Questions on sub wiring and fuses.

[00S104.3]

I searched and didn't come up with the info. I needed. I'm wondering what gauge wiring I should use to wire up my subs in the box? The subs are 12" Alpine Type S dual 2 ohm. I have some regular 16 gauge speaker wire but I don't know if that will work with subs or not.

Also, when looking for an amplifier installation kit how do I know what size fuse I need? My amp is an Alpine MRD-M605 600w mono. There are two 30 amp fuses on the amplifier so whould that mean I need a 60 amp fuse with the amplifier install kit?

Any help is appreciated.

[Mikz86TA]

I always use 12gague speaker on subs. Of course some hi-watt competition subs need 10ga and somme even 8ga. But those Type S will be perfectly run on 12ga.
Bingo. 60amps is that amplifiers MAX Current Draw. Use nothing larger. Thats a D-class mono amp right? If so, are you using a 4ga power and ground?

[fastSdime]

X2 I love doing car stereo. I agree with the 12 gauge wire for your subs. Bigger wire is always better and the more strains of wire the better. I also recommend good connectors for best sound quality. Most people don't realize the difference good wires and connectors make. Also for ever hundred watts your looking at 10 amps for a fuse. So 600=60 thats the easy way. The actual math is 600/12=50amp fuse. But its easier the other way. Take your time and do it right the first time.

[00S104.3]

I always use 12gague speaker on subs. Of course some hi-watt competition subs need 10ga and somme even 8ga. But those Type S will be perfectly run on 12ga.
Bingo. 60amps is that amplifiers MAX Current Draw. Use nothing larger. Thats a D-class mono amp right? If so, are you using a 4ga power and ground?


Ok, looks like I need to pick up some quality 12 awg speaker wire. Any recommendations?

Yes the amplifier is a class-D mono and I am using 4 gauge power and ground wires.


X2 I love doing car stereo. I agree with the 12 gauge wire for your subs. Bigger wire is always better and the more strains of wire the better. I also recommend good connectors for best sound quality. Most people don't realize the difference good wires and connectors make. Also for ever hundred watts your looking at 10 amps for a fuse. So 600=60 thats the easy way. The actual math is 600/12=50amp fuse. But its easier the other way. Take your time and do it right the first time.

The subs have spring loaded terminals on them so do I need some type of connector on the wire? or do I just strip it back and put it through the terminal?

I am definately taking my time and learning how to do things correctly. This will be my first full install.


Thanks for the help guys.

[Mikz86TA]

I like the Rockford. Its kinda a Black/Clear insulation and its OFC Copper multi-stranded wire. Im running it from my Boston 3-way crossover to my Boston 6.4LF mid and also I use it from sub amp to box terminal and box terminal to sub.
On those terminals you could do a banana jack, but its fine just to strip the wire. Thats what I do.
Good luck and please ask anything you may have doubts on. Were here to help as always =)

[00S104.3]

Thanks. I guarantee I will have more questions.:)

[fastSdime]

You don't have to because that will be a direct link instead of cheap connectors. and usually banana jacks aren't cheap. I usually don't use them unless they are visible like a plexi box or something like that.

[00S104.3]

The subs came with little "jumpers" with banana jacks on each end. Can I use these along with the 12 awg wire?

[fastSdime]

Yes you can as long as the 12 gauge fits in them.

[Mikz86TA]

Yes. Those are to parallel the DVCs.

[00S104.3]

Ok thanks.

[00S104.3]

Another question...

Are these terminal connectors ok to use on the speaker wire to connect it to the terminal inside the sub box?

http://i28.tinypic.com/332ypi0.jpg

This is the terminal inside the box...
http://i26.tinypic.com/k2cuvk.jpg

Thanks again.:D

[bespurcell]

Yes. That's exactly what it's for.

