Power Cabling question

[Boring]

Need some suggestions here:

 

I've got 2 amps. 1 4 channel and 1 monoblock

 

Option 1:

2 x 0 gauge power cables connected directly from battery to amps

 

Option 2:

1 x 0 gauge power cable to distribution block and 2 x 4 gauge from distribution block to amps

 

Which one is better?

 

Thanks!

Edited November 4, 2006 by Boring

[Boring]

On 2nd thoughts, I don't think the amps can take 0 gauge? That's means I'm only left with option 2?

 

If a distribution block is used. Short run of 4 gauge to the amps would yield better results right?

[Headshok]

go with option 2,

 

only huge monoblks will take 0 gauge input. no stero amps will have 0 gauge inputs

 

plus ur setup not that demanding, no need to run 2 runs of 0 gauge..

 

plus 0 gauge aint gonna be cheap man.. heheh...

 

for fuse blk, look for either the mass engineering one(the one i have) or u can get the soundstream power plant. tat one is o gauge in and 0 gauge out. more flexible.

 

i have some spare soundstream powerplants avaliable, PM me if u interested...

 

cheers!

Edited November 4, 2006 by Headshok

[Hyun]

unless u're planning some future big-current upgrades, just go with what u realistically will use.

 

of course u might want to leave some leeway for modest upgrades, but probably not that kind of headshokking setup that can blow 250A fuses, right?

 

u won't wanna blow 250A fuses too often either. that's expensive too.

 

so 1) what is amp max current requirement

2) the amp might have an onboard fuse too. that gives u a clue. u can just follow it.

3) cater for more for future upgrades. find out what some good amps u're beo'ing requires.

4) get the appropriate size cable for each amp. 4 gauge actually is a lot of current. 120A thereabouts, if u're not shokking your head.

5) add the 2 amps together, see the final current. if exceed 120A then technically need bigger cable. unless u bohchap and just use smaller cable with appropriate smaller fuse, and just dun blow the fuse.

 

the current/fuse also depends on cable length.

www.bcae.com or was it bcae1.com that one has some guidelines.

[Yanuk]

there are lugs that fit different wire guages to different screw sizes.

[Headshok]

boss,

 

bigger the better, so if u one time wanna wack, get 0 gauge can liao.

 

here's some points lah

 

1) 0 gauge cable lugs are expensive.. the audiobahn one i manage to find are like $25 a pair(thats considered cheap). i have hunted up and down for gold plated cheaper lugs, but hard to find.

 

SO, get ready to invest in a pair(actually 2 pairs, will explain later) of cable 0 gauge cable lugs(one for power, one for batt-ve to chasis. OR invest in a pair battery terminal(which will cost more but look nicer).

 

2) currently in the market, i highly recommend the mass engineering (also known as critical mass) fuse blk. good stuff. or u can just get the SoundStream Power plant from me. heheh.. why i like it is this: the fuse block itself has a -ve and +ve(both 0 gauge). SO, one side power goes in, the other side 0 gauge ground cable goes to chasis. this fuse blk has 5 outlets. good thing is, all 4 gauge/8 gauge. so you have the options to get more amps in future. down side to this fuse blk is that it uses mini ANL fuses which aint very cheap also.. heheh

 

as u know, from the fuse blk, the -ve goes to the chasis rite. thus u will need a 0 gauge lug to mount onto the any part of the chasis screw.

 

for SQ purpose, 4 gauge into ur amps is more than enough liao

 

which 0 gauge u intend to get?

 

cheers!

[Boring]

Wah! Didn't know power cabling so complicated.

 

1) 2 pairs of 0 gauge lugs? I thought lugs only need to connect to the battery and chasis end? Or also need for connecting to amps?

 

2) Soundstream power plant not cheap leh... PM me the price? BTW, is DIY possible? I don't have a clue which 0 gauge to get.

 

Amps are now connected with 8 gauge.

[Headshok]

okok.

 

need to see picture of the power input for ur amp.

 

its its those kind where thereis a screw thru it, and u need to put a fork shape thing at the end of ur cable, then tat one u can easily get the 4 gauge fork and adapt ur amp to 4 gauge input

 

if urs is the one hole for the 8 gauge to go inside, either u trim off the 4 gauge to 8 gauge size or u get the adaptor (which is harder to find).

