type of board to attach to fiberglass for amps

[talltigeguy]

Great question, glad you posted! Here is why you are still protected. Ok, lets say you have a 200A fuse or breaker at the battery for the main line. Then a non-fused dist-block splitting off with 2 4ga wires to the amps and those lines run about 18"-20". Sound right? The AWG cable size/current cap chart I have at my finger tips, states that 4ga wire is rated to carry up to 190A on a 5' or less length. Without doing the math, that short of run of 4ga will handle the 200A load, so the fuse or breaker will trip in no time. If you anchor fell against the amp wires and cut into them shorting the 4ga power and ground together, it would be a split second load of well over 200A's and would trip that breaker quicker then you can say D'oh

I purchase my Breakers from Waytek, but I typically use the high current surface mount marine rated manual-reset breakers. They are a little more in price, but worth it. The cheaper ones from other sources use 1/4 studs and dont allow for a large gauge battery lug.

An auto-reset will reset if the short goes away. If the short is still present, it will continue to cycle (set, trip, set, trip) and may eventually fail and not reset once the problem is found and fixed. The manual breakers will trip and then need you to reset them. The other thing I like about them is that because the are a manual reset, they work like a disconnect switch is you want to kill power to the amps.

Thanks for telling me that I wasted my money on a fused distribution block.

I am like you, if the circuit breaks, then I don't want it auto resetting until I figure out why she blew in the first place. Makes sense to me.

[talltigeguy]

CHP,

I am looking at doing an install right now. The system is about 2200 Watts total, give or take a few hundred watts.

So if I install a circuit breaker on the main 1/0 power wire, how big would it need to be? By my primitive math: 2200 Watts/12 volts means that my theoretical max amperage is going to be 183 amps...right? While at rest. And then factoring in some inefficiencies into the system, it seems the waytek 150 amp resettable circuit breaker might not be adequate.

I think it might be smarter to use individual circuit breakers, although that will cost me more.

Opinions?

[Timmy!]

Seems like you might need a 200amp.

[chpthril]

CHP,

I am looking at doing an install right now. The system is about 2200 Watts total, give or take a few hundred watts.

So if I install a circuit breaker on the main 1/0 power wire, how big would it need to be? By my primitive math: 2200 Watts/12 volts means that my theoretical max amperage is going to be 183 amps...right? While at rest. And then factoring in some inefficiencies into the system, it seems the waytek 150 amp resettable circuit breaker might not be adequate.

I think it might be smarter to use individual circuit breakers, although that will cost me more.

Opinions?

2200W is that peak (when lightning strikes) or RMS?

Theres a couple ways to calculate potential load, using the watts or add the fuses up on all the amps. This lets you know what size cable to use and size circuit protection to go with. I always like to over cable and them make sure the circuit protection is the weakest link in the system. Odds are, your system would never exceed 3/4 of the potentioal load. If you do decide to break up the amps, I would run all the full-range amps toghether and run the sub by itself as they seem to be the biggest power hogs on most systems.

Are you gonna upgrade those factory 6x9's to some new HLCD 9x9's?

[talltigeguy]

2200W is that peak (when lightning strikes) or RMS?

Theres a couple ways to calculate potential load, using the watts or add the fuses up on all the amps. This lets you know what size cable to use and size circuit protection to go with. I always like to over cable and them make sure the circuit protection is the weakest link in the system. Odds are, your system would never exceed 3/4 of the potentioal load. If you do decide to break up the amps, I would run all the full-range amps toghether and run the sub by itself as they seem to be the biggest power hogs on most systems.

Are you gonna upgrade those factory 6x9's to some new HLCD 9x9's?

That is RMS.

The system is all kicker amps. Forgive me if I get the model numbers slightly off. There is a kicker ZX 750.5, ZX 650.4, and a ZX 350.4. Interestingly, I noticed as I finished some cleanup of the current system, that the 350.4 does not have the green light come on when the system is on, but all speakers have sound. I think either the light is broken, or all 8 interior speakers are ran in parallel off of the 750.5. I will disconnect the speaker wires as my next step to trouble shoot and see if I lose any speakers. There are a few other 'irregularities' in the system that need to be worked out.

The 650.4 will probably be replaced with a SYN6 for a threesome. But 6 X 9's might be tempting.

So actually, I guess that 750 + 650 + 900 is going to be 2300 Watts? Depending on what the amp without the light is doing...
The current speakers are focal 6.5 inch components in the oval Titan cans. They actually sound surprisingly good, and I only have 3 of them going.

[Timmy!]

That 700.5 is probably closer to 850-900 watts. I think mine came with a sheet that said it was over 900 as I recall and all Kicker amps are underrated so keep that in mind when selecting fuses/breakers. The 700.5 has (3) 30 amp fuses (90amps), the 650.4 has (2) 40 amp fuses (80 amps) and the 350.4 has (2) 20 amp fuses (40 amps). 90+80+40= 210 amps max current draw? So you would need at least a 200 amp breaker, probably bigger if you don't want to trip it.

[helmut]

Added a harpoon amp to my boat. Bought 2 big plastic cutting board from walmart. Cut two 3 inch strips the length of the cutting board bought some fiber glass repair glassed them into place where the top and bottom the mounting board would be. Then screwed the mounting board to the strips with 3/4 in screws and glued the carpet back over it. Maybe $30 in the entire project. Worked freaking great. The cutting boards were rectangle and 1/2.

