and use 8gauge wire for it..

now i know how distro blocks work...routing power from the large wire to fuses and smaller wires for multiple amps...but no matter how you cut it...the 8gauge wire is only going to provide like 5-600 watts AT BEST for the amp...which is very inadequate...

can anyone explain this to me? i read up on it on bcae1 or whatever but even that guy said that it wasnt a good idea... if this isnt making sense just say so and ill try to reword it better, lol

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[jonnybusa 10+ year member]

ok so i have a viper 1200.1...and for the life of me i couldnt figure out why the batt and grnd terminals are so small. then i was told that im supposed to use a distro block and use 8gauge wire for it..now i know how distro blocks work...routing power from the large wire to fuses and smaller wires for multiple amps...but no matter how you cut it...the 8gauge wire is only going to provide like 5-600 watts AT BEST for the amp...which is very inadequate...

can anyone explain this to me? i read up on it on bcae1 or whatever but even that guy said that it wasnt a good idea... if this isnt making sense just say so and ill try to reword it better, lol

if it only accepts that size wire, I'd say it'll be fine for it. If it needed a bigger ga wire, the manufacturer would have made it so it accepts bigger, I would think.

 

[n2audio 5,000+ posts]

at the reduced length from d-block to amp - the smaller wire after the d-block can provde more current than a normal run from the battery to the amp. It's less than ideal, but it should work ok.

another option, better than just using 8 ga, would be to use the 4 ga, but trim off some of the outer strands of the wire so it will fit in the smaller terminals. Yes, you're reducing the cross-sect. area, but again, the length is so small it will have little to no effect on the 4 ga.

 

[meistah 10+ year member]

ok...well i tried shaving down my 4gauge wire but i still couldnt get it in properly and i had too much bared wire for my liking...so i think ill just use some 8gauge and a distro block and see if i can get this #@$(*% amp working

 

[Defiler 10+ year member]

Just use the shortest run of 8 gauge possible. It should be fine especially if the amp won't accept anything larger.

And on the shaving down of the 4, NEVER do that. Get an adapter.

 

[meistah 10+ year member]

thank you defiler...i didnt feel comfortable using a shaved down wire anyways

 

[bubbagumper6 5,000+ posts]

And on the shaving down of the 4, NEVER do that. Get an adapter.

got a reason for that?

I've used it and it works quite well

 

[dyabolical 10+ year member]

Just use the shortest run of 8 gauge possible. It should be fine especially if the amp won't accept anything larger.
And on the shaving down of the 4, NEVER do that. Get an adapter.

On high voltage circuits i would have to agree on this one. But only if the voltage is around 220+.

For such low voltages it isn't a bother. But the reasoning is the shaved ends can create what some electricians call a power leak. I am not sure on the reasoning...it was explained to me once but i can't remember what the dude said.

 

[Defiler 10+ year member]

On high voltage circuits i would have to agree on this one. But only if the voltage is around 220+.
For such low voltages it isn't a bother. But the reasoning is the shaved ends can create what some electricians call a power leak. I am not sure on the reasoning...it was explained to me once but i can't remember what the dude said.

Plus the risk of frayed wire touching something it shouldn't.//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/veryhappy.gif.fec4fed33b4a1279cf10bdd45a039dae.gif

 

[meistah 10+ year member]

ya...the terminals are really close together and i can see how a loose strand or two could touch somewhere else...