Stereo install woes

[jleger98]

Ok, if I read this correctly, your fuse block is on the ground for your amps?

The fuse block is one of those that has a single + and a single - in, and then multiple outs for each. This is it here: http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs...allpartial/0/0

Also, you have a powerbar (not sure what you mean by this) for your amps, but not for your head unit?

This is basically the same thing, only it has a single + in and 5 un-fused outs. Basically a piece of metal with some screws on it.

What I was talking about was making sure that the ground was uninterrupted between the the amps and the head unit (and your iPod if it is also powered by your boat). If you don't, you risk noise build up.

This might be an issue. I'll have to dbl check, but I think I have a 8g wire from the neg of the battery, but it goes through the relay ( the relay needs a gound) It might be teed off before the relay though.

Another thing to check is to make sure your ground is beefy enough. I ended up using the 2/0 battery cable for my ground. It's important because of the length you're probably having to run for the ground (mine was 16').

Yesterday, for testing, I simply had the battery sitting right there, so the run was may 4 feet.

[jleger98]

Based on the diag, it looks like the HU ground is "switched" by the relay. If so, I would recommend a "clean" ground right to the battery and use the relay to control the POS.

I made some changes to your drawing, hope that is ok. Thought it would be easier to show than try to explain.

I think I left something out. The relay has a constant (+) as per the diagram that came with it.

As for the (-) its not switched, its a "T" only becasue the relay needs it. Like I said, I'm not good at wiriing diagrams.

Here is an updated drawing. Sorry for the dbl image Matt

[dogbert]

This might be an issue. I'll have to dbl check, but I think I have a 8g wire from the neg of the battery, but it goes through the relay ( the relay needs a gound) It might be teed off before the relay though.


Yesterday, for testing, I simply had the battery sitting right there, so the run was may 4 feet.

How many amps are your amps pulling? 8g seems a little lite. For comparison, I have a Kenwood 7202 150W per channel RMS amp that draws 40amps.

[jleger98]

How many amps are your amps pulling? 8g seems a little lite. For comparison, I have a Kenwood 7202 150W per channel RMS amp that draws 40amps.

OOOOOH, you might be onto something. The relay that I picked up is a 30A relay. I wonder if the amp is not being allowed to pull the amps it needs through the relay?? Possible???

If I have the entire setup running via the Acc switch, do I even need the relay?

On a side note, I have 4g that I will use when I permanantly install this.

[philwsailz]

OOOOOH, you might be onto something. The relay that I picked up is a 30A relay. I wonder if the amp is not being allowed to pull the amps it needs through the relay?? Possible???

If I have the entire setup running via the Acc switch, do I even need the relay?

On a side note, I have 4g that I will use when I permanantly install this.

HOLY COW!!!!!!!

The amps shoudl be wired directly to the battery. 30A is nowhere near enough current!!!! If you want to be cute and use a relay, use it between the remote turn-on lead of the HU amd the amp's remote sensing leads...

I may edit this in a minute; let me study things more closely in your diagram.

[chpthril]

OOOOOH, you might be onto something. The relay that I picked up is a 30A relay. I wonder if the amp is not being allowed to pull the amps it needs through the relay?? Possible???

If I have the entire setup running via the Acc switch, do I even need the relay?

On a side note, I have 4g that I will use when I permanantly install this.

The relay contacts may weld together or burn up and not make good contact if over-loaded.

The relay can handle far more current than the switch, but may be over-loaded as it is wired know.

Why do you have 2 +'s running to the amps, one constant, one switched and what gauge wire?

[dogbert]

If I have the entire setup running via the Acc switch, do I even need the relay?

Two comments:

1. I have the same setup, but my HU has an additional output for turning on the amps, so I don't have to wire the amps to my accessory switch. I'd be worried about the switch being able to handle the amps your amplifiers will draw.

2. So, if you can do the same thing with your Kickers, I'd say no.

On a side note, I have 4gthat I will use when I permanantly install this.

Still a little lite. The guy I bought the amp from told me that I needed to make sure the ground is substantial enough to avoid noise. I'd match the cable you used to power the amps, of course, if you're still running all power from your ACC switch and you haven't upgraded the + from the battery, you have other problems.

Keep in mind that you want as little resistance as possible. Skimping on power/ground wires is silly, especially given the $$ you spent on the components. IMHO.

Just curious, what guage wire are you using in your diagram?

[jleger98]

HOLY COW!!!!!!!

The amps shoudl be wired directly to the battery. 30A is nowhere near enough current!!!! If you want to be cute and use a relay, use it between the remote turn-on lead of the HU amd the amp's remote sensing leads...

I may edit this in a minute; let me study things more closely in your diagram.

heh, no kidding. That may the the problem right there.

