😎 Enjoy this video? Here are some other related videos to this topic: 👉How to plan a full electrical system: ruclips.net/video/NixHUNo0YII/видео.html 👉Car Audio Electrical System Basics: ruclips.net/video/XSsOPu6gHmQ/видео.html 👉Installing a two amplifier system: ruclips.net/video/tkN460BMB5M/видео.html
So having a fuse popping issue but I think I fixed it. Lose connection. I have a kicker 1200.1 going to a Kicker L7Q class 12inch. What gauge wire should I use for it?
Man I need your help I got a problem and can’t figure it out I been hooking up amps and subs and head units since I’ve been 15 years old and now im 42 but I am stumped on this one lol ok here’s me problem I have a 2010 accord coupe with aftermarket android head unit that runs off my factory head unit tried to hook up amp and subwoofers RCA because factory unit doesn’t have them no I got a converter box everything work and turns on but have noise when driving and big thump when I turn off car
Great to hear you talk about Ohms law - it's the basis of every electrical system on the planet. My electronics instructor was retired USAF and he did a great job teaching me. It's good to see someone paying it forward Mark!
I used knukonceptz 0 gauge cca kit to wire up my 1200 watt rms amp to run 4 kenwood excelon 10's . After watching videos from CAF I was convinced I made the wrong decision. Then I watched the video about checking voltage drop. I have 0.03 voltage drop between battery and amp. 14.48 at battery and 14.45 at amplifier. Now I am convinced that as long as you over size the cca it is all good 😎
The problem with CCA isn't voltage drop it's longevity. The more heat cycles CCA goes through the harder it gets. Hard = Brittle. At some point CCA wire WILL crumble, usually at hard bends first. At those places the wire will get hot enough to potentially start a fire. This is no joke. I've seen it first hand. CCA is fine for jumper cable but it is absolutely dangerous for daily use, high current, car audio power supply wire. Use 100% copper welding cable. Yes, it's more expensive but the US made stuff is super flexible, can be had in some cool colors, it can be had incarcerated sizes and when protected from oxidation it will last longer you. Before you sell that car get that copper cable out and use it in your vehicle. I sincerely hope you act on my advice and get that CCA wire out of your vehicle because it WILL fail. The only unknown is when. All the best
You saved me money again Mark. I’m using a JL Audio HD 1200 and an Alpine PDX f4 drawing 150 amps total. I have approximately an 8’ run of 4 gauge OFC power wire running into a distribution block splitting to less than 2’ of 4 gauge to the JL and about 2’ of 8 gauge OFC to the Alpine. According to your chart, I’m good to go. I’m in the process of revamping my system, and I’ve been watching many of your videos. You are a great teacher with an impeccable work ethic. Keep up the great work!
Loved the vid! Really good information for building a car audio system. Thanks! Been putting in audio systems in my cars since the late 80’s. Would love to see a video about adapters for steering wheel controls for aftermarket head-units. That's a challenge I didn't have back in the day.
i just did one in a 2012 corolla. it was quite a challenge lol. I used an Axxess ASWC-1 module and my deck is a kenwood x304 and I had to make a few phone calls. Worth the hassle though
Would have loved to see you go over picking wire when your amperage exceeds 300. Knuconcepts offers 4/0, when would you want to switch over to that size. I know the amount of people pushing an excess of 300 amps is low but there are some and the information on picking wire size at this level simply isn't there.
I'm glad this was a a little more balanced. People want me to spend more on wire than my system. Gold is superior but we don't use for economical reasons. I'm happy using aluminum for a single 10". I'll just watch for corrosion at the terminals and maybe use some dielectric grease.
First off. Your videos have made me into a better car audio guy. I have learned more from your videos and discussion than reading the text books about car audio I have, thanks. I do have a question about choosing the right OFC Copper wire. I wanted to know, in your opinion, how many strands of wire should a 4 gauge wire have and what is the highest amount that is on the market by brand if such exists? I am presuming that more strands equal more flow regardless if it is pure copper already. I ask because I saw two versions once and wasn't sure if it matter. Your example in this video pretty much applies to my amplifier at 2 ohms running 800 watts RMS. Thanks!
Awsome video really helps out alot. Each day im learning more and more about car audio. Im new on doing car audio for about a year now so is alwats nice to look at videos from someone who knows what their doing, keep posting more amazing videos. And Keep up the good work, Ive learn alot from you. Thanks again, From avilescaraudio!
the way i choose my power wire (which i know now is incorrect) is by looking at the terminal size of the amplifier. then i buy the wire that fits that terminal or hole correctly. thanks for the vid💪
This math is helpful to know because if you need to size a length for two amps you can determine what size you should use, and break it down for each amp as well based on the actual length of the wire.
PANTYEATR1 aside from legitimately finding the appropriate size like he explains, this is the next best way. Some amp manufactures do undersize their inputs though. I have had a 2000 watt rms (dyno confirmed) with 4 gauge inputs
Already 1:25 into the vid and am astonished ( Home Loudspeaker designer here ) that you are covering this in such epic, fantastic detail... for car audio amplifiers..!?!?!! = Mind Blown. Lol :) Dude. u officially rock.
