wire size?

[abmwfastrthanu 10+ year member]

i have a sub and an amp that will run at a max of 2000 watts, my battery is in the backseat of my car and i can punch through the wall between the trunk and the cabin to run the wires.... not sure as to what size gauge of wire to use though, i intend on just grounding back to the battery. i have heard that a ground wire can only be 3 feet long though? so far i have no wiring done, only installed the sub in the box, and still need to get a cap, prolly guna drop a 2 farad in there somewhere. thanx

Click to read more...

 

[tommyk90 5,000+ posts]

Max of 2000 watts i wouldn't go any smaller than 4 gauge. And screw the cap, get a bigger alternator instead.

 

[n2audio 5,000+ posts]

Originally posted by abmwfastrthanu my battery is in the backseat of my car and...

You're kidding, right?

i have heard that a ground wire can only be 3 feet long though? so far i have no wiring done

There is no set length, you just want to keep it as short as reasonably possible. Any given length of wire presents resistance (voltage drop) in the current path so you want to keep it as short as you can. If you need 5ft. use 5ft., if you need 7ft, use 7ft. You just don't want a 20' coil of ground wire being used to get to a grounding point that's 2 ft from the amp.

 

[evo2k3 10+ year member]

why cant he have a battery in the back? im sure its not just sitting on the seat belted in.....anyways, ground short, if that battery is pretty close go there, 3 feet is a good rule of thumb, but certainly flexable. I also dont know about the alternator.....if your alternator is already keeping up the caps will help meet the instant power needs of the amps, but if its not keeping up, up the alternator then add caps.

 

[abmwfastrthanu 10+ year member]

Originally posted by evo2k3 why cant he have a battery in the back? im sure its not just sitting on the seat belted in.....anyways, ground short, if that battery is pretty close go there, 3 feet is a good rule of thumb, but certainly flexable. I also dont know about the alternator.....if your alternator is already keeping up the caps will help meet the instant power needs of the amps, but if its not keeping up, up the alternator then add caps.

my battery is under the seat, thats the way it is for most bmw's, but im sure you knew that....

 

[evo2k3 10+ year member]

Originally posted by abmwfastrthanu my battery is under the seat, thats the way it is for most bmw's, but im sure you knew that....

i know.....i defended you.

 

[abmwfastrthanu 10+ year member]

o, my bad bro, i took it the wrong way, my apologies

 

[smacktown 10+ year member]

you could probbably get by with 4 guage but i would go with 1 or 0 guage wire. and as the guy said at the start just get the bigger alt.

 

[MikeofTulsa Moderator]

the following links will help u decide.....

http://www.eatel.net/~amptech/elecdisc/wire.htm

http://www.eatel.net/~amptech/elecdisc/chargin2.htm

enjoy

 

[abmwfastrthanu 10+ year member]

yeah a new alternator would be nice, but a new alternator for a BMW just is a little out of my league in price, and i dont feel like havin to pay for an install for it or trying to do it myself. i think im jus guna run 4 gauge and pay the price of having less power, o well thou, isnt 1200 watts enough? lol,

thanks for all of your help thou, it is appreciated

 

[ngsm13 5,000+ posts]

Originally posted by abmwfastrthanu yeah a new alternator would be nice, but a new alternator for a BMW just is a little out of my league in price, and i dont feel like havin to pay for an install for it or trying to do it myself. i think im jus guna run 4 gauge and pay the price of having less power, o well thou, isnt 1200 watts enough? lol,

 

thanks for all of your help thou, it is appreciated

ok, what is your exact amplifier? MAX watts mean jack shitt! 4ga. will def. be fine...and u prolly won't need to upgrade ur alt...look at ur RMS power in watts, and the max current draw (in amps) that the amp will draw. let us know. peace

NG

 

[abmwfastrthanu 10+ year member]

my exact amplifier is an Audiobahn A18001DQ

600 watts x 1 @ 4 ohms mono

1200 watts x 1 @ 2 ohms mono

1800 watts x 1 @ 1 ohm mono

 

[Randy Savage 5,000+ posts]

Originally posted by abmwfastrthanu my exact amplifier is an Audiobahn A18001DQ

 

600 watts x 1 @ 4 ohms mono

1200 watts x 1 @ 2 ohms mono

1800 watts x 1 @ 1 ohm mono

I have the same amp...
I am running 0 guage....I suggest doing the same...

 

[abmwfastrthanu 10+ year member]

dumb question...... but does the amp accept 0 gauge wire at the terminal? it doesnt seem like its that big of a hole