[jleger98]

The relay contacts may weld together or burn up and not make good contact if over-loaded.

That would not be cool

The relay can handle far more current than the switch, but may be over-loaded as it is wired know.

Now that you mention in, when I had it set up in the house, the amps were wires direct to the batt.

Why do you have 2 +'s running to the amps, one constant, one switched and what gauge wire?

One is for the main power, and one is a remote power. I guess its kickers way of allowing you to turn the power on. You need to have power to both for the amp to turn on. I believe its 8g. I'd have to look to be sure.

Also, and I'm not sure what this is worth, the bigger of the two amps has dual 40Amp fuses built into it.

[philwsailz]

OKAY...

ZX650.4 pulls 80A and is to be wired with a min. of 4AWG
ZX400.1 pulls 40A and is to be wired with a min. of 4AWG

Two options:
option 1:
Pull TWO positive power wires and TWO ground wires, ALL 4AWG from the amps to the battery. Use a 100A fuse for the 650.4 and a 50A fuse for the 400.1

option 2:
Pull one 2AWG or 0AWG power wire and one ground wire the same size. Fuse the power wire at 150A right next to the battery. Use two distribution blocks, one for the power and one for the ground to split the large primary power and ground wires down to 4AWG.

The routing through the relay is certainly part of the problem, maybe not all, but a large chunk of the problem. Get that thing completely out of the power wiring; it is just a fire waiting to happen... If youi want to use it for the remote lead, that is fine, but it has no business in the primary electrical circuit...

[jleger98]

Two comments:

1. I have the same setup, but my HU has an additional output for turning on the amps, so I don't have to wire the amps to my accessory switch. I'd be worried about the switch being able to handle the amps your amplifiers will draw.

2. So, if you can do the same thing with your Kickers, I'd say no.

I'm not sure if my HU has that or not, I'll have to look. It has a "remote" wire, but I figured that was for a wired remote. Either way, that would have to run to the relay still, right?

Still a little lite. The guy I bought the amp from told me that I needed to make sure the ground is substantial enough to avoid noise. I'd match the cable you used to power the amps, of course, if you're still running all power from your ACC switch and you haven't upgraded the + from the battery, you have other problems.

Keep in mind that you want as little resistance as possible. Skimping on power/ground wires is silly, especially given the $$ you spent on the components. IMHO.

I'll have to revisit this.

Just curious, what guage wire are you using in your diagram?

I believe 8, maybe 10g.

[jleger98]

OKAY...

ZX650.4 pulls 80A and is to be wired with a min. of 4AWG
ZX400.1 pulls 40A and is to be wired with a min. of 4AWG

Two options:
option 1:
Pull TWO positive power wires and TWO ground wires, ALL 4AWG from the amps to the battery. Use a 100A fuse for the 650.4 and a 50A fuse for the 400.1

option 2:
Pull one 2AWG or 0AWG power wire and one ground wire the same size. Fuse the power wire at 150A right next to the battery. Use two distribution blocks, one for the power and one for the ground to split the large primary power and ground wires down to 4AWG.

HOLY CRAP!! I didn't think there was that much power running to them things. I guess I need to revisit the wiring section at Lowe's eh? Is the dist block even neccessary then? Could the same be acheived with a connecting post? (assuming an inline fuse)

The routing through the relay is certainly part of the problem, maybe not all, but a large chunk of the problem. Get that thing completely out of the power wiring; it is just a fire waiting to happen... If youi want to use it for the remote lead, that is fine, but it has no business in the primary electrical circuit...

That thing is gone.

All this certainly could explain the issue.

[Razzman]

Let me throw this into the mix if i may and whether or not it helps i haven't a clue but i'm wired 4g off of the battery to the dist block and 8g to the amps. The two channel Orion has one 30amp fuse and the four channel Orion has dual 30amp fuses. The system sounds awesome without power issues or noise at all, running or not.

[philwsailz]

The remote wire on the stereo should be blue, or blue with a white stripe. Some radios (SONY) have a remote turn on lead AND a power antenna lead. In the old days these were interchangeable, but with SONY, occasionally I get to hear of stereos working fine with the radio on, but when a CD is inserted, the amplifier(s) shut off.

Get to your owner's manual, and determine which wire is the remote turn on lead; really, you should have one and it is probably blue.

That is the wire which should be connected to the tiny lug between the power and ground connections on the amplifiers.

I am going to try to post a pic from the 650.4 owner's manual:

[dogbert]

Just for the record, I used a premium Rockford Fosgate wiring kit. The power/ground was 2/0. The ground was only like 1' long, so I had to get a 2/0 battery cable made.

Better safe than sorry with electricity.