Steffro Posted March 29, 2005 Report Share Posted March 29, 2005 Ive got roud to installing my amp an went to a local audio shop to get wiring and all they had were kits (£30+). In a previous thread someone said that you shouldnt buy wiring kits... I have loads of decent speaker wire for home hi fi's, can you use this in a car? If you shouldnt buy kits, where do you get the power cables from? Is £30 the cheapest ill get everything because I wasnt expecting it to be that much. Thanks, Stefan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tigz™ Posted March 29, 2005 Report Share Posted March 29, 2005 Hi mate.Amp wireing kits can be pretty expencive.I think my 0awg power cable cost me £5 for 5 metres.Any electrical factors should be able to sell you some RCA and a 5 metre extention cable for around £5.I used welding cable from HereThis cable should be fine for the amp you have, plus will be enough for most other amps if you deside to fit a second.SW1007 £0.98 25mm² Max 200A ContinuousHeres a AWG to MM² Conversion Table20AWG = 0.75mm²18AWG = 1mm² 16AWG = 1.5mm² 14AWG = 2.5mm² 12AWG = 4mm² 10AWG = 6mm² 8AWG = 10mm² 6AWG = 15mm² 4AWG = 25mm² 2AWG = 35mm² 0AWG = 50mm² 2/0AWG = 70mm² 3/0AWG = 95mm² 4/0AWG = 120mm²All you would need to find is 2 x 4awg fuse holders with the relivent fuses for your amp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steffro Posted March 29, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 29, 2005 Ok, thanks for that very quick reply, couple of questions...Is electrical factors a chain of shop? Is there alot about?Will the speaker wire I have for home `hi-fi` be ok then? It looks pretty much the same as the car stuff.Stefan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LincolnLupo Posted March 29, 2005 Report Share Posted March 29, 2005 there should be no problem using decent quality speaker cable in the car.Remember to use the thickest you can afford / get (don't use the nasty thin stuff with about 6 strands!)I've never heard of electrical factors to be honest, tigz should know though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tigz™ Posted March 29, 2005 Report Share Posted March 29, 2005 Electrical factors are a type of shop.Like a maplin, but I use the smaller shops as you can get a lot better price.Hifi speaker cable should be fine, as the dude from Lincon says, make sure its not too thin.20awg should be fine for your speakers though, I use 12awg for my components, and 10awg for the sub, but that is a little over kill, I just think its best planning for the future, saves replacing it if you ever deside to upgrade the system at a later date. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Posted March 29, 2005 Report Share Posted March 29, 2005 I take it the amp made it there then stefan, always a relief. Let us know how you get on with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steffro Posted March 29, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 29, 2005 Can you use anything for the remote turn on cable? I have loads of bits of wire hanging about, nothing thick enough for power but some of it should be ok for remote turn on cable.I doubt ill be upgrading so I think ill use 8awg power wire as that is what it says in the manual as a minimum. But i belive you lot that once you start with this ice business you can't stop and always go bigger, the same thing happened when i started with a £150 bass guitar rig, and now have £1000 worth of kit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Posted March 29, 2005 Report Share Posted March 29, 2005 Thats exactly right mate...until your foolish enough to buy a car that you cant fit any in. 8 guage cable will be fine for that amp although 4 would be better. If you havent bought the cable already then i'd be tempted to get the 4 guage welding cable- very little price difference.As for rem power, any cable is fine TBH. It has to carry very little current, just the same thickness as comes out the back of the head unit is all you need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steffro Posted March 30, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2005 Tigz, Can you buy online for that welding cable? I had a look at the website and i cant find anywhere to buy it, do you have to ring up? It is cheaper than any car audio stuff so looks good. Cheers, Stef Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tigz™ Posted March 30, 2005 Report Share Posted March 30, 2005 Best to give them a call.I forget the girls name who answers the phone, but explain what your wanting it for and she'll sort you out.Its so much cheaper, and other than the way it looks theres no real diffrence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steffro Posted April 1, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 1, 2005 I am about to get some of that cable and I thought I would get the 16mm2 stuff as it will handle all the current I will ever need and will be a bit thinner so it is easier to run down the car and through the firewall...will this cable be ok to use with 25mm2 fuse holders and lugs etc or will it be too thin to work? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tigz™ Posted April 1, 2005 Report Share Posted April 1, 2005 yes, that should be alright mate, the lugs will want solder and and crimping, so any excess space shouldn't be too much of an issue.The fuse holders are smaller than the insulated cable, so once you strip down the insulation should fit nicely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steffro Posted April 1, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 1, 2005 Ok thanks for all these answers and sorry for all the questions but there is a few more to come... style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":(" border="0" alt="sad.gif" />It says in the manual use around 90A fuse (it is 80A on the amp) but that means I will have to connect 3X30A fuses in parallel, is it ok to use an 80amp fuse? so then I only need a single fuse holder and it will save money. Also... Do you need one of those terminal clamp things to connect the +ive wire to the battery or is there an easier way?Just the routing of the cables through the car questions to come now :? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tigz™ Posted April 1, 2005 Report Share Posted April 1, 2005 If its an 80amp fuse in the amp then you want a 80amp on the cable.cant understand why the manual is saying to use a 90amp :shock:You wont need the terminal, if you just use a lug, then connect it to one of the bolts that go through the possitive strips under the plastic cover on you battery.Ive lent my mate my camera, but I'll take some pics at the weekend for you, to show what I meen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steffro Posted April 3, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2005 Ok im gonna start running the wires from the head unit to the boot. Any advice on where do to this? I dont really know where to start :? Do you need to remove seats and how do you pull up carpet etc? If any one has pictures of where there cables are run that would be great. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steffro Posted April 5, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 5, 2005 Ive got all the wires to the back of the head unit and now they are just sat in the footwell and I have no music as the speakers are dissconeted (ready to go with the amp)... so dont mean to nag but could someone tell me where the best place to pull up the carpet is in the footwell please and the best route to take to the boot? I want to get it finished tommorow and dont want to destroy the capet in the process. Thanks in advancePS. Tigz, Im not sure which battery bolt you mean? Is it under the plastic cover or the ones next to the plastic cover that connect the strips that go into the plastic cover to the battery (that is hard to understand i know :? ) I can see a bolt next to the +ve terminal that looks like it is ok? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tigz™ Posted April 5, 2005 Report Share Posted April 5, 2005 Heres the pic.Notice the thick black wire towards the right of the pic.Thats my power cable, you can hook it up there.Notice the non VW 20amp fuse in the holder :wink: from my Alpines V12 Power fuse blowing amp :shock: If you look at the plastics across the doors and around the rear seat area, you can take out the touque screws, and lift the carpet enough to slide the cables through under the plastics so you dont kick them like I do :wink Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tigz™ Posted April 5, 2005 Report Share Posted April 5, 2005 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steffro Posted April 5, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 5, 2005 Thanks very much for the quick reply and the picture. Will get it finished tomorrow and ill let you know how it goes. Thanks for all the help style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />StefanP.S. - That welding cable is great, was only £6.50 for 5 meters (16mm2) with next day postage. That would have got me about 2 meters of 8awg in halfords, lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tigz™ Posted April 5, 2005 Report Share Posted April 5, 2005 style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin.gif" /> glad your pleased with it.I love that cable shop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nfbr Posted April 6, 2005 Report Share Posted April 6, 2005 QUOTE(Stef_blu_lupo)P.S. - That welding cable is great, was only £6.50 for 5 meters (16mm2) with next day postage. That would have got me about 2 meters of 8awg in halfords, lol.Not really since we dont sell 8awg and we dont sell by the meter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steffro Posted April 6, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 6, 2005 Ok sorry style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":(" border="0" alt="sad.gif" /> . I was just making a comparison to the "usual" car audio priced stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nfbr Posted April 6, 2005 Report Share Posted April 6, 2005 ah style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink.gif" />halfords you've have to buy 5meter 4awg power lead with fuse holder and 1meter 4awg earth lead for £29.99 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steffro Posted April 6, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 6, 2005 Any tips on getting the power cable through the firewall. I sliced the grommet, put about half a meter of the cable through and searched for about 15mins round the back of the footwell and pulled several bits of material away and still cant find it. Then it started to piss down so i had to abandon it, any tips for when i go back? Or is it a case of just sticking your hand everywhere you can.Cheers Stef Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nfbr Posted April 6, 2005 Report Share Posted April 6, 2005 If you stick your hand up on the passenger side of the center console, rite at the back and up a bit you should be able to feel it, If not the cable could well have bent and gone between the two firewall skins like mine did... i lost 5 meters of 2awg between the two skins lol.If you think its gone between the skins, pull it out and start again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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