As you know me!!! Glad to see you teaching peps ohms law. Makes you and all Pro installers jobs easier!! As I say make car audio installers better. That cause some pros need help too!!!☝❤🚘🔊
So me and some friends installed a sub in my car. 2 years later the power cable to the sub melts right by the battery, right behind the fuse....im hoping to just get a bigger gauge, from 8 to 4, with the same kinda fuse, and it will be okay. great video!
OFC is tinned. Yes because it is coated all the way through as opposed to the copper turning exactly green or rust corrosion that has that dirty brown nasty copper color. Great video 👍
Question! Im new to car audio and this is my DYI for my wife 2008 MDX. Installing BOSS mono 1200W and BOSS 4 channel 1100w 1. Running 0g power wire to distribution 1in-2out, NOW can I down size from 0g to 4g or 8g after distribution? 2. Do I REALLY need distribution block for grounding two amps? OR can both amps have they OWN ground Thank you for your videos! I have a electrical background working for a manufacturing company working on automation robots, but this audio stuff is so different lolol PLEASE more educational videos!!
10 dislikes!? Why in the world would anyone dislike this informative video!? My best guess would be because this awesome video provides info (facts) ultimately informing the ten 'Negative Nancies' they wired their system incorrectly. ;-) LIKE if you agree.. COMMENT if you think of another reason why someone would feel the need to dislike this video.. or DISLIKE if you're one of the following: Negative Nancy; Debbie Downer, Pessimistic Pam, Sour Sarah, Miserable Michelle, Tantrum Tonya, Livid Lisa, Dislike Denise, Thumbs Down Thaddea, etc =)
Props for the clarification of the look of the wire at the end. Many will have jumped to conclusion... are you just trying to drive heated comments from people that don't watch till the end.😉
Just one thing Mark, you need sleeves on the ends so when they’re crimped, it will hold and not pull out or at least as easily. As you know, a stray strand is all that is necessary to smoke a fuse or an amp. Nobody wants that. I think you covered this on an earlier video! Just reminding!
I was converted after purchasing my first 0 gauge earphones. You can really feel the extra bass in your ears with thicker wire. The only logical next step was 0 gauge everywhere in my car
You guys sound like some true audiophiles obviously i missed the joke. But before I go and possibly fuck up my electrical system again I'm a car audio Newbie.. Ok so my wiring kit lists - 4 gauge power cable 4 gauge ground cable. 16 gauge speaker cable. Would you recommend keeping this kit to use it with a Pioneer GM-5500T amplifier ? ? It says 820w on the actual amp and On the website specs it says RMS power rating 400.. so would it be tolerable to use it since it already is hooked up to my battery or would I have to switch to 0 or 8 gauge wiring to not have any electrical complications..?
Thanks for the detailed info. Actually in market there are lot products with OFC marking , but when u perform the acid test or Burn test, then u will find that its fake aluminum cable with OFC marking.
@@michaeltempsch5282 so you're basically looking at the melting point? The idea being that copper has a higher melting point than aluminum? I remember a chemistry lab where I was taught to use a Bunsen burner and observe the color of the flame in order to figure out what kind of material I was working with. but that was a long time ago and I really didn't know what the heck was going on.
@@DIYAudioGuy Yes, copper melts at about 1080C and a candle being about that temperature as well, but the copper will disperse the heat for a while and not melt. Alumin[i]um melts at about 660C. The copper coating (I think that's the cause) seems to lead to more crumpling style action than melt to a blob...
You should talk about what happens when you switch the fuses in your device(s) because I know someone has done this to add more power and messed up a amp or something.
How does “GPT” or “Primary” Wire compare to the cca or ofc wire mentioned in this video? Can GPT/Primary wire be used for power and ground connections on a car amplifier?
Hi, Mark. Thanks a lot for this video. It enlightened my mind in regards to my installation. I have a few questions though. What wattage should I consider in the calculation? The total wattage the amp manufacturer specifies or the total wattage it'll be driving according to my speakers? Example: I have an Infinity Reference 4555a, which according to the manufacturer is a class D amp, with an output of 760W RMS @ 2 Ohms. I'll be using Infinity Kappa 90CSX front, 60CSX rear (which are rated at 2.5 Ohms each pair and considering the length of the speaker cable, which I'm running from the back of the car to the rear or my stock unit plus the stock cabling back to the speakers, should be close to 4 Ohms back again) and a 4 Ohms Sub. The amp says it's 45W x 4 + 320W x 1 @ 4 Ohms. Is this the value I should consider? Also, I am not going to use the amp at full power. This is for a family car which I'd say 95% of the time will be used at around 30% of the volume max. Does this mean I can safely go lower on the power cable and fuse (I already have a 10AWG good quality cable from Rockford Fosgate from a previous install)? Oh, and my amp is located in the 3rd row of my SUV, around 6 feet from the battery, which is located near the right taillight, due to my car being a hybrid. Trying to save money and use the same amp, speakers and cables from the previous car if possible.
