what gauge??

iLLuMiNaTi · 08-18-2003

Hey,
My friend currently has 4 gauge power and ground wires that power his 1000watt class D sony xplod amp. (we know, it's not really 1000watts). Now, he wants to buy a pioneer amp that gives out 150wrms at 4 ohms. He doesn't know what kind of wiring he should get. He wants to upgrade his sub amp wiring to 0 gauge and is wondering if it's possible to use the 4 gauge on his new amp. Is there any way that the wiring can be "too powerful" and/or harmful to his amp??
Thx in advance

-Axel

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Mr.Modify · 08-18-2003

hmmmm i didn't know the wiring could be too powerfull..dope...if anyone knows the anwser pleas efill me in to!!!

LudlamTheory · 08-18-2003

you cant overkill...

imo, 8 gauge is PLENTY for a pioneer 150 watt amp

IDQcivic · 08-18-2003

I say install the 0 gauge, that way if you upgrade later, you'll already have the wire ran....

tom1178 · 08-19-2003

he can stick with the 4 guage that he is curently running and be fine. f he later replaces the two amps he's running with amps that are pulling more amps then he can go out and buy 0 guage, i'd see no point now in spending more mney on 0 guage until he buys one or more likely two even more powerful amps.

WhiteRabbit · 08-19-2003

toms got it, the 4 guage can handle both amplifiers no problem.

he should save his wiring money till he plans on getting something that truly needs the upgrade.

lud is righ ttoo, however, there is no such thing as overkill.....

LiceLocket · 08-20-2003

anyone know if its necessary to use any higher than a 4 gauge? i have a 100x4 amp and i'm installing the wiring to the components this friday.

LudlamTheory · 08-20-2003

i wouldnt bother with anything higher than 4 unless youre over a kilowatt

alex053 · 08-20-2003

i run 0 and 2 guage just cause thats what i have laying around. 4 and 8 are fine for 90% of installs out there.

iLLuMiNaTi · 08-20-2003

Quote:

Originally posted by WhiteRabbit
toms got it, the 4 guage can handle both amplifiers no problem.

he should save his wiring money till he plans on getting something that truly needs the upgrade.

lud is righ ttoo, however, there is no such thing as overkill.....

wait.. does that mean you can power 2 amps through one powerline..? I thought you needed some kind of splitter thing or something..?

LudlamTheory · 08-20-2003

technically you could string amps up from one wire like christmas lights if you wanted...

people use those "splitter" things called distribution blocks strictly for neatness and also to drop gauge. wire can handle a certain amount of power over a certain distance, and amps usually take small wire inputs. my sub amp for example takes a 4 gauge input max, but if i were to run 17 feet of 4 gauge directly to that amp, itd have some trouble with that wire. 1600+ rms over 17 feet of 4 gauge is a bit excessive. you add another 350 watts of a/b for my component set and it gets to be too much for 4 gauge, but my amps dont accept 1/0 gauge.

iLLuMiNaTi · 08-20-2003

How do you know how big of a wire you can use for your amp? also, does anyone have a DIY on how I can use one cable for multiple amps..?

Regularjoe · 08-20-2003

You use one wire to get into the trunk and then a splitter like this one:

http://www.sounddomain.com/sku/ROCCPPD4

The power wire (4-gauge) goes to the splitter which will be in the trunk. Then from the splitter you run power wires to the amps. This splitter can take 4 gauge wire in and runs four 8 guage wires out. So this could power 4 amplifiers.

They come in all sorts of different arrangements.

Personally I bought a 4-way splitter. I power 2 different amps and then my relay off of it. Plus I have one spare still.