[chpthril]

That is RMS.

The system is all kicker amps. Forgive me if I get the model numbers slightly off. There is a kicker ZX 750.5, ZX 650.4, and a ZX 350.4. Interestingly, I noticed as I finished some cleanup of the current system, that the 350.4 does not have the green light come on when the system is on, but all speakers have sound. I think either the light is broken, or all 8 interior speakers are ran in parallel off of the 750.5. I will disconnect the speaker wires as my next step to trouble shoot and see if I lose any speakers. There are a few other 'irregularities' in the system that need to be worked out.

The 650.4 will probably be replaced with a SYN6 for a threesome. But 6 X 9's might be tempting.

So actually, I guess that 750 + 650 + 900 is going to be 2300 Watts? Depending on what the amp without the light is doing...
The current speakers are focal 6.5 inch components in the oval Titan cans. They actually sound surprisingly good, and I only have 3 of them going.

Those specs are if the amp was driven with all chnls at 2 ohm, so your actual output could be less.

The Pro696RS should be a direct drop in for those pods. The Syn2 is a perfect choice for them and has a smaller footprint and draws less current then the Syn6.

Hoe much of the current system are you redoing? I would wait on the breaker until you decide on the amps and how they will be configured.

[talltigeguy]

Those specs are if the amp was driven with all chnls at 2 ohm, so your actual output could be less.

The Pro696RS should be a direct drop in for those pods. The Syn2 is a perfect choice for them and has a smaller footprint and draws less current then the Syn6.

Hoe much of the current system are you redoing? I would wait on the breaker until you decide on the amps and how they will be configured.

I would plan on a threesome with a Syn 6. If I don't do that this year, I would probably do it next. Everything else sounds terrific. I would keep the 700.5 and 350.4 just like they are to my interior speakers.

So it looks like I might be better off with individual breakers, unless I can find an individual circuit breaker that is more than 150 amps. Any thoughts on that? That would leave me unprotected against any shorts between the breakers and the battery, including the distribution block...

Or I just leave all 3 amp wires going straight to the batteries with individual breakers pretty close to the batteries, and skip the distribution block altogether. I just hate having 5-6 wires all connected to the same positive terminal.

Just thinking out loud...Thanks for listening.


On a side note, the amplifier that does not have a green light that turns on, is the 650.4, and I found it controls the tower speakers, but the green light appears to be dysfunctional. It is actually working.

Another side note: the 'professional' installers put in fuses that were made for 8 gauge wire to all 3 amps, so what they did is whittle down the 4 gauge wire until it fit in the inline fuse holders. Cheap shortcut there, but it basically means that my amps have short segments of 8 gauge wire into and out of the fuses. Geniuses.

[Timmy!]

Stinger and Kicker both make 200amp breakers Tall.
http://compare.ebay.com/like/1206057...=263602_309572

On a side note...I just rewired my whole setup last weekend with 0 gauge and went with a "buss" fuse(looks similar to the ANL fuses) because it was already in the boat and it was easy/cheap to upgrade.

[chpthril]

I would plan on a threesome with a Syn 6. If I don't do that this year, I would probably do it next. Everything else sounds terrific. I would keep the 700.5 and 350.4 just like they are to my interior speakers.

So it looks like I might be better off with individual breakers, unless I can find an individual circuit breaker that is more than 150 amps. Any thoughts on that? That would leave me unprotected against any shorts between the breakers and the battery, including the distribution block...

Or I just leave all 3 amp wires going straight to the batteries with individual breakers pretty close to the batteries, and skip the distribution block altogether. I just hate having 5-6 wires all connected to the same positive terminal.

Just thinking out loud...Thanks for listening.


On a side note, the amplifier that does not have a green light that turns on, is the 650.4, and I found it controls the tower speakers, but the green light appears to be dysfunctional. It is actually working.

Another side note: the 'professional' installers put in fuses that were made for 8 gauge wire to all 3 amps, so what they did is whittle down the 4 gauge wire until it fit in the inline fuse holders. Cheap shortcut there, but it basically means that my amps have short segments of 8 gauge wire into and out of the fuses. Geniuses.

Where are the house batteries located? This would steer me toward a fuse or breaker. If they are in the bilge, go with a breaker, if the batteries are in the mid-ship storage, go with a fuse holder.

[talltigeguy]

Stinger and Kicker both make 200amp breakers Tall.
http://compare.ebay.com/like/1206057...=263602_309572

On a side note...I just rewired my whole setup last weekend with 0 gauge and went with a "buss" fuse(looks similar to the ANL fuses) because it was already in the boat and it was easy/cheap to upgrade.

Thanks for the heads up on that. Looks like a pretty decent alternative.

Where are the house batteries located? This would steer me toward a fuse or breaker. If they are in the bilge, go with a breaker, if the batteries are in the mid-ship storage, go with a fuse holder.

The batteries are in the mid ship storage compartment, so they are about 12 feet from the engine and the wires from the amps will be 3-4 feet max. So they are easy to access...

[chpthril]

Thanks for the heads up on that. Looks like a pretty decent alternative.



The batteries are in the mid ship storage compartment, so they are about 12 feet from the engine and the wires from the amps will be 3-4 feet max. So they are easy to access...

Then I would do a 3-way fused distro block right off the battery and then run your 4ga from there to the amps. Get a ground distro and do the same. No need for a ignition protected marine circuit breaker.