Quick live & earthing question,please...

[peterp]

Hi all
Should be taking delivery of my Vibe active sub(with built in amp) at some point this week.
Would I be best using a 4 guage live on this setup?
Also does the earth need to be a 4 guage too?

cheers
Peter

 

[Luke]

What wattage is the amp? 4 guage might be a bit thicker than neccessary.

And yes power and ground wire should be the same thickness preferably.

 

[peterp]

Cheers Luke
This is the item but without the wiring kit.

http://caraudiosecurity.com/catalog/product_info.php+cPath+60_98_171+products_id+2924

I already have a 360 max (10 guage I think) wiring kit installed from my current instal and was hoping to be able to just rig it up to that.

What do you think..?
Cheers
Pete.

 

[peterp]

Any ideas guys if my current wiring kit is OK as I'll have to pop out later for a new one!!?

Pete.

 

[Luke]

If its 10 guage, you could get away with it providing you're not running more than 9ft of it. However id probably think you'd be using nearer 14ft on the safe side which suggests you'd need 8 guage according to my table

Done using calculation:
300w RMS, 50% efficiency so 600w to produce the 300w. / volatge (average 12.6) - gives you an average of 50 amps. so with 50 amps and 8 guage wiring you can use 14ft of cabling ok.

9 guage could be used too @ 11 ft, but its probably easier to get 8 guage and be on the safe side

 

[peterp]

Thanks again luke for all your help

regards
Peter

 

[peterp]

Luke
Sorry to be a pain on this,but can i get away with just swapping the live to an 8 guage and matching earth too-leaving the phono leads and remote turn on as they are from the original instal?
or will I have to replace the whole wiring kit..?

Thanks mate

Peter

 

[Luke]

The RCA leads are fine to leave as they arent providing power just a signal. And the remote wire only carries a low amp 12v so that can stay too

 

[peterp]

Luke
Thank you as usual for all your help.

Pete.

 

[arc]

if it were me, i'd leave the old cable in as well - and wire the lot paralell. that way if you put anything else in the boot later on (say an amp for your rear speakers) you dont need to run new cables down.

 

[Luke]

if it were me, i'd leave the old cable in as well - and wire the lot paralell. that way if you put anything else in the boot later on (say an amp for your rear speakers) you dont need to run new cables down.

Good idea
If you do, make sure you take out the fuse for the old wire tho so its not active to short out. That or wire that wire into the amp too so the pair run to teh amp..

 

[arc]

yeah - thats what i meant, use both cables. Def enough to handle the load then.

btw, i have a the same sub - its ace

 

[Luke]

The vibe subs do have a good write up Im tempted to get a pair of 12" BlackAir to replace my Kenwoods

 

[peterp]

Pardon my ignorance as I'm new to ICE but am I right thinking that I'll just attach both loops onto the positive from the battery directlty on top of each other and the same on the amp terminal..?

sorry if this sounds obvious.

Pete

 

[arc]

yep, thats fine

 

[Sando]

What fuse is on the Vibe amp?

I wouldnt ever suggest running two cables through your car. its much better practice to run a single power cable.

Personally, I'd uprate to 4awg or even 0awg, dependant on your plans for future upgrades and make use of a fused distrubution block. But thats just MHO