Would you PLEASE demonstrate how to use a iPad as the stereo WITHOUT HEAD UNIT!!! I’ve looked everywhere and have been unsuccessful with finding a video! It would be so great if u could.. otherwise great content thanks for all the tips and trips
Love your videos, thanks! In this example you use 800 watts in the equation. If you were wiring at 4 ohms would you use 500 watts or do you always use the largest rms output possible for the amp?
Hey PROS (Mark): QUESTION: My new number is 136 amps at 13'-16' which shows I need 2 gauge wire HOWEVER, since it's on the border of saying 4 gauge, do you think by me using 4 gauge OFC (Oxygen Free Copper) rather than 2 gauge CCA, that it would be okay to stick with my 4 gauge setup? (I don't think the following is relevant but just in case the details matter; I'm upgrading my 1,000 RMS system to become a 1,500 RMS system by adding another 500 RMS and second sub: Kicker L7 12" = 750 RMS ea. )(I have the "Big Three" upgrade if that matters) Thanks in advance for your serious input!
Hi! I have a problem. I helped my dad to install the audio system on my car. It worked for 2 days. Then,last night,I was going to use my car, but nothing worked. No power at all. My dad used 8 gauge cable for a Taramp 800 watts class D, which he had to put together with a thinner cable to put it into the amp. He used wire connectos to put together that and other cables... we put a 30amp fuse. Also,the ground cable didn't convince me. Why was my battery drained after everything worked well for 2 days?
Lol You deleted the guys post about you covering this topic in the past. I like the video. This is youtube you cant please em all. You know this by now sir 👍
As of now I have an 8 gauge wired from my battery going to an inline fuse going to my Rockford fostgate 1200w amp and going to my two 12’’ Rockford fostgate subs and I’ve never had any issues. Installed 4 JL door speakers with 2 tweeters. I know what to run the speakers to a separate amp.. so now I want to run a wire from my battery to a fuse, then to a distribution block than to the amps, so can you please help me on the wire size I’d need to run from my battery, and the wire size is run from my distribution block to my amps? Also what fuse/fuse size to get. Great video thank you.
Hey thank you for all of your help I have a question. I have installed the skar evl 12 (1250 rms) sub and enclosure they sell on Amazon with a Taramps smart 3 bass amp. My question is will the amp go into protect with me running 4 gauge wire? Is 4 gauge ok since I am only setting gain for square root of 1250 which is 35.6 volts? Or do I need to have 0 gauge wire since the amp is a 3000 watt amp?
I’m looking to buy some cable for my system set up. The part I’m confused on is when going to the chart and determining the total wire length. I’ve always kept my ground wire as short as possible but my newest amp says for high powered amps it is best to run ground from amp to battery. In the video You said length is from batter to amp and amp to ground. So if I run a power cable from battery to amp and a ground from battery to amp, both wires are 18 ft long am I looking at a 36 ft run?
You don't know how easy you make it for us guys to learn what you know. KnuKnocepts, btw, is a very good line of wire. Anyway, I don't see a video on how to set gains using a sine sweep with the deck at full power (bass boost, loudness, eq, volume adjustment, and so on)....you should make one.
My vehicle has 1/0 OFC wire pre installed. I have a 1500 watt monoblock amp. Can I downsize my wire to fit in my amp with reducers, or should I replace my wire with 4 gauge? Thanks.
So in your example, you’re using the two ohm rating for the RMS wattage, what if we are using all four ohm speakers then do we use that rating or do we always use the two ohm rating on an app for wire size?
Ok mark let me run this by you.. I currently have 2 runs of 1/0 cca in my car along with a 350amp alternator. Now I'm only pulling about 250a on sub stage and something like 120a on mids and highs. I can currently get cca on a good deal from a friend that owns a shop so I was thinking about just adding 2 more runs of cca instead of spending double just to add ofc and wanted to get your thoughts on if I'd be fine with the 4 runs of 1/0 cca abt 15-17ft each. Also I'm adding a agm battery and a Isolator in the next few weeks Edit: the cca wire is metra brand
I just purchased xscorpion 0 gauge ofc. This is a 100% stranded flat copper wire. Can you tell me what type of connecter end or what type of part I use for my amp terminations? I have a wolfram c 2400.1 amp that has tge scrdw down type termination that will take 0 gauge, but again mine is Flat wire. Thank you
Do you have an explanation somewhere of both using a second battery and also pros and cons of wiring the amp ground directly to the battery. For instance in a BMW where the main battery is already in the trunk.
I have a problem.. so when I put my remote wire and positive wire in the right place where they are supposed to go it doesn’t work but if I put my remote wire in the positive place and the positive in the remote wire place it works perfectly fine is this safe or no?
I'm using zapco 5ch amplifier on my car so i'm using cca power and ground cables. my amp getting too hot and getting turned to protect mode while hearing loud.should i change cca power cable to ofc cable for this issue? And do ofc make any difference in sound quality"mark?
Hi. How to explain to a friend of mine the importance of car audio wire when he claims that is pointless because the cable from the battery to the alternator is thinner than the wire you use for your amp. ?