[fastSdime]

Yes you can use those I usually used the quick slide females on this page. But those will work.
http://www.streetwires.com/products/archive/Product.aspx?grp=171

[00S104.3]

Yes. That's exactly what it's for.


Yes you can use those I usually used the quick slide females on this page. But those will work.
http://www.streetwires.com/products/archive/Product.aspx?grp=171

I was looking through my drawer of audio wire,connectors and crap when I found an 8 foot long piece of 12 gauge speaker wire that I didn't know I had, and I found a bunch of those terminals. I didn't want to buy some other terminals if these would work.

Once again, I appreciate the help.

[bespurcell]

No prob.

[fastSdime]

They will work. I highly recommend either getting electrical tape or some heat shrink tubing to wrap around the cheap plastic ends down to the wire so you have a good strong connect that wont move when you start hitting hard.

[00S104.3]

They will work. I highly recommend either getting electrical tape or some heat shrink tubing to wrap around the cheap plastic ends down to the wire so you have a good strong connect that wont move when you start hitting hard.

I put some heat shrink tubing on the connectors after I crimped them. There is none on the wire in the pic because it was just stuck on there while I snapped a pic.

[Mikz86TA]

Looks good.Those will work fine =)

[00S104.3]

Alright, I got it all wired up.

http://i29.tinypic.com/nqbnua.jpg

[fastSdime]

Well I'm not a big fan of jumping the subs like that. I take it your going to bridge the amp? And WHO THE F**K PUTS THE TERMINALS ON THE FRONT OF THE DAMN BOX!!!!

[bespurcell]

Maybe that's the back.

[Mikz86TA]

No need to put it that way.
Well I'm not a big fan of jumping the subs like that. I take it your going to bridge the amp? And WHO THE F**K PUTS THE TERMINALS ON THE FRONT OF THE DAMN BOX!!!!

[Mikz86TA]

Youll get better performance by running speaker wire from the amp to each of the terminals. That way you bridge at the amp and the current has 2 seperate paths to flow down to each sub.
Are those 4 or 2 ohm subs?
Also, how does this box mount in the truck? it is downfireing?

[00S104.3]

It's a downfiring enclosure, the terminals are on the bottom.

The amp is a mono amp so I'm not bridging it. The subs are dual 2 ohm and they are wired up according to the diagram that came with the subs for a 2 ohm load on the amp.


Option 2 (series/parallel) = 2 ohm load
Voice coils wired in series, speakers wired in parallel
Recommended Amplifier: Stable at 2 or 1 ohm mono
http://i27.tinypic.com/2i9q8sk.gif


The only thing I did was wire them outside of the box instead of putting a hole in the center of the box for the wires to run through.


Is this wrong?

[bespurcell]

It's better to run 2 separate wires from each terminal on the amp. One to each positive terminal on the outside of the box and one to each negative terminal on the outside of the box. The way you have it right now all the power from the amp has to travel on one pair of wires. The other way you have two pairs of wires for the power to travel. Think of electricity like water. You will get more flow from two 1" pipes than just one 1" pipe. BTW that's not wrong the way you wired it. It's just not the best way. Looking at your diagram I'm not sure that you have a 2 ohm load either even though it says it. What is each of your voice coils rated at in ohms?

[Mikz86TA]

X2.
Its not wrong to do it that way. You indeed did it correctly and will be running the amp at its fullest potential.
I would just reccomend running a wire from EACH of the terminals on the boxs' + and - to the amps + and -. That wat ther flow of electricity has a seperate path to each sub.
But either way works from a correctly wired perspective.

* I dont like to poke holes in the chamber dividers either.

[00S104.3]

It's better to run 2 separate wires from each terminal on the amp. One to each positive terminal on the outside of the box and one to each negative terminal on the outside of the box. The way you have it right now all the power from the amp has to travel on one pair of wires. The other way you have two pairs of wires for the power to travel. Think of electricity like water. You will get more flow from two 1" pipes than just one 1" pipe. BTW that's not wrong the way you wired it. It's just not the best way. Looking at your diagram I'm not sure that you have a 2 ohm load either even though it says it. What is each of your voice coils rated at in ohms?


