Posts Tagged way
How to Pick the Right Fuse Rating For Your Car Amps
Posted on November 15, 2011 | Amplifiers.
Understanding what the fuse does for your car amps and stereo equipment is critical. A simple fuse protects your stereo from being over powered and possibly burned out, or even worse catching fire. It is very dangerous to install a stereo without the properly rated fuse, because this will protect against shorts or other problems that can occur when driving your car. Some people blow fuses and just think oh I need a higher rated fuse or that a higher rated fuse will help their system perform better. This is not the case. Having a 120 amp or a 20 amp fuse will not make your stereo play any louder.
So how do you pick the right size fuse for your car audio system? First off you need to make sure you put the fuses in the right spot. I typically recommend having the fuse within 12″ of the battery. What this does is help the fuse blow faster. If there is a short the fuse will blow right away protecting the wire from melting and hopefully stopping power before reaching the amps. Now if we have a fuse in the trunk of the car it will take longer for the fuse to blow so the wire could get really hot and the current might reach your expensive stereo equipment.
Now as I mentioned before you also need to have the right rated fuse to protect your car amps. Finding out what size fuse you need is pretty simple. For a single amp install you simply add up the fuse rating on your amp. Be careful that the original rated fuses were not replaced with the wrong ones as this is pretty common. So say my amp has a single 25A fuse. I would then want to have a 25A fuse up by the battery as well. Sometime you have to round up so I might use a 30A fuse, but you definitely wouldn’t want to put in a 100A fuse. This is because a 120A fuse will allow 120 amperes before it blows. Your amp only needs 25 amperes so I would be allowing a lot of dangerous amount of current to get to the amp before the fuse blew. You could have a short the fried your amp and the fuse would still not have blown.
Now when you are installing multiple car amps in you system the process is somewhat the same. You have the main fuse within 12″ of the battery. The rating of this fuse will be determined by all the fuse ratings of all the amps you are installing. So let’s say I added another amp to the system above and this amp had 3) 20A fuses. So that would give us a total of 60 amperes for that amp and the 25 amperes for the other amp for a total of 85. I would want my fuse by the battery to be 85, or most likely rounded up to a 90A fuse. Now I also need to fuse each amp as well. For this you would use a distribution block. A distribution block is just what it sounds like; it distributes the main power wire to smaller power wires that go to the individual components.
I want to use a fused distribution block and the fuse rating would be the same as above. I would use a 60A fuse and a 25A fuse, and run the wire from the distribution block to the amp itself. By wiring up your car amps this way you will not allow more current than your amp can handle. It is also important to make sure your system is properly grounded when using multiple components. I usually will use a ground distribution block. These are not fused but other than that they are the same as a power distribution block. It is also a good idea to make sure you have the right size wire for the amount of power your system is producing.
Amplifier Wiring Kit – Getting Great Stereo Sound in Your Car
Posted on October 26, 2011 | Amplifiers, Car Stereo.
You simply need an amplifier, an amplifier wiring kit and speakers to turn a regular car into a vehicle with super powerful and clear sound. You will certainly get maximum pleasure from the music experience when driving especially long distances. Before you get to enjoy great music, however, you need to make some important choice and get some essential work done.
The amplifier wiring kit has to have a sufficient number of cables with the right length for connecting the amplifier to the receiver, the speakers and the batter of the car. Some kits contain cables of the same width and of different lengths that you can use proprietorially. However, it is a better idea to get a specific cable for each of the connections that you have to make. That way, you will have reliable wiring.
The kit has to include all additional hardware as well as the cables. In this way, you will not have to run to the store every time you need an element that fits. Look for a kit that comes with butt connectors, ring terminals, grommets and spades. These are necessary for the wiring and must match the cables that you have.
It is always a good idea to have some extra cable in the amplifier wiring kit in case you have not made the correct measurements and in case you need to fix a mistake that you have made. In general, the longer a cable is the better. After all, butt connectors are useful for connecting wires and will do a good job, but you cannot use them extensively to create a reliable system.
Should you use the amplifier wiring kit by yourself or hire a professional to get the wiring job done? It may be a better idea to hire a professional to get the job done, if you are not particularly skilled. The cost of using professional services is usually not small, but you will be certain that your car’s audio system will work properly and safely.
If you have experience in working with electronics and in wiring, in particular, you should not hesitate to use the kit by yourself. You should be able to find instructions how to connect the amplifier to the other units of the car audio system. Just remember that apart from the amplifier wiring kit you need to get the right tools for the job as well. Follow the instructions strictly and you will do well.