Multiple amps

[DanDud]

Hey guys.

ATM im running 2 12inch subs off a single Kenwood amp.

I have another amp to put in so each sub will have its own amp.

How do i wire the new amp up to the power, im a bit of a noob when it comes to this.

Do i have to get a splitter and put the main power cable into it and have 2 comeing out each with its own fuse?

Cheers guys.

Dan.

 

[Paul R]

Sort off, You need the splitter, but each amp has its own fuse to protect it anyway and you should have one it the engine bay prtecting the whole system from any surges!

Just need a splitter box (dont know the proper term for it) I have one which my amp and Xbox run off, they dont cost alot, just go to an car audio store near you, all of them will sell them!

Paul R

 

[DeanoBravo]

Yeah, no need to worry about additional fuses, although the main one in engine bay may blow if your amps are asking for more current then the fuse can handle.
Can pick up a power-distribution block for around £5 in Maplins. Some place with ask about a tenner more for the same thing!
Also need to consider the additional remote wire, earth and phono inputs.
If your current main amp has a output phono socket (not all have this), then you can simply add an extra phono from the output of one amp, into the input of the other. If neither amp has phono (RCA) out, then you will have to find a phono splitter. Obviously without the phono inputting into both amps, you wont have any sound signals!
Can wire the remote in series (straight into one amp, then another wire from that same port into the next amp)

Sorry if it sounds garbled or confused - too tired/hot/stuffy to think properly!
Dean

 

[Paul R]

THATS THE ONE...i hate it when you can not remember the correct names!

Paul R

 

[DanDud]

Yeh i spoke to someone who use to do installs just before and he sed the same thing - Splitter box.

My amp has RCA outs so il do it that way and will to the P-Con in series too. Theres a fuse in the engine bay too.

Cheers guys appreciate it.

Dan.

 

[John]

Hi,

Theres quite alot of debate in whether to use fused distribution or not.

However, one point you need to know is that the fuse on the main power cable (the fuse closest to your battery) is only there to protect the main power cable. If the main power cable managed to short out on body work, e.g. though the grommet for one end came loose and touched the body work - if you didn't have a fuse it would probably melt, get hotter and catch fire. Car batteries have ALOT of power when discharged quickly.

I was talking to my local jl audio dealer and he said that 9 times out of 10 you should use fused distribition when splitting power. He saw once a guy who had 3 jl amps running of a non fused dissy block and water had got into the cabin, and landed on the distribution block. The short wasn't enough to blow the fuse at the battery end and his amps fried

Theres no diferrence in price between fused and non fused dissy blocks, better to be safe than sorry.

Regards

John

 

[Paul R]

surely the amps are protected by there own fuse?

get one with a fuse in to be safe then!

Paul R

 

[Tom]

Very few amps don't have fuses.

A fused dizzy block is used when you are going down to a wire size that it incapable of carrying the current needed to blow the main fuse. They are NOT there to protect the amp.

Say you have a 0 guage main feed fused at 300A, if you drop down to 8 guage then its possible the 8 guage could catch fire before the fuse blows.

Read the table at the bottom of this post:
http://www.talkaudio.co.uk/vbb/showthread.php?t=45182

I'm running a 150A main fuse and 2 guage main wire. Then splitting to 4 guage to the amps. No need for a second fuse.

 

[Paul R]

While you are here tom....

I have a dizzy block and i am about to run 4gauge into it the a smaller gauge out (dont know the size but its small) for my Xbox and amps (at the moment i only have one amp powering my fronts) do i need to get a dizzy block with a fuse, mine doesnt have one!

Paul R

 

[Tom]

I'd say yes You could just get a fuseholder and put it next to the dizzy block.

 

[Paul R]

What do you mean by 'next to'?

in the wire coming out the dizzy block? before?

Sorry tom, you have the patience of a saint!

Paul R

 

[Tom]

Rather than put the wire for your PS2 directly into the dizzy block put a fuse holder (halfords sell them) in the wire and then connect it to the dizzy block.

 

[Paul R]

Gotcha!!!

Just wire it as if it was coming straight of the battery basically, yeah? You said about things catching alight, will this stop that?

Paul R

 

[Tom]

Yup and Yup!

 

[DeanoBravo]

Don't you love it when a plan comes together!

 

[Tom]

Tell that to my bootbuild, ANOTHER change of plan

 

[DeanoBravo]

Had to hold back on mine at the mo. Got my car fixed and it's 100%, however it cost me £1600 to put back to normal. So unless i'm getting money back from the highway agency soon, my boot build progress will not be completed for some time!
I'm what you call one poor sod!

 

[Paul R]

Well, i had bought my 2 12" JBL GT4 subs and amps ready for me to start building and i rolled my car!!so i had to sell it all to pay my excess!(which i have now got back) so that was a big change of plan!

@Tom...I am looking at getting some audiobarn 12s because they look so good inverted, and my car is black so chrome will look spot on! What are your oppinions on these subs?

Paul R

 

[Tom]

Cheap and cheerful, not very good.

 

[Paul R]

NNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But i love the way they look, can you reccommend a good looking sub when inverted (chrome) and i can get for about £150...

Ideally i want 2 for that, but i might just get one pretty good one instead!

Paul R