Two amps on same wire?

[jladislav]

This is my first post so please bare with me. I'm hooking up 2 amps and I was womdering if it's ok to use the same wire. I'm placing one amp under passanger seat for the front and rear door speakers and the other amp will be hooked up in the trunk for 10" sub. Both amps are 400 watts. I was wondering if I could run the wire to the trunk amp and tap into it or if I need to run separate wire for each amp. I am planing on using 8 gauge amp wire. Should I use 4 gauge? Thanx for any help.

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[sumone 10+ year member]

a distribution block is what you need, preferrably fused. Run one 4ga wire from the battery going into the distribution block, then from the distro block, split into 2 8ga outputs.

 

[Norcalracer283 10+ year member]

May i recommend a circuit break after ur possitive terminal....inline fuses ****

 

[DBfan187 5,000+ posts]

May i recommend a circuit break after ur possitive terminal....inline fuses ****

Not really the best recommendation. They sometimes tend to allow more current to pass or trip without any reason at all.

 

[jladislav]

Thanx for your help. I'll make sure I get the distribution block and a fuse on the 4 gauge wire coming from the battery.

 

[req 5,000+ posts]

http://www.knukonceps.com will have everything you need for a very cheap price. good luck

 

[OLD_SCHOOL 10+ year member]

i like the ANL fuses my self although i have never used a circut breaker i can only see the benifit of not having to buy a new fuse if it pops

also http://www.darvex.com i realy like dealing with this guy he has good prices and shiping is like 3 day fast!!! he is also BAGBOY on ebay BTW

 

[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

circuit breakers are tougher to implement in a mobile setting...they tend to flip exactly when you don't want them to, although from a convienence standpoint they definitely work...

 

[sumone 10+ year member]

speaking of inline fuses, one thing you guys shouldn't buy is the one from anl one from audiobahn (for 4 or 1/0). (You're like, "which one???"; sorry I don't have the model no.) But anyways this inline fuse is bad (as I learned while attaching it to the battery)

Cause the metal parts of the fuse block that attaches to the battery wire and then your amp wire aren't secured to the plastic of the holder at all. So you take off the top plastic, exposing the fuse, uninstall the fuse, and then you accidentally let go of the battery wire part and it hits ground...

Well, maybe it's just me, but yea, I guess I'm gonna just grab some super glue to hold them down, but it was dangerous to me cause when I first connected the fuse, I heard very loud snapping sound (which I expected, but not that loud) and I had jumped back and had the potential of dropping the wires which I was holding in my hands and at the same time, the fuse and screwdriver....

 

[Nikuk 5,000+ posts]

speaking of inline fuses, one thing you guys shouldn't buy is the one from anl one from audiobahn (for 4 or 1/0). (You're like, "which one???"; sorry I don't have the model no.) But anyways this inline fuse is bad (as I learned while attaching it to the battery)
Cause the metal parts of the fuse block that attaches to the battery wire and then your amp wire aren't secured to the plastic of the holder at all. So you take off the top plastic, exposing the fuse, uninstall the fuse, and then you accidentally let go of the battery wire part and it hits ground...

Well, maybe it's just me, but yea, I guess I'm gonna just grab some super glue to hold them down, but it was dangerous to me cause when I first connected the fuse, I heard very loud snapping sound (which I expected, but not that loud) and I had jumped back and had the potential of dropping the wires which I was holding in my hands and at the same time, the fuse and screwdriver....

yeekers. umm, i have a similar style of ANL holder and had no problems.

 

[brandontw 10+ year member]

disconnect your battery first----- duh!

 

[Nikuk 5,000+ posts]

disconnect your battery first----- duh!

phew.... thought i was the only one!

 

[OLD_SCHOOL 10+ year member]

i have the same type of ANL fuse holder where the holder is on two different parts ... disconecting the - terminal helps a good bit //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

 

[blackgeltabs 5,000+ posts]

May i recommend a circuit break after ur possitive terminal....inline fuses ****

Complete opposite. Circuit breakers are convienient but when expossed to road grime and weather they can break i.e.. Not flip when they are supposed to then your amp gets nuked. Its not as bad if you are using a fuse in the trunk. But in general I try to use ANL whenever possible.

 

[Nikuk 5,000+ posts]

... disconecting the - terminal helps a good bit //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

generally... anytime you're playing with current in the vehicle its a good idea to the neg batt cable. That way if you have a heart attack while holding a hot wire you wont ground out against the chassis/body... and your friends will have working equipment.