| Author | Topic |
|---|
Location:
Sydney
Registered:
January 2004
|
|
|
Location:
Perth, WA
Registered:
February 2003
|
|
Re: Earthing amp
|
Wed, 09 June 2004 12:38
 
|
 |
for the earth just find a good bit of metal to bolt down the earth wire.. no need to go all the way to the battery.
as for the rca's there maybe a switch on the amp that combines the front and rear rcas togeter so u can use the one pair of rca's or if not just get some Rca splitters that make 2 into 4 and plug them in... only thing is u wont be able to fade between the front and rear using the Deck.
hope this helps
cheers
|
|
|
Location:
Wahroonga
Registered:
June 2003
|
|
Re: Earthing Amp
|
Wed, 09 June 2004 12:52
|
|
|
yea go with what adavy84 said, u don't need to have really long wires if u don't need them.
|
|
|
Location:
Sydney
Registered:
January 2004
|
|
Re: Earthing Amp
|
Wed, 09 June 2004 13:17
|
|
Oh ok. Thanks guys. Just find a bit of exposed metal or sand back some paint? I heard that the earth wire has to be as fat as the power wire..is that true? .
The existing earth on the current amp is tacked on to where the head unit is getting an earth from (In around near the headunit there was a bit of metal the earth was bolted to. Should I bolt to this and run fatter cable to amp?
Good call on the rcas - I had checked for switch but didn't appear to be one...maybe get som splitters
|
|
|
Location:
Sydney - Castle Hill
Registered:
June 2004
|
|
|
Location:
Sydney
Registered:
January 2004
|
|
Re: Earthing Amp
|
Wed, 09 June 2004 23:28
|
|
So if you use a closer earthing point do you not need such fat wire? Can it then be a fair bit thinner than the active (positive) lead to battery? Thanks Biggles. I'll check out the seat rail bolts - that may be easiest 
|
|
|
Location:
Northgate, QLD
Registered:
July 2003
|
|
Re: Earthing Amp
|
Wed, 09 June 2004 23:41
|
|
Its always better to have a bigger earth wire than the power wire. Just go out and buy your self 5 metres of the stuff and chuck what you dont use in your shed for when you might next need some wire.
I had to do the same as you, I had 2 rca outs on my headunit but had 4 on my amp, just got some high quality gold plated rca splitters. Nothing more required.
If your going to run a power wire from your battery terminal to your amp, don't forget to mount a fuse inline, saved me a couple of times.
|
|
|
Location:
Sydney
Registered:
January 2004
|
|
Re: Earthing Amp
|
Thu, 10 June 2004 03:18
|
|
Thanks asher!
Should I just by a single fuse holder and put about a 25amp fuse in there and connect just after the power comes into the cabin after the firewall? WHere can you get them, Jaycar?
Thanks a heap!
|
|
|
Location:
Northgate, QLD
Registered:
July 2003
|
|
Re: Earthing Amp
|
Fri, 11 June 2004 02:32
|
|
See what your amp is using and try to match that if not 5/10 watt more should be fine (someone wanna give an answer if this is ok?).
I mounted mine in the engine bay near the battery but anywhere should be fine.
Yep jaycar, autobarn, repco, supercheap, should all have something.
|
|
|
I supported Toymods
Location:
Perth
Registered:
May 2002
|
|
Re: Earthing Amp
|
Fri, 11 June 2004 03:28
|
|
|
I have my power cable running from the battery via a nice thick cable to the amp under my seat, with my earth cable of the same gauge connected under the seat bolt. Works perfectly.
|
|
|
Location:
Melbourne
Registered:
May 2002
|
|
Re: Earthing Amp
|
Fri, 11 June 2004 07:32
|
|
|
I also earth the amp to one of the bolts for the seat, but make sure that when you run the power from your battery, please place a fuse on the power wire and as close to the battery as possible.
|
|
|
I Supported Toymods
Location:
Sydney
Registered:
December 2002
|
|
Re: Earthing Amp
|
Fri, 11 June 2004 08:27
|
|
To put it simply:
It is best to use the same sized cable for the power and earth because essentially what goes in eventually goes out
Preferably fuse the power cable at about 5-10A more than your amp because:
The fuse on the power cable is mainly to stop the cable causing a fire hazard should it ever short on the firewall or whatever. You can more than safely get away with using a fuse or circuit breaker rated at a similar current to your cable...
OR
you could take advantage of the situation and use it to double fuse your amp aswell...
Locate your ground as close to the amp as possible... possible being the operative word.
The main reason to go as close as possible is because if you run the cable back through the firewall you now have two high current cables that could short on the firewall.
Also the shorter the length of cable the lower the resistance (read: the better the earth / connection)
I think I should stop typing now as this was supposed to be the simple explanation...
1. Use the same power cable as you use for earth
2. Fuse the power cable as close to the battery as possible with a fuse rated at say 5-10A greater than the amp
3. Place the ground as close to the amp as possible.
4. MAKE SURE YOUR CABLE IS RATED PROPERLY... 15A AUTO CABLE CAN NOT SAFELY POWER A 40A AMPLIFIER!
|
|
|
Location:
Castle Hill, Sydney
Registered:
February 2004
|
|
Re: Earthing Amp
|
Fri, 11 June 2004 08:41
|
|
2. Fuse the power cable as close to the battery as possible with a fuse rated at say 5-10A greater than the amp
whats the reason for this?
i put my fuse right next to the amp 
|
|
|
I Supported Toymods
Location:
Sydney
Registered:
December 2002
|
|
Re: Earthing Amp
|
Fri, 11 June 2004 10:25
|
|
| Toobs wrote on Fri, 11 June 2004 18:27 |
because:
The fuse on the power cable is mainly to stop the cable causing a fire hazard should it ever short on the firewall or whatever.
|
|
|
|
Location:
Sydney
Registered:
January 2004
|
|
Re: Earthing Amp
|
Fri, 11 June 2004 13:24
|
|
Cheers guys. Thanks Toobs for the explanantion..makes sense Will tackle on the weekend now I have quized you all on the "proper" way to do things 
|
|
|
Earthing Amp
)
. Do I have to split the rcas or will it power both front and rear off one set of rca inlets?
