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Silver Member Username: Safa19Post Number: 269 Registered: Apr-05 | i just got an orion 1200D and the power wire input and ground says that it only accepts 4 gauge, and its 1200watts RMS but i thought that 4 gauge could only carry around 100watts? would 4 gauge be able to do it? thanks |
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Gold Member Username: RovinTrinidad & T... Post Number: 4726 Registered: Jul-05 | i'd go 2/G or even better 0/G in case of future amp upgrades http://www.the12volt.com/wiring/recwirsz.asp use this guide & also bcae1 has 1 too ....... |
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Silver Member Username: B101Queen City, NC USA Post Number: 392 Registered: Sep-05 | 4ga carrys about 150 AMPS! saying that: 150a is more than enough current to get that amp to max output! If u are using more than 1 amp, run 0ga to the dist block then use 4ga to the amps High power amps have bigger 0ga input for power wires! My PRD1000.1 has 0ga for POS + NEG! It also has a total of 160 amp fuses~! |
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Silver Member Username: N2audioLawrence, Ks USA Post Number: 296 Registered: Mar-04 | There are a few variables, mainly length. http://www.bcae1.com/images/swfs/wirepowercalculator.swf |
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Silver Member Username: B101Queen City, NC USA Post Number: 393 Registered: Sep-05 | ^^ length is key here. 4ga to dist block will be okay. But u still need to get the current to the dist block! so 0ga would be safe enough to pass 350a! that is for future upgrades is what im saying! |
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Silver Member Username: Safa19Post Number: 270 Registered: Apr-05 | alright well heres the thing, i already have a 4gauge power line running to the back of my car from my old system, but now i have 2 amps one is 1200watts rms for my subs, and the other is 400watts rms for my speakers, since my amp for my subs only accepts up to 4gauge wire i was planning on just hooking up the wires that i already have to that, and buying new wires for my other amp, but i dont know what gauge, i read those charts and stuff and is 8 gauge going to be enough for 400watts rms? i would go with the 0 gauge and the distribution block but if i already have the 4 gauge so there is no point is spending that much extra money if i dont have to and can just get 8 gauge.... just to save me some money, that i can put to other things for my system thanks. |
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Silver Member Username: B101Queen City, NC USA Post Number: 395 Registered: Sep-05 | what size is ur alternator? cause 4ga wire will only pass 150amps over say 15FT U need to change the wire! 8ga wire? I used that as speaker wire b4. Its not that thick. 400 rms cant use 8ga for longer than 8ft without voltage drops! use the old 4ga wire u currently have to wire both your amps to the dist blocks! Then buy some 2ga or 0ga and run that to the back of the car to the dist block. Im trying to help u get the most out of your system, without it cliping/distoring or even catching fire. |
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Silver Member Username: N2audioLawrence, Ks USA Post Number: 298 Registered: Mar-04 | I think a 2nd run of 8 to your 400w amp would be fine. Just set it up as an entirely seperate circuit with a 40-50A fuse at the battery. Just for comparison - My wiring is technically on the small side, but it works perfectly. My peak voltage drop is .2v I've got about 12' of 4 ga split to two 8 gauges, each about 2' - sub amp rated at 700w rms, component amp is 380 rms - both are under-rated. |
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Silver Member Username: N2audioLawrence, Ks USA Post Number: 299 Registered: Mar-04 | catching fire??!! C'mon B! Joe - fuse everything properly and you have nothing to worry about. |
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Silver Member Username: B101Queen City, NC USA Post Number: 398 Registered: Sep-05 | lol If he tried to push 200 plus amperes through that 8ga wire (100a) ; then yeah "catchin a fire" It will diffenatly heat up quick! Probably melting.. Its NO short cut in wiring! And if he use multiple strains of wire, they better be fused correct. |
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Silver Member Username: Safa19Post Number: 271 Registered: Apr-05 | im not gonna be doing any future upgrades so i just need enough power for what i have now, and i would run 2 completely different wires with their own fuses, they would just be coming from the same battery. and my stock alternator is a 105amps, so is that a no on the 8 gauge power wire for 400watts? |
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Silver Member Username: B101Queen City, NC USA Post Number: 401 Registered: Sep-05 | It will be alright with that 105alt. I wouldnt put a bigger amp on that 8ga wire but it will work for what u currently got. And if u dont plan to upgrade to a bigger system or alternator. Then your current system will get u by just okay. Just FUSE each power wire. & make sure your ground wires are the same size. |
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Silver Member Username: Safa19Post Number: 273 Registered: Apr-05 | alright thanks B, but what about fuse sizes? like how many amp should each fuse have for my 2 lines? |
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Silver Member Username: B101Queen City, NC USA Post Number: 416 Registered: Sep-05 | 8ga wire use a 100a fuse MAX! 4ga wire use a 150a fuse MAX!! Any fuse lower than those will be acceptable! If u go with a higher fuse, u will NOT be protecting the wire! |
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Silver Member Username: N2audioLawrence, Ks USA Post Number: 310 Registered: Mar-04 | B - I've NEVER heard of a fuse larger than 60A on 8 ga wire. 50 is the recommended max. http://www.bcae1.com/fuses.htm I could live with 150A on 4 ga, but only if it's relatively short. <14' or so. |
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Silver Member Username: B101Queen City, NC USA Post Number: 428 Registered: Sep-05 | http://www.the12volt.com/wiring/recwirsz.asp |
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Silver Member Username: B101Queen City, NC USA Post Number: 429 Registered: Sep-05 | woooooopsy ^^ well if a 8ga can pass 100amps, then I would put a fuse less than that.. thanks opti. |
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Silver Member Username: N2audioLawrence, Ks USA Post Number: 317 Registered: Mar-04 | 8 ga is acceptable for 100A at 8' or less. Assuming 1/2v drop is acceptable. |
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Silver Member Username: Safa19Post Number: 274 Registered: Apr-05 | i just ordered this kit for my orion 1200D which will power 2 alpine type R's http://knukonceptz.com/productDetail.cfm?prodID=KOL-AK4 Think it will be good? |
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Gold Member Username: SouthernrebelMonroe, Louisiana USA Post Number: 1829 Registered: Mar-04 | that should work very nicly....knu konceptz is a great company. the best thing about that kit is that you are actually getting some good RCA's....if you would have gone to Walmart and got one of their cheap @ss 4ga kits you would have ended up w/ crappy RCA's. |
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Silver Member Username: Safa19Post Number: 275 Registered: Apr-05 | yea that is what i was looking into and i know that they arent the best rca's that they have but they were the ones that came with the kit and i dont know much about what makes one better than another but sounds like you do know so thanks marshall |