X2.
Its not wrong to do it that way. You indeed did it correctly and will be running the amp at its fullest potential.
I would just reccomend running a wire from EACH of the terminals on the boxs' + and - to the amps + and -. That wat ther flow of electricity has a seperate path to each sub.
But either way works from a correctly wired perspective.

* I dont like to poke holes in the chamber dividers either.

Alright, I think I get what you guys are saying. Wire it like this?....( you may need to click the bar on the top of the pic to make it big enough to see clearly)

http://i29.tinypic.com/19ktnr.jpg

[bespurcell]

Yes.

[00S104.3]

So I will then have a 2 ohm load on the amplifier? It's a 600 watt mono amplifier so I would be putting 300 watts to each sub?

[Mikz86TA]

Correct. The way you show it wire at the sub terminals to the box terminals is Series. Series the 2 2ohm coils and you should have 4ohms at the box terminal. Then you take the wires as you havs shown from the box terminals and combine them at the amps terminal and that is Parallel. Parrallel the box terminals whis is 4ohms to each other will result in 2ohms at the amp. This is indded correct and what you are looking to do.

[00S104.3]

Correct. The way you show it wire at the sub terminals to the box terminals is Series. Series the 2 2ohm coils and you should have 4ohms at the box terminal. Then you take the wires as you havs shown from the box terminals and combine them at the amps terminal and that is Parallel. Parrallel the box terminals whis is 4ohms to each other will result in 2ohms at the amp. This is indded correct and what you are looking to do.


Great! Thanks again.

[bespurcell]

If your speakers are 4 ohms(the way you have them wired) then yes you will have a 2 ohm load at your amp and 300 watts going to each sub.



Edit: Sorry Mike I didn't see your post.

[Mikz86TA]

Hehe. No worries =) Helpful answers are always welcome in abundance.

[00S104.3]

If all goes well I will be installing everything by Friday. I'm kind of nervous because I've never done an install of subs and an amp but I'm also excited to hear it bump and to know that I did it by myself. (and of course with some help from you guys)

[Mikz86TA]

Pretty easy. Ground and mount amp securely. Put power wire fuse in last after all connections are made. Adjust the crossover or filter and turn gain all the way down to start out.

[00S104.3]

I got my 4 guage amp kit and that brought up another question:D Which side do the patch (rca) cables go in on the amp? My thought was the side labelled "Input" but I wanted to be sure.

Here's a pic...
http://i29.tinypic.com/23icly0.jpg

Unfortunately, I bought this amp used with no manual so I really appreciate the help.

[bespurcell]

If they're coming from your head unit they go to the input.

[Mikz86TA]

X2. Input. The other set is if you had only 1 deck preout and needed to daisy-chain 2 amps to it.

[00S104.3]

If they're coming from your head unit they go to the input.


X2. Input. The other set is if you had only 1 deck preout and needed to daisy-chain 2 amps to it.


Once again, Thanks for the help.:)

[Mikz86TA]

Yup. Good luck and post us the results =)

[00S104.3]

Yup. Good luck and post us the results =)

Will do.

[00S104.3]

Alright I installed everything yesterday. I am very pleased with how it sounds. It is loud and still very clean sounding.

Here is a pic.....

http://i30.tinypic.com/mkyfpx.jpg

I had the cover off of the amp because I'm still tweaking the controls to suit my preference. I will get some more pics and possibly a video soon.

Big thanks goes out to all who took the time to help me with my questions and offered advise.

[bespurcell]

No prob. It's looking good.

[Mikz86TA]

Cool. Id clean up the wires a bit. One suggestion would be to mount the amp on the back wall of the truck instead and the wires would pop up directly below it between the floor and back wall carpet seam. Just a thought