Multi-amp setup Questions

[Reverend_Ezekiel]

Ok, this is my first experience with installing multiple amps in my car and I have a few install questions?

1.) How do you hook up a capacitor to a distribution block? Should I connect the cap to both amps, or just the bass amp?

2.) How many remote wires should I run? I have one that I used with my bass amp, but what about my amp for mids/highs? Do I need to run another remote wire, or can I splice into the existing one?

[Brian Dieckman]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Reverend_Ezekiel:
Ok, this is my first experience with installing multiple amps in my car and I have a few install questions?

1.) How do you hook up a capacitor to a distribution block? Should I connect the cap to both amps, or just the bass amp?<hr></blockquote>

The Capacitor goes between the body ground and the distribution block. The cap will only benefit the bass amp, but hooking up to both will not hurt nor help the situation. (Assuming you're using line-level crossovers, not speaker level)

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>2.) How many remote wires should I run? I have one that I used with my bass amp, but what about my amp for mids/highs? Do I need to run another remote wire, or can I splice into the existing one?<hr></blockquote>

If you want all your amps to turn on at once, then you only need the one wire. Simply splice it into all the equipment, or if you want to be fancy about it, get a distribution block for that too. Some installs that have massive amps can have problems with both amps powering on at once. You can blow fuses if you're not careful. In that case, you can get a delay module that you hook up before one amp so it comes on a second later. You shouldn't have that problem, though!

(the install I saw with this problem had two soundstream tarantulas, and drew over 150 amps at power-on... talk about fuse blowin' potential)

[Reverend_Ezekiel]

Now it's time for another question:

How long should I keep my ground wires? I've heard the "magic" # is about 3 feet long, is that correct? Also, should I keep the same awg for both amps? And I should keep the same ground point right, instead of two different ground points?

edit: anything else that I should keep in mind while installing this stuff?

[ April 24, 2002: Message edited by: Reverend_Ezekiel ]</p>

[MrCoffee]

installing an (1) amp is probabally the hardest thing I've ever done! Doing 2 would be and all dat task. One thing to keep in mind though, DO NOT run speaker wires next to any other wires!! Not ever, Escpecially not ever the power cord for your amp(s). This causes alternator noise- I really high pitched tone whenever you accelerate. It plys over your music and through your speakers. Just be careful! I dont want you to spend all day on this and then get that annoying noise.

[Backfire]

You are better off using a relay to turn on multiple amps than spicing into the turn on lead. These leads are not rated for much power and you can sometimes burn up turn on circuits doing this.

I would run the turn on lead to a relay mounted in the rear. You can ground the relay at the same spot as the amps, and draw power from the distribution block. Then you can hook up as many amps to the relay output as you want without worry.