Hello and goodevening from Greece I need your advices and suggestions. I have in my own a new SUZUKI JIMNY SIERRA,a sort 4x4 car and i want to upgrade the factory music with an aftermarket. I have allready for the doors the '' audison prima APK165 2Ω component system '' for the doors, and i need a suggestion for a subwoofer. i'm thinking of using the ACM4300 AUDIO CONTROL for all speaker set, and my question is that because of the ~14ft distance between the battery and the amp installation place under driver's seat, is the 10 gauge power wire enough or a 8gauge is better? Any suggestions about the sub? 70'S, 80'S, 90'S all kind of music old school as you see, and of course i will use a deadening material for the doors. Thanks for your help. Forgot to say that the sub will be install under the passenger seat beause thereis nowhere any other free space
Soooo, I have a 4-channel Amp that's 400 rms (100 rms x 4). Will there be an issue running 10 AWG OFC speaker wire (amp to speakers) or should I keep the 16 AWG in there?
I have a old-school 5ch alpine v12 class T amp. 80 amp fuse on amp. 2 4s 2 6.5. 1x12. All alpine all 4 ohms. Is it ok to run 8 awh wirees??? Power wire. Is a bit under 5 meters. I put an 80 amp fuse in the 8awg power wire.
Will my factory amp move Kicker components front and rear? Doing upgrade. Corolla with 6-3/4 components front and 6x9 rear. Already upgrade radio to Kenwood. Love your videos and I am a Patreon supporter
So I purchased speakers, a small sub, amp, and amp kit from Crutchfield, installed myself (quite the pain), and it's working and sounding great, especially the sub. I might want to add a 2nd amp to power the other new speakers. Based on the amp kit specs and my own math using your formula, I should be able to add a 2nd 200 watt amp. Thing is, the amp kit is 8 gauge, and everywhere I look people recommend 4 gauge for 2x amps. Is the amp kit spec and this math trustworthy? Thanks.
Hi Mark. Can I change the wire gouge from amplifier to passive crossover AND crossover to component? My amp's manual says that I have to use 12awg from amp, but i have 16 from crossover. I need to now if change that wire or leave it as already is
Mark, what size speaker wire would you use for the Focal KX2 component set? I have a small 2011 Jetta and want to run new wire to the doors and tweets. Sending 125w of power per speaker
So I have class ab amp 2 channel 5000watt rms 2ohm stable with 80amp big fuse 2500 X2 , so my question is,what would be the proper wire gauge for that amp ik length is big deal I have 05 scion tc small car maybe 13 to 16 ft Max and I want to use the ofc rated wire,I'm ready to buy kit off the knukonceptz web but want to be sure I buy the proper kit any help would be appreciated much thanks
😎 Enjoy this video? Here are some other related videos to this topic:
👉How to plan a full electrical system: ruclips.net/video/NixHUNo0YII/видео.html
👉Car Audio Electrical System Basics: ruclips.net/video/XSsOPu6gHmQ/видео.html
👉Installing a two amplifier system: ruclips.net/video/tkN460BMB5M/видео.html
So having a fuse popping issue but I think I fixed it. Lose connection. I have a kicker 1200.1 going to a Kicker L7Q class 12inch. What gauge wire should I use for it?
Can you leave a link to where we could buy a wire kit with that OFC cable
Man I need your help I got a problem and can’t figure it out I been hooking up amps and subs and head units since I’ve been 15 years old and now im 42 but I am stumped on this one lol ok here’s me problem I have a 2010 accord coupe with aftermarket android head unit that runs off my factory head unit tried to hook up amp and subwoofers RCA because factory unit doesn’t have them no I got a converter box everything work and turns on but have noise when driving and big thump when I turn off car
Mark if I use a 8 ga instead of the 4ga will it cause the amp to go into protection mode? Thanks
I never realized how insanely something mundane like audio wires could be so expensive but also so very vital 😭
Look at sky high car audio. They’re very reasonably priced
I thought same shit lol
36$ is not a lot u trippin
Great to hear you talk about Ohms law - it's the basis of every electrical system on the planet. My electronics instructor was retired USAF and he did a great job teaching me. It's good to see someone paying it forward Mark!
I used knukonceptz 0 gauge cca kit to wire up my 1200 watt rms amp to run 4 kenwood excelon 10's .
After watching videos from CAF I was convinced I made the wrong decision.
Then I watched the video about checking voltage drop.
I have 0.03 voltage drop between battery and amp. 14.48 at battery and 14.45 at amplifier. Now I am convinced that as long as you over size the cca it is all good 😎
The problem with CCA isn't voltage drop it's longevity. The more heat cycles CCA goes through the harder it gets. Hard = Brittle. At some point CCA wire WILL crumble, usually at hard bends first. At those places the wire will get hot enough to potentially start a fire. This is no joke. I've seen it first hand. CCA is fine for jumper cable but it is absolutely dangerous for daily use, high current, car audio power supply wire.
Use 100% copper welding cable. Yes, it's more expensive but the US made stuff is super flexible, can be had in some cool colors, it can be had incarcerated sizes and when protected from oxidation it will last longer you. Before you sell that car get that copper cable out and use it in your vehicle.
I sincerely hope you act on my advice and get that CCA wire out of your vehicle because it WILL fail. The only unknown is when.
