tqlla3k

iTrader: (1)

I am redoing the Stereo in my 3000GT.... then taking the amp from my 3000 and putting it in my IS350.

My friend picked up a power cable for me at Circuit City, but its gigantic(a 20Ft 4 gauge). So my plan is to put that in my 3000GT and take the 8gauge and my Infinity Kappa 102a Amp from my 3000 and put it in the IS.

So here are the parts that I have for the 3000GT
16FT 4-Gauge Power cable
4FT 4-Gauge Ground cable
60AMP Fuse
1 Farad Capacitor
Alpine MRP F350 Mono Amp for the subwoofer
Alpine MRP F240 4 channel Amp

Currently I was planning on running the
4-Gauge Power with 60AMP fuse to the Capacitor
4-Gauge Ground from the capacitor to the chassis
8-Gauge Power from Capacitor to F350 Amp
8-Gauge Power from Capacitor to F240 Amp
8-Gauge Ground from F350 to chassis
8-Gauge Ground from F240 to chassis

Is there any reason that this wouldnt be recommended? Should I not run 2 amps off of 1 capacitor? Should I add fuses anywhere?

Big Mack

iTrader: (1)

Don't use the capacitor as a distribution block. Buy a block that will take the 4 ga input and split it off through fuses to your amps. Install the capacitor between the block and the amp (after the fuse). Long bass notes are going to be your biggest draw, and this will focus the energy of the cap on it.

Ideally your ground in the trunk should be as short as possible. Use a piece of 4 ga to upgrade the factory ground and the rest in the trunk.

Big Mack

Mr Jokster

iTrader: (8)

How big are your amps that you're only using 8awg wire to them? If you have such a draw that you need a cap, then 8 is probably too small. Also, anybody who KNOWS car audio would greatly discourage using a capacitor, they do more harm than good. Any good amp should NOT need an extra power source 'to run them' but to give it more power to go louder and even then a cap isnt recommended. I would say get a bigger batter for under the hood or a second battery. When I say bigger, I dont mean bigger in size, but one with more amperage.

Why does a cap do more harm you say? Pretty easy, what does a cap do other than store power? A cap is designed to INSTANTLY store power, where is it getting it power from? The cars battery. Now what is the difference between a battery and a cap? Both store power, but as said earlier, the cap can instantly charge while the battery takes time to fill its cells. So heres what happens. Bass hits> sucks juice from cap> cap sucks juice from battery> battery is recharged by alternator. Now after so many hits, (I dont remember how many, but doesnt take much) the cap dries the battery up and both the car and stereo system runs off the alternator. Now the alternator is wide open and can poop out. Now how does a bigger battery not do the same thing? Well, with more amperage the system can run longer before draining the battery dry which allows the battery to be charged at a higher efficiency...


I think I said that right.. once again, I'm not suppose to be on line. Sorry for the unasked for 411

Mr Jokster

iTrader: (8)

Oh yea, as for ground. The bigger the better. ask any audio guru, they'll tell you that [to a certain extent] you can use any size power, just make sure the ground is the same size or BIGGER! If you find your amps over heating or getting warm, its because your wiring is too small (thats why I asked about the 8 awg) They amps heat up because its starving for power and is trying to pull it from such small wire, its being stressed. Heat comes from the strained battery, passes through the wire and transfers to the amp. ok im done.

tqlla3k

iTrader: (1)

My new amps are
200w RMSx1@ 4Ohms
40w RMSx4 @ 4Ohms

My old amp was 300w Bridged RMS @ 4Ohms. The reason that I have a capacitor is that my 3000GT Has an underdrive pulley which underdrives the alternator, and would like to protect my aftermarket HIDS from power issues.

I guess I can get rid of the Capacitor in favor of a distribution block, and see how it works out. I ordered a distro block on ebay.... they supposidly mail the same day and are in NY, where I am in VA. Hopefully it arrives before the weekend

Big Mack

iTrader: (1)

I was already familiar with the amps, or I would have said to upgrade the power cables to the amps. And caps do not do more harm than good - read on...

You say that. I say read on...

Deliver power instantly.

No, it does take it a few seconds to charge back up after it has been discharged, but it's not instantaneous.

Again, no. The battery is simply storage. Both the battery and any subsequent batteries or caps are getting power from the alternator. This is why adding batteries does NOTHING for lights dimming. If there is no power, there is no power. Batteries cannot deliver power nearly as fast as a cap can, but if the alternator is not keeping up with the draw from everything in the car that is operating, even a cap is pointless.

Not quite. The system is drawing from the battery and the alternator is keeping the system charged. It doesn't take many "hits" to discharge a cap - just one can do it if it's long enough in duration and loud enough. Slight bass passages will work off the internals of the amp's power (it has capacitors in it, too), but a larger hit that requires a sudden burst will discharge the cap.

Absolutely 100% false. If the alternator is not keeping up with the system draw, you will be running at a negative margin at all times - the battery will never get to recharge unless the system is off. Adding batteries or increasing the amperage on the battery only allows for more engine/alternator off time. The battery does not create power. It is simply a storage device.

