Advice, Tips and Tricks for the DIYers I Amps
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Advice, Tips and Tricks for the DIYers I Amps
I log onto our forum at least twice a day and I have been noticing some very educational threads about everything from choosing oil to swapping motors for our 7th gens. Great work all
. But I want to join that club, too.
I decided to write this in case any of you live in NH or MA and come into my shop with a problem in your wiring, speakers not working or anything at all to help you boys out.
So here is the first installment of a bunch of useful knowledge when you wanna save a few $$$ on labor.
Keep your eyes peeled for future write ups that may help.....Oh and rep me if I helped.
AMPLIFIERS
1. If your amp draws less than 30 amps use 10 ga. power wire, between 30 and 60 amps use 8 ga., 60-120 use 4 ga. and multi amp systems need to have total amperage draw added up. If that is more than 120 amps use 0 ga or bigger depending on how much is being drawn.
Note:
Dont skimp on your power wire gauge. I know its expensive for large gauge wire, but that is one of the biggest reasons amps shut down or dont produce as much power as they should; LOW VOLTAGE.
2. Dont ever run RCAs with power wires it causes alternator whine. You know the buzzing that revs with the motor, which rotates the belt(s) which spins the alternator, thus the name. The alternator is the main source of power for the vehicle while it is running and that explains why the audio signal cables pick-up the rise in voltage on the power wire when the alternator spins. You may have heard that low pass signals (sub out,non fade,etc) wont be effected because the signal is so low. Seriously consider that statement, you may not hear the whine in lower frequencies, but its there, phasing (canceling) out precious low tones from you sub.
3.
NEVER, NEVER , NEVER run you power wire through your fender or outside of the car. Go through the firewall
find a grommet or drill a hole and do not put the wire through when you have razor sharp sheet metal either. Buy a rubber or plastic grommet(comes in most amp kits) and put it in the hole<<< no jokes please 
. By the way always fuse the wire, with the proper amperage rating, 18" from the batery {MECP Test Question}.
4. Scrape the paint when you find a ground to screw down. Make sure it is the same gauge as your power wire because or VOLTAGE DROP(see #1). Also try to make it at least 3' and watch out for the gas tank. 7th gens have a great spot right behind the back seat when it flips down, you'll see it.
5. The remote turn on wire from a headunit can really only turn on two amps any more than that will possibly fry the output
. You will need to wire a realy to boost the output. If you need to do this PM me or wait till i get the ambition to post a bunch of relay wiring.
6. To tune amps, turn all the pods (gains and EQ ****) down or off. highpass (HP) cut frequencied above selected crossover point, lowpass (LP) cuts everything below selected crossover point. Four channels should be set to HP for satellites (interior speakers) and subs will always be at LP unless you are getting into some complex systems with multiple two channels---later
.
Turn the headunit to desired listening volume with all the pods turned down and fade to desired channels to be tuned. Channels 1&2 should be front and 3&4 should be rear. Once faded slowly adjust HP/LP frequencies to desired sensitivity. NOTE Most 6.5" can reproduce 80 Hz easily when amplified, unless they are junk (You Know Who You Are
). Start there and adjust as needed. As you begin to raise the gain if the speakers seem too bassy and start to distort, raise the LP or lower the gain. It takes a long time to get really good at this art, I sometimes train my ear to recognize certain frequencies with this training CD I bought. Pretty lame but it makes a big difference in SQ(sound quality)
Do the same for the sub, but keep in mind your Non fade that will give you a lot of control over the volume of the sub at any listening volume.
Hopefully this hepled some of you. Let me know what you think or if I should stop writing and just be an onlooker.
Later.
. But I want to join that club, too. I decided to write this in case any of you live in NH or MA and come into my shop with a problem in your wiring, speakers not working or anything at all to help you boys out.
So here is the first installment of a bunch of useful knowledge when you wanna save a few $$$ on labor.
Keep your eyes peeled for future write ups that may help.....Oh and rep me if I helped. AMPLIFIERS
1. If your amp draws less than 30 amps use 10 ga. power wire, between 30 and 60 amps use 8 ga., 60-120 use 4 ga. and multi amp systems need to have total amperage draw added up. If that is more than 120 amps use 0 ga or bigger depending on how much is being drawn.
Note:
Dont skimp on your power wire gauge. I know its expensive for large gauge wire, but that is one of the biggest reasons amps shut down or dont produce as much power as they should; LOW VOLTAGE.2. Dont ever run RCAs with power wires it causes alternator whine. You know the buzzing that revs with the motor, which rotates the belt(s) which spins the alternator, thus the name. The alternator is the main source of power for the vehicle while it is running and that explains why the audio signal cables pick-up the rise in voltage on the power wire when the alternator spins. You may have heard that low pass signals (sub out,non fade,etc) wont be effected because the signal is so low. Seriously consider that statement, you may not hear the whine in lower frequencies, but its there, phasing (canceling) out precious low tones from you sub.
3.
NEVER, NEVER , NEVER run you power wire through your fender or outside of the car. Go through the firewallfind a grommet or drill a hole and do not put the wire through when you have razor sharp sheet metal either. Buy a rubber or plastic grommet(comes in most amp kits) and put it in the hole<<< no jokes please . By the way always fuse the wire, with the proper amperage rating, 18" from the batery {MECP Test Question}. 4. Scrape the paint when you find a ground to screw down. Make sure it is the same gauge as your power wire because or VOLTAGE DROP(see #1). Also try to make it at least 3' and watch out for the gas tank. 7th gens have a great spot right behind the back seat when it flips down, you'll see it.
5. The remote turn on wire from a headunit can really only turn on two amps any more than that will possibly fry the output
. You will need to wire a realy to boost the output. If you need to do this PM me or wait till i get the ambition to post a bunch of relay wiring. 6. To tune amps, turn all the pods (gains and EQ ****) down or off. highpass (HP) cut frequencied above selected crossover point, lowpass (LP) cuts everything below selected crossover point. Four channels should be set to HP for satellites (interior speakers) and subs will always be at LP unless you are getting into some complex systems with multiple two channels---later
. Turn the headunit to desired listening volume with all the pods turned down and fade to desired channels to be tuned. Channels 1&2 should be front and 3&4 should be rear. Once faded slowly adjust HP/LP frequencies to desired sensitivity. NOTE
Most 6.5" can reproduce 80 Hz easily when amplified, unless they are junk (You Know Who You Are). Start there and adjust as needed. As you begin to raise the gain if the speakers seem too bassy and start to distort, raise the LP or lower the gain. It takes a long time to get really good at this art, I sometimes train my ear to recognize certain frequencies with this training CD I bought. Pretty lame but it makes a big difference in SQ(sound quality) Do the same for the sub, but keep in mind your Non fade that will give you a lot of control over the volume of the sub at any listening volume.
Hopefully this hepled some of you. Let me know what you think or if I should stop writing and just be an onlooker.
Later.
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