All the best
You saved me money again Mark. I’m using a JL Audio HD 1200 and an Alpine PDX f4 drawing 150 amps total. I have approximately an 8’ run of 4 gauge OFC power wire running into a distribution block splitting to less than 2’ of 4 gauge to the JL and about 2’ of 8 gauge OFC to the Alpine. According to your chart, I’m good to go. I’m in the process of revamping my system, and I’ve been watching many of your videos. You are a great teacher with an impeccable work ethic. Keep up the great work!
That chart is exactly what I've been looking for, thanks so much
Loved the vid! Really good information for building a car audio system. Thanks!
Been putting in audio systems in my cars since the late 80’s. Would love to see a video about adapters for steering wheel controls for aftermarket head-units.
That's a challenge I didn't have back in the day.
Steve Meade did one in a Yukon
i just did one in a 2012 corolla. it was quite a challenge lol. I used an Axxess ASWC-1 module and my deck is a kenwood x304 and I had to make a few phone calls. Worth the hassle though
Would have loved to see you go over picking wire when your amperage exceeds 300. Knuconcepts offers 4/0, when would you want to switch over to that size. I know the amount of people pushing an excess of 300 amps is low but there are some and the information on picking wire size at this level simply isn't there.
Awesome info. Just bought my amp kit with knuKonceptz.
I'm glad this was a a little more balanced. People want me to spend more on wire than my system. Gold is superior but we don't use for economical reasons. I'm happy using aluminum for a single 10". I'll just watch for corrosion at the terminals and maybe use some dielectric grease.
First off. Your videos have made me into a better car audio guy. I have learned more from your videos and discussion than reading the text books about car audio I have, thanks. I do have a question about choosing the right OFC Copper wire. I wanted to know, in your opinion, how many strands of wire should a 4 gauge wire have and what is the highest amount that is on the market by brand if such exists? I am presuming that more strands equal more flow regardless if it is pure copper already. I ask because I saw two versions once and wasn't sure if it matter. Your example in this video pretty much applies to my amplifier at 2 ohms running 800 watts RMS. Thanks!
Excellent Video!! by far the best explanation on this subject i have watched!
Dude! I really like your video's and how you talk to your viewers.
Just about to start wiring in a couple of amps, a DSP etc. this is really helpful - thank you!!!
what i have learned at school is that p = u x i. p stands for watts, u stands for volts and i stands for power. It’s the same thing in this case 😊👍🏻
Awsome video really helps out alot. Each day im learning more and more about car audio. Im new on doing car audio for about a year now so is alwats nice to look at videos from someone who knows what their doing, keep posting more amazing videos. And Keep up the good work, Ive learn alot from you. Thanks again, From avilescaraudio!
the way i choose my power wire (which i know now is incorrect) is by looking at the terminal size of the amplifier. then i buy the wire that fits that terminal or hole correctly. thanks for the vid💪
This math is helpful to know because if you need to size a length for two amps you can determine what size you should use, and break it down for each amp as well based on the actual length of the wire.
@@CarAudioFabrication true, thanks Mark💪
PANTYEATR1 aside from legitimately finding the appropriate size like he explains, this is the next best way. Some amp manufactures do undersize their inputs though. I have had a 2000 watt rms (dyno confirmed) with 4 gauge inputs
@@garretlast6923 thanks for the input...another question, should any considerations be made if a 1 farah capacitor is in the system?
solid info mark, thanks for sharing.
Already 1:25 into the vid and am astonished ( Home Loudspeaker designer here ) that you are covering this in such epic, fantastic detail... for car audio amplifiers..!?!?!! = Mind Blown. Lol :) Dude. u officially rock.
As you know me!!! Glad to see you teaching peps ohms law. Makes you and all Pro installers jobs easier!! As I say make car audio installers better. That cause some pros need help too!!!☝❤🚘🔊
That video actualy helped me a lot. Thanks man!
So me and some friends installed a sub in my car. 2 years later the power cable to the sub melts right by the battery, right behind the fuse....im hoping to just get a bigger gauge, from 8 to 4, with the same kinda fuse, and it will be okay. great video!
Hi! Just bought a Ford Fiesta 2019 and I would love to see a system build on this car!
With a small vehicle like a Fiesta if you put enough bass you can crank it up and push your car down the road should it run out of gas :)
You can’t. It’s science. Subs won’t play in a go kart
OFC is tinned. Yes because it is coated all the way through as opposed to the copper turning exactly green or rust corrosion that has that dirty brown nasty copper color. Great video 👍
Question! Im new to car audio and this is my DYI for my wife 2008 MDX. Installing BOSS mono 1200W and BOSS 4 channel 1100w
1. Running 0g power wire to distribution 1in-2out, NOW can I down size from 0g to 4g or 8g after distribution?
2. Do I REALLY need distribution block for grounding two amps? OR can both amps have they OWN ground
Thank you for your videos! I have a electrical background working for a manufacturing company working on automation robots, but this audio stuff is so different lolol PLEASE more educational videos!!
Thanks Mark as always great video and very detailed information I reference your videos all the time still new to car audio but learning a lot
awesome video Mark! learned something new yet again..