To clarify, Tall - I am not saying not to use the cap. If your alternator is keeping up, the cap will do it's job and smooth out any sharp/sudden bursts from the bass hit. Given the smaller size of the amp, it probably does not have much capacitance of it's own, and that's okay.

Use the cap as I described in the first post, and you should get the most out of your system. If the alternator is not able to keep up with 600W (which is only about 30 amps nominal draw most of the time), something is wrong with the charging system altogether.

Big Mack

tqlla3k

iTrader: (1)

Hmmm, here is the new plan.

4-Gauge Power with 100AMP fuse to the Distribution Block, with Dual 60Amp fuses
8-Gauge Power from Distribution Block to F350 Amp
8-Gauge Power from Distribution Block to F240 Amp
8-Gauge Ground from F350 to chassis
8-Gauge Ground from F240 to chassis

Is that good? There is no place for me to put a 4Ga Ground off either of the amps. The connectors are tiny on the amp. Here are my amps. 40Wx4 and 200x1

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_500MRPF...ures_and_specs

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_500MRPM...ures_and_specs

tqlla3k

iTrader: (1)

Okay... so keep the Cap between the Distribution block and the M350?

Here is the plan

4-Gauge Power with 100AMP fuse to the Distribution Block, with Dual 60Amp fuses
8-Gauge Power from Distribution Block to F240 Amp
8-Gauge Power from Distribution Block to the Capacitor
8-Gauge Power from Capacitor to the F350 Amp
8-Gauge Ground from Capacitor to Chassis
8-Gauge Ground from F350 to chassis
8-Gauge Ground from F240 to chassis

Big Mack

iTrader: (1)

Correct.

Here is the plan

This is extreme overkill unless you plan on upgrading amps soon. Assuming a 60% efficiency, the sub amp will draw about 27A at full RMS power. It might blip to 35A on a heavy note, but that's about the extent of it. Fuse for 30A on this, and you'll be fine. The 4 channel will do about 21A, maybe 25A. I would fuse it at 25A and call it good. You're then at 55A, so you could use a 60A fuse under the hood and be covered just fine. You're not exceeding the current capabilities of 8 ga, either, so there is no concern there.

Change this to 8 ga ground from F3450 to cap to ground and you're good. The cap needs to be in the path of the ground, since current flows from negative to positive.

Big Mack

tqlla3k

iTrader: (1)

I know the parts are overkill. They were just pieces that I was able to gather up at Circuit City for semi cheap on the last day. The 100AMP fuse was only $1.50. And the 21ft 4 gauge wire was only $5.

THe distribution block, was expensive. I ordered it from ebay for $22. Hopefully the fuses are included.

About the Amps ground..... Really? I guess that means that I have been messing up. I have had my capacitor for 3 years and always ran the Amps ground to the Chasis.

Big Mack

iTrader: (1)

Fusing at higher than necessary amperage, however, is not a good idea. Why allow the vehicle to burn down to save $4? 100A is a LOT of current, and it will take at least 150A to make the fuse pop. I would strongly suggest buying the proper size. Spend some now, or spend more to replace it. Your call.

$22 is expensive? I used to sell basic ground blocks at my shop for $13 and fused blocks with 1 input and 2 outputs were $35 (Streetwires). Fuses aren't included, either. Figure you'll spend an extra $8 for them, and get the right sizes.

Yes, really. If you have the cap grounded away from the amp it is supposed to be supplying, you're creating a far longer path than necessary - effectively eliminating any good it would do for you. Run the ground from the chassis to the cap to the amp.

Big Mack

tqlla3k

iTrader: (1)

Well, expensive compared to the parts I was picking up at Circuit City's closing.

Yeah, the 100AMP Fuse with holder is overkill. I also picked up a 4Ga inline fuse holder, but it didnt include the fuse, which is why I was going to use the 100AMP.

I will try to find smaller fuses tonight so that I can get this stuff installed this weekend. So you think a 60AMP and two 30AMPs(at the dist block) would be good?

Big Mack

iTrader: (1)

Fair enough. I've come across quite a few deals at places that were closing.

Yes, that should be fine. Good luck, and post pics!

Big Mack

tqlla3k

iTrader: (1)

It has been done.
4Ga with 60AMP to Distributor cap with Dual 30AMP fuses.

8Ga Power from Distribution cap leads to 4 Channel Amp
8Ga Ground from 4 Channel Amp to Chassis ground

8Ga Power from Distribution cap Leads to Capacitor
8Ga Ground from Capacitor to Chassis Ground
8Ga Power from Capacitor to Subwoofer Amp
8Ga Ground from Sub Amp to Capacitor Grount

Not really that great looking

tqlla3k

iTrader: (1)

While I have your attention....

Would it be a problem if I mounted my amplifier very very close to my Subwoofer's magnet?

I have a Kicker TC10, and an Infinity Kappa 102A amplifier that I am planning on mounting in my IS350. I had planned on mounting the AMP to the back of the Sub box.

There would be sufficient ventalation for the AMP... but when I has pulling the Box apart to make sure I dont screw into anything importat.... I noticed that there is a lot of Magnetism at the back of the subwoofer box. So should I give up on my plan to mount the amp to the back of the box?

Would the magnetism affect my amp badly? Notice that the magnetism is strong enough to hold the drillbits