 

0 gauge, tell me what u've found so far and i'll give u my comments lah.

 

aniway, as for the lugs, u need the 2nd pair cos u need to ground the battery to the chasis, so, 2nd pair is one at batt -ve, one at chasis of the batt. now here's the bitch, the easily avaliable 0 gauge lug is the audiobahn one. that one the head VERY THICK. can use a batt, but chasis is a bitch.. so take note.

 

maybe i swaa koo or wat, but i still cannot find the dam gold plated cheapo type of 0 gauge cable lug here in sg.. search whole of SLT also cannot find.. anyone here can help?

[Boring]

Got your PM. My installer is charging me 30% less for 2 x 0 guage directly to amp than to the power block. Is that a good price? My amps are under the front passenger seats...

[Headshok]

huh.. zun boh..

 

wat 0 gauge is he usin? 0 gauge not cheap leh.

 

aniway, how is he gonna get the 0 gauge INTO the amp power terminal? only way i can think is to get the 0-4 gauge 'convertor'.

 

last i heard, some installers charging average btw $15-20 per m for 0 gauge cable, so for 2 runs, really cheaper ah?

 

this is very weird leh.

 

lets see.

 

 

2 runs will require 2 0 gauge fuses which will average about $60 each(the price for this fuses holders is crazy).

 

whereas for a single run with a fuse dist blk, u save on the xtra 0 gauge and the extra fuse holder, but put more money into the fuse dist blk which allows u to add on more amps in future should u go 3 way active

 

hmmm...

 

aniway, for SQ, just run 1 run of 0 gauge from batt to fuse blk is the norm lah.. i mean, why would ur amp for the front (assuming is 4x75 watt) require such a big cable for yeah?

 

ultimately, its up to u lah.. heheh..

 

cheers

Edited November 5, 2006 by Headshok

[Boring]

I was also surprise when he told me about the price. But I guess that's maybe I bought all my stuff from them. They're doing a very good job so far.

 

I did asked how they're going to connect the 0 gauge directly. He only mention there's a way and it's been done. He even commented it's cheaper this way than with the distribution block IF I'm connecting 2 amps. Currently the 4 x 80 is connected with 2 8 gauge running parallel.

[Headshok]

ask him how he intends to get the 0 gauge into the amp.

 

its either he shaves off the cable or use the adaptor (which will cost money).

 

personally, a dedicated 0 gauge to a 4x80 watt amp is totally unnecessary. i feel that he's prob usin he generic brand of 0 gauge (should come in a bright red casing), thus the cheaper cost.

 

aniway, i tink i've said all that i noe, ultimately its up to u lah.

 

if u go with 2 zero gauges to the 2 diff amps, do tell us how he stuffs the 0 gauge into the amp power input. also, unless he uses a mini ANL fuse holder for the 0 gauge cable to ur 4 channel amp, its gonna be hard to find fuses of the correct rating as ANL fuses that are below 100A are hard to find and they don make 0 gauge fuses for AGU fuses. they only one in the middle is the miniANL.

 

but ur installer is one of the upper class ones here, so i'm confident he knows wat he's doin.

 

cheers

Edited November 5, 2006 by Headshok

[Georgecheng]

Anyone happened to know where I can get those 2 gauge cables? And roughly the price? 0 gauge cable is way too thick and difficult for me to go those those firewall. Thanks

[Boring]

Any suggestions where to get a good (not like prices of RAMM hor?) 0 gauge? Installer just ran out of 0 gauge. Plus, I guess they're using generic 0 gauge.

 

I know about the difference in using better RCA and speaker cables.

 

How will using better power cables help?

[Headshok]

0 gauge ah.

 

can try SLS lor.. but that one not cheap.

 

power cable difference, for ur kind of usage, generic one can liao..

[Headshok]

wat car u driving? 2 gauge is pretty rare in singapore, most of the time its 4 or 0 gauge.

[Hyun]

home audio users also do "better power cables".

 

but i really dont understand how it helps. or how it helps car audio.

speaker cables got explanation one. but this is power cable leh. ..

[Kwongwing]

Basically if one is using better power cables, the theory is that the power is "cleaner", therefore the sound quality would also improve.

I tried it before with A/B test for home set-up, unbelievable but with better power cables the soundstaging seemed more open and the clarifty was better - dun ask me why