I got all my OFC Wire from Sky High Car Audio and Ferrules (Install Bay) from Crutchfield.
Very informative. Thanks.
Thanks for tuning in!
10 dislikes!? Why in the world would anyone dislike this informative video!? My best guess would be because this awesome video provides info (facts) ultimately informing the ten 'Negative Nancies' they wired their system incorrectly. ;-)
LIKE if you agree..
COMMENT if you think of another reason why someone would feel the need to dislike this video..
or DISLIKE if you're one of the following: Negative Nancy; Debbie Downer, Pessimistic Pam, Sour Sarah, Miserable Michelle, Tantrum Tonya, Livid Lisa, Dislike Denise, Thumbs Down Thaddea, etc =)
Such well laid out concepts, thank you!
Thank u so much for all of your hard work!
Tinned with a "material", aka....TIN!
Great vids, appreciate all of the info!
Upgrading to ofc now, thanks for tip. Much appreciated.
Props for the clarification of the look of the wire at the end. Many will have jumped to conclusion... are you just trying to drive heated comments from people that don't watch till the end.😉
I'm terrible with math....so glad they have the amperage marked on the fuse. My amp is 25A X 2 = 50 amps
I cut some power line cable from my neighbors yard and it works great 😃👍
Just one thing Mark, you need sleeves on the ends so when they’re crimped, it will hold and not pull out or at least as easily. As you know, a stray strand is all that is necessary to smoke a fuse or an amp. Nobody wants that. I think you covered this on an earlier video! Just reminding!
The information I was looking for. Tinned ofc will be what I need for my polaris slingshot.
You should always use 0 gauge wire for speaker wire, power, ground, remote, and even special order 0 gauge RCAs. This is only minimum
Haha, dont forget 0 gauge bass knob wire too, 0 gauge for each conductor... lol
I was converted after purchasing my first 0 gauge earphones. You can really feel the extra bass in your ears with thicker wire. The only logical next step was 0 gauge everywhere in my car
1000 MCM or bust!
You guys sound like some true audiophiles obviously i missed the joke. But before I go and possibly fuck up my electrical system again I'm a car audio Newbie..
Ok so my wiring kit lists -
4 gauge power cable
4 gauge ground cable.
16 gauge speaker cable.
Would you recommend keeping this kit to use it with a Pioneer GM-5500T amplifier ? ?
It says 820w on the actual amp and On the website specs it says RMS power rating 400.. so would it be tolerable to use it since it already is hooked up to my battery or would I have to switch to 0 or 8 gauge wiring to not have any electrical complications..?
💀
Just the video I needed Mark. Setting up my new system. I need to grab a headhunt too. I'll be re watching a lot of your videos 👍
Amazing information!!! Thank you!!!
Great video. Mark's ability to clearly explain stuff is past 11 and all the way up to Bad Ass!
Thanks for the detailed info.
Actually in market there are lot products with OFC marking , but when u perform the acid test or Burn test, then u will find that its fake aluminum cable with OFC marking.
Tell me more about this test.
@@DIYAudioGuy separate out asingle strand and put a flame to it. alumin[i]um will typically crumple, copper will retain it's shape.
@@michaeltempsch5282 so you're basically looking at the melting point? The idea being that copper has a higher melting point than aluminum? I remember a chemistry lab where I was taught to use a Bunsen burner and observe the color of the flame in order to figure out what kind of material I was working with. but that was a long time ago and I really didn't know what the heck was going on.
@@DIYAudioGuy Yes, copper melts at about 1080C and a candle being about that temperature as well, but the copper will disperse the heat for a while and not melt. Alumin[i]um melts at about 660C. The copper coating (I think that's the cause) seems to lead to more crumpling style action than melt to a blob...
@@michaeltempsch5282 I love learning new things, Thank you.
Awesome content and learned something new. Question. Do you build sub boxes?
You should talk about what happens when you switch the fuses in your device(s) because I know someone has done this to add more power and messed up a amp or something.
I love knu wire !
:)
How does “GPT” or “Primary” Wire compare to the cca or ofc wire mentioned in this video? Can GPT/Primary wire be used for power and ground connections on a car amplifier?
Im not native speaker but holly sh.. your explanation was more than clear💥
Okay question? you said the voltage was 13.8 where did you get that number from? Is it in the manual or is it from some other means.
Do you have a video about distribution blocks?
Hi, Mark. Thanks a lot for this video. It enlightened my mind in regards to my installation. I have a few questions though. What wattage should I consider in the calculation? The total wattage the amp manufacturer specifies or the total wattage it'll be driving according to my speakers? Example: I have an Infinity Reference 4555a, which according to the manufacturer is a class D amp, with an output of 760W RMS @ 2 Ohms. I'll be using Infinity Kappa 90CSX front, 60CSX rear (which are rated at 2.5 Ohms each pair and considering the length of the speaker cable, which I'm running from the back of the car to the rear or my stock unit plus the stock cabling back to the speakers, should be close to 4 Ohms back again) and a 4 Ohms Sub. The amp says it's 45W x 4 + 320W x 1 @ 4 Ohms. Is this the value I should consider? Also, I am not going to use the amp at full power. This is for a family car which I'd say 95% of the time will be used at around 30% of the volume max. Does this mean I can safely go lower on the power cable and fuse (I already have a 10AWG good quality cable from Rockford Fosgate from a previous install)? Oh, and my amp is located in the 3rd row of my SUV, around 6 feet from the battery, which is located near the right taillight, due to my car being a hybrid. Trying to save money and use the same amp, speakers and cables from the previous car if possible.
