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Featured Replies

Posted

Hey People....I will soon be the proud owner of the SAZ 1500D!! I am wanting to get your advice on how to properly power the amp. I currently have a car with the stock 105 amp alternator. I've done the BIG 3 with 4 gauge wire. I also have 4 gauge running to my trunk.....It then goes into a capicator and then to a distro block where I have it going to a 2 channel 300 Watt Denon amp and also what will now be the SAZ 1500D.....I'm pretty sure that I will be starving the amp for power....SO...My question is mainly budget related. How can I give the SAZ enough power the cheapest way??? Can I run another 8 guage power wire and just use it for my 2 channel and leave the 4 gauge just for the SAZ...I'd really hate to pull out the 4 gauge and re-run a 1/0 gauge if I don't have to.....I'll be running it at 1 ohm so it'll be pulling a lotta amps.....Thanks for all your help!!

o gauge, a new batt.. drop the cap. and look into a bigger alt... 105 is lame in the game... and at idol its near 60 amps or less..... what kinda car

  • Author
o gauge, a new batt.. drop the cap. and look into a bigger alt... 105 is lame in the game... and at idol its near 60 amps or less..... what kinda car

My car is a Buick LeSabre...

So....You're telling me I need 0 gauge a new battery AND alternator....I'm not trying to enter any SPL comps so I don't necessarily care if the amp gets every single amp it'll need. I just don't want to starve it so much where it will get really hot and have pre-mature failure.....What you've suggested seems overkill IMO...I said I want/need to do this as cheaply as possible....My wife barely agreed to letting me get the amp....She sure isn't going to approve what you just said.....

lol that is one of the main reasons i divorced my wife. not telling you to but its your hobby and if the bills are paid why can't you enjoy something every now n then.

  • Author
lol that is one of the main reasons i divorced my wife. not telling you to but its your hobby and if the bills are paid why can't you enjoy something every now n then.

Ha ha!! Now....I'm not complaining, my wife lets me get stuff once in a while...I just have to give her the budget so she can know what I'll be spending....

You can get away with upgrading your wiring to 1/0awg (both the main line and the Big 3). Then if you have the cash I would HIGHLY recommend at the very least getting a better/larger battery under your hood.

After that, you'll need a new alternator if you decide to go bigger.

  • Author
You can get away with upgrading your wiring to 1/0awg (both the main line and the Big 3). Then if you have the cash I would HIGHLY recommend at the very least getting a better/larger battery under your hood.

After that, you'll need a new alternator if you decide to go bigger.

How about if I ran another 4 gauge and kept the existing wire in order to save money?? Or would it be hard to find a distro block that I could connect them both too?

It wouldn't be hard, but you still wouldn't have the throughput that a single 1/0awg line will have.

You can get away with upgrading your wiring to 1/0awg (both the main line and the Big 3). Then if you have the cash I would HIGHLY recommend at the very least getting a better/larger battery under your hood.

After that, you'll need a new alternator if you decide to go bigger.

How about if I ran another 4 gauge and kept the existing wire in order to save money?? Or would it be hard to find a distro block that I could connect them both too?

is running two 3ga wires like running one 2ga then? i have a bit of 4ga left after install and wanted to know the same thing he wants to know here. i really dont want to waste more money on new 1/0ga wires.

I found the Kicker PKD1 wiring kits for $85 like $95 shipped, but with a $100 order you get free shipping ...

Trying to find the link in my history and I can't ... but eBay gets about $100 for them ... easy way to upgrade.

You can also find spools pretty cheap sometimes ... grab a spool of 1/0 and make a positive and negative run to your battery and add a bat in the back. Takes care of 2/3 of your problems for < $300!

im tryin not to spend anymore money on audio right now, so spending >0 dollars is too much :). the only money i got now is for an extra battery.

i have been there......... from what i have learned over the years.... do it once... do it right.... otherwise there is a good chance of it kicking you in the ass

yea i just dont think i am going to go for anything louder or spend anymore just on audio. the rest of my car needs money too :). like i said. i was just thinking of using what i got left and if it was going to help or just goin to be a waste of time.

Two runs of 4 gauge would work fine - a single run of 4 gauge is a bit small for an amp that can draw ~160 amps. The 4 gauge wire will drop about a volt between the battery and your amp at high output levels.

thanks, o yea i forgot the money i got left is for the 2nd battery and the money that i am going to get from selling my current amp is going to be for a refurbished sundown. the sundown will be my last install for my audio. until a later time when i can make money.

  • Author
Two runs of 4 gauge would work fine - a single run of 4 gauge is a bit small for an amp that can draw ~160 amps. The 4 gauge wire will drop about a volt between the battery and your amp at high output levels.

Cool...I actually have some good news....I called a friend who is an installer and he just happened to have some 1/0 gauge he took out of an SUV....He said he'd sell it to me for $20!! I'm hoping it's long enough to allow me to re-do the big 3 with it as well...If not, I think I'll just add one more 4 gauge to my big 3 for now...

o gauge, a new batt.. drop the cap. and look into a bigger alt... 105 is lame in the game... and at idol its near 60 amps or less..... what kinda car

My car is a Buick LeSabre...

So....You're telling me I need 0 gauge a new battery AND alternator....I'm not trying to enter any SPL comps so I don't necessarily care if the amp gets every single amp it'll need. I just don't want to starve it so much where it will get really hot and have pre-mature failure.....What you've suggested seems overkill IMO...I said I want/need to do this as cheaply as possible....My wife barely agreed to letting me get the amp....She sure isn't going to approve what you just said.....

Starving it will not cause excess heat. Lack of current will cause a severe voltage drop which has all the chances of causing failure.

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