using 4 ga. to dist block with 2 8 gauge wires

[vandiar2 10+ year member]

i was thinking of something. I currently am using a 1200 watt soundstorm (pos) wired to 2 4ohm svc mtx subs. I also have a 4 channel 800 watt kenwood I use for my front and rear speakers. Right now I have a 4 gauge wire coming to a dist block with 2 8 gauge wires coming out to power both amps. Amps run great never run hot. I plan on upgrading my subs and amp really soon. I think I am sold on the new alpine mrs-1000 (1000rms) and getting 2 12 type r alpine subs. My question is, will the current wiring I have be able to handle it? or will I need to upgrade the block and run a lower gauge wire to it soI can use 4 gauge wire to the two amps. thanks in advance!

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[n2audio 5,000+ posts]

The alpine needs 4 ga on its own.

You should either go with 2 awg, or 1/0 awg split to 4 and 8.

Or if your current 4 ga will reach the Alpine you could just add an 8 ga from the battery to the Kenwood.

 

[vandiar2 10+ year member]

The alpine needs 4 ga on its own.
You should either go with 2 awg, or 1/0 awg split to 4 and 8.

Or if your current 4 ga will reach the Alpine you could just add an 8 ga from the battery to the Kenwood.

yeah that sounds like a plan. just run a seperate 8 gauge wire for the kenwood. this possesses another question however. i am sure the power draw on this setup is going to be more than what my battery/alternator can handle. will a 1 farad cap remedy this?

 

[GreenBook 10+ year member]

upgrading your alternator & battery wires + a second battery might work, but a cap won't do anything besides look pretty.

I'm running pretty close to the power you plan on and went with just getting a h/o alt. Probably could have gotten away with a battery but the alt was a decent price. Up till recently I had a cap wired in and it never made a single difference.

 

[n2audio 5,000+ posts]

An efficient 1000w sub amp and an averaged size 4 ch isn't enough to say you definitely need to upgrade your charging system. By "800w kenwood" I assume you mean 800w max, probably 70x4 or so if you're just running four 4 ohm speakers.

There are a lot of cars that shouldn't have much trouble with a system that size. It depends largely on what you drive, and how you listen.

You have to realize your ~1300w system that can theoretically draw 130A or more will almost NEVER actually require that much playing music. The real world average current demand of your amps will probably be in the 20A range.

It's the low rpm, heavy bass, high volume listening sessions that will put your alt and batt to the test. If you don't do that very often it might run fine.

 

[bigaudiofanatic 10+ year member]

Upgrade you wiring get a cap they DO WORK and dont worry about doing the big 3 unless the headlights dim after the upgrade.

 

[GreenBook 10+ year member]

upgrading your alternator & battery wires + a second battery might work, but a cap won't do anything besides look pretty.

Just to clarify myself i meant the big 3, not a new alternator.

 

[standbackimapro 10+ year member]

Upgrade you wiring get a cap they DO WORK and dont worry about doing the big 3 unless the headlights dim after the upgrade.

For the price of a Good Cap, He can get a New battery, or maybe even an optima bat.

You could even use a Batcap or Kinetik

 

[n2audio 5,000+ posts]

Upgrade you wiring get a cap they DO WORK and dont worry about doing the big 3 unless the headlights dim after the upgrade.

For an application like this - stock charging system, good sized sound system -- a cap would be of no help whatsoever.

 

[vandiar2 10+ year member]

think im going to pull off the big three once I get everything setup. i hear its not that hard and is very efficient