Would you PLEASE demonstrate how to use a iPad as the stereo WITHOUT HEAD UNIT!!! I’ve looked everywhere and have been unsuccessful with finding a video! It would be so great if u could.. otherwise great content thanks for all the tips and trips
Love your videos, thanks!
In this example you use 800 watts in the equation. If you were wiring at 4 ohms would you use 500 watts or do you always use the largest rms output possible for the amp?
Also wondering about this.. what did you find out?
Hey PROS (Mark): QUESTION: My new number is 136 amps at 13'-16' which shows I need 2 gauge wire HOWEVER, since it's on the border of saying 4 gauge, do you think by me using 4 gauge OFC (Oxygen Free Copper) rather than 2 gauge CCA, that it would be okay to stick with my 4 gauge setup? (I don't think the following is relevant but just in case the details matter; I'm upgrading my 1,000 RMS system to become a 1,500 RMS system by adding another 500 RMS and second sub: Kicker L7 12" = 750 RMS ea. )(I have the "Big Three" upgrade if that matters) Thanks in advance for your serious input!
Have 0ga ran to the trunk of my car because I only wanted to run it once, and it’s already ready for whatever power I want to throw at it later.
Hi! I have a problem. I helped my dad to install the audio system on my car. It worked for 2 days. Then,last night,I was going to use my car, but nothing worked. No power at all. My dad used 8 gauge cable for a Taramp 800 watts class D, which he had to put together with a thinner cable to put it into the amp. He used wire connectos to put together that and other cables... we put a 30amp fuse. Also,the ground cable didn't convince me. Why was my battery drained after everything worked well for 2 days?
What about the gauge of the wires to the speakers with regard to wattage ?
Lol You deleted the guys post about you covering this topic in the past. I like the video. This is youtube you cant please em all. You know this by now sir 👍
Beautiful technically ellobrated.👍
Ofc is not cheap I looked it up but those wires are for used on 3000 watts of 0 Guage and higher watts
As of now I have an 8 gauge wired from my battery going to an inline fuse going to my Rockford fostgate 1200w amp and going to my two 12’’ Rockford fostgate subs and I’ve never had any issues. Installed 4 JL door speakers with 2 tweeters. I know what to run the speakers to a separate amp.. so now I want to run a wire from my battery to a fuse, then to a distribution block than to the amps, so can you please help me on the wire size I’d need to run from my battery, and the wire size is run from my distribution block to my amps? Also what fuse/fuse size to get. Great video thank you.
Hey thank you for all of your help I have a question. I have installed the skar evl 12 (1250 rms) sub and enclosure they sell on Amazon with a Taramps smart 3 bass amp. My question is will the amp go into protect with me running 4 gauge wire? Is 4 gauge ok since I am only setting gain for square root of 1250 which is 35.6 volts? Or do I need to have 0 gauge wire since the amp is a 3000 watt amp?
I’m looking to buy some cable for my system set up. The part I’m confused on is when going to the chart and determining the total wire length. I’ve always kept my ground wire as short as possible but my newest amp says for high powered amps it is best to run ground from amp to battery. In the video You said length is from batter to amp and amp to ground. So if I run a power cable from battery to amp and a ground from battery to amp, both wires are 18 ft long am I looking at a 36 ft run?
Assuming that your CCA is 15% copper, it has 55% more international resistance than OFC. There is also a 10% copper CCA, which is even worse.
great video Thanks!!!
You made the calculations on using the Amp on 2 ohm/800 w. If you had chosen to run it on 4ohm/500w you would have calculated on 500 rms or 800?
You don't know how easy you make it for us guys to learn what you know. KnuKnocepts, btw, is a very good line of wire. Anyway, I don't see a video on how to set gains using a sine sweep with the deck at full power (bass boost, loudness, eq, volume adjustment, and so on)....you should make one.
25Hz to Life no no no no no.... because nobody does that. It’s stupid and very wrong
My vehicle has 1/0 OFC wire pre installed. I have a 1500 watt monoblock amp. Can I downsize my wire to fit in my amp with reducers, or should I replace my wire with 4 gauge? Thanks.
Can you please make video about how to choose amp on 2 sub or 1 sub.
So in your example, you’re using the two ohm rating for the RMS wattage, what if we are using all four ohm speakers then do we use that rating or do we always use the two ohm rating on an app for wire size?
I have a Rockford Fosgate P300-10 sub and bought a 4 guage CCA with a 80amp fuse. Did go to big?
Ok mark let me run this by you..
I currently have 2 runs of 1/0 cca in my car along with a 350amp alternator. Now I'm only pulling about 250a on sub stage and something like 120a on mids and highs. I can currently get cca on a good deal from a friend that owns a shop so I was thinking about just adding 2 more runs of cca instead of spending double just to add ofc and wanted to get your thoughts on if I'd be fine with the 4 runs of 1/0 cca abt 15-17ft each. Also I'm adding a agm battery and a Isolator in the next few weeks
Edit: the cca wire is metra brand
Thank You Sir
Thanks great info mark
I just purchased xscorpion 0 gauge ofc. This is a 100% stranded flat copper wire. Can you tell me what type of connecter end or what type of part I use for my amp terminations? I have a wolfram c 2400.1 amp that has tge scrdw down type termination that will take 0 gauge, but again mine is Flat wire. Thank you
hi man thankyou so much for videos..if i have 2 amplifer take me 70 A each that mean i have to put a battery of total 140A??thanks
How do you feel about high quality 4 AWG OFC using a 8-9ft run into a capacitor to run a 3,000 watt amplifier?
Have you done a video over corroded cables? Can u still work with them?
What about systems with 450 amps and higher? What wire do I use? Is 0 gauge still good for a 15ft run? Or should I go up to 2/0?
Do you have an explanation somewhere of both using a second battery and also pros and cons of wiring the amp ground directly to the battery. For instance in a BMW where the main battery is already in the trunk.
Love your content. But one question though. If the copper is really oxygen free, there is no way it will oxidize and get green. Would I be wrong?
What about home amplifiers. Which to use. You have explain car audio. Pls explain about home amplifiers
I have a problem.. so when I put my remote wire and positive wire in the right place where they are supposed to go it doesn’t work but if I put my remote wire in the positive place and the positive in the remote wire place it works perfectly fine is this safe or no?
I'm using zapco 5ch amplifier on my car so i'm using cca power and ground cables. my amp getting too hot and getting turned to protect mode while hearing loud.should i change cca power cable to ofc cable for this issue? And do ofc make any difference in sound quality"mark?
I'm bout to run a sub with 750 rms and a am around the same is 4 gauge wire good?
Hi. How to explain to a friend of mine the importance of car audio wire when he claims that is pointless because the cable from the battery to the alternator is thinner than the wire you use for your amp. ?
All I have to say is my two 1,000 watt clarion's going to an 18-in TREO sounded amazing powered by a 12ft long 12 gauge wire. Just sayin!
Hello and goodevening from Greece
I need your advices and suggestions.
I have in my own a new SUZUKI JIMNY SIERRA,a sort 4x4 car and i want to upgrade the factory music with an aftermarket. I have allready for the doors the '' audison prima APK165 2Ω component system '' for the doors, and i need a suggestion for a subwoofer. i'm thinking of using the ACM4300 AUDIO CONTROL for all speaker set, and my question is that because of the ~14ft distance between the battery and the amp installation place under driver's seat, is the 10 gauge power wire enough or a 8gauge is better? Any suggestions about the sub? 70'S, 80'S, 90'S all kind of music old school as you see, and of course i will use a deadening material for the doors. Thanks for your help. Forgot to say that the sub will be install under the passenger seat beause thereis nowhere any other free space
Soooo, I have a 4-channel Amp that's 400 rms (100 rms x 4). Will there be an issue running 10 AWG OFC speaker wire (amp to speakers) or should I keep the 16 AWG in there?
I have a old-school 5ch alpine v12 class T amp. 80 amp fuse on amp. 2 4s 2 6.5. 1x12. All alpine all 4 ohms. Is it ok to run 8 awh wirees???
Power wire. Is a bit under 5 meters. I put an 80 amp fuse in the 8awg power wire.
Will my factory amp move Kicker components front and rear? Doing upgrade. Corolla with 6-3/4 components front and 6x9 rear. Already upgrade radio to Kenwood. Love your videos and I am a Patreon supporter
Great tips
Perfect
So I purchased speakers, a small sub, amp, and amp kit from Crutchfield, installed myself (quite the pain), and it's working and sounding great, especially the sub. I might want to add a 2nd amp to power the other new speakers. Based on the amp kit specs and my own math using your formula, I should be able to add a 2nd 200 watt amp. Thing is, the amp kit is 8 gauge, and everywhere I look people recommend 4 gauge for 2x amps. Is the amp kit spec and this math trustworthy? Thanks.
Hi Mark. Can I change the wire gouge from amplifier to passive crossover AND crossover to component? My amp's manual says that I have to use 12awg from amp, but i have 16 from crossover. I need to now if change that wire or leave it as already is
Mark, what size speaker wire would you use for the Focal KX2 component set? I have a small 2011 Jetta and want to run new wire to the doors and tweets. Sending 125w of power per speaker
Do you go based off max watts or rms?
So I have class ab amp 2 channel 5000watt rms 2ohm stable with 80amp big fuse 2500 X2 , so my question is,what would be the proper wire gauge for that amp ik length is big deal I have 05 scion tc small car maybe 13 to 16 ft Max and I want to use the ofc rated wire,I'm ready to buy kit off the knukonceptz web but want to be sure I buy the proper kit any help would be appreciated much thanks
How do you find system voltage ? Is that just the voltage of your car battery?