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-   Archive through January 12, 2008 (http://www.wakeworld.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=535807)
-   -   New guy with audio/electronics questions (http://www.wakeworld.com/forum/showthread.php?t=530484)

chilidog 12-28-2007 9:23 AM

The wifey and I just bought an 06 V215, first things first I threw in a kicker 12 and need to wire up the 160x4 amp. Seems simple enough but to complicate things I bought a pair of tower cans with kicker 6 1/2s <BR>My question: Can i run the 12 and the two cans off the one amp?? <BR>I'm not looking for it to be crazy loud, just sound good to the folks inside the boat, and haver the speakers last a long time. <BR> <BR>Also I want to get a dual battery setup and i was thinking of putting the switch up near the drivers seat so I didn't have to pull up the rear pad every time I switch between battery sources, and it would be trick to change the batteries from the drivers seat. <BR> <BR>Has anyone done this, and is there any negative issue with running longer cables for the batteries to get up to the switch in the front 1/2 of the boat? I figure on big rigs and stuff they have the battery switches a ways away from the batteries and they still work <BR> <BR>Also I will be on here alot with newbie questions so be patient!!!(yes I'll try to search the archives first) <BR> <BR>Thanks, <BR>Scott

05mobiuslsv 12-28-2007 9:42 AM

First question is if the sub is a dual voice coil sub, dual 4 ohm or dual 2 ohm. <BR> <BR>You can run one half of the amp bridged (this is where the dvc question is important) and the other half of the amp to the two tower speakers in stereo. Just hook up the + and - of each tower speaker to channel 1 or 2 of the amp. Bridge channels 3&amp;4 to the sub. That amp is really to small to run a sub. Is it a 160 watt 4 channel amp or is it 160 watts x 4 channels?

rson 12-28-2007 10:33 AM

What are the models of the items you have..... <BR> <BR>Chances are you run the sub off 2 channels and the speakers off the other 2

norcalmalibu 12-28-2007 10:36 AM

pick up a cheap two channel amp for the sub. <BR> <BR>Also use the search feature its great!

chpthril 12-28-2007 11:02 AM

If it where me, I would not mount the battery selector switch that far from the batteries due to cost alone. Cable is not cheap, check the price on about 45' of 0ga cable. <BR> <BR>Can you take the 12" sub back and exchange it for a 10? The 10 may be a much better match for your current plan (will sound much better IMO) then the 12" on that amp. <BR> <BR>Other wise, get an inexpensive 2chnl for the 12 as mentioned.

chilidog 12-28-2007 11:30 AM

Thanks for the help, <BR> <BR>I'm gonna look into another amp, as far as the models its a Jbl Decade DA650 <BR> <BR><a href="http://ampguts.realmofexcursion.com/JBL_DA6502/" target="_blank">http://ampguts.realmofexcursion.com/JBL_DA6502/</a> <BR> <BR>Not sure on the sub other than its a 12 from 98 era and is a Kicker 350W maybe?. Also is 8Awg wire big enough for the power for the amps, I'm totally stereo retarded as you can see, but I think I can hook this all up without towing the boat to the stereo shop. <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR>I found a 25ft spool of 4guage battery cable for 42.50, do i need a bigger guage than 4?? <BR> <BR>anybody got battery switches anywhere but under the seat??

chpthril 12-28-2007 11:40 AM

I would say yes on the 4ga. from the battery to each amp, not 1 4ga to power both amps. <BR> <BR>You can find all the info you need to do the install on the Internet, just put the time into planning it. <BR> <BR>My last boat, I mounted the switch under the sun pad/engine hatch by the engine. Out of the way but easily reached. The new boat (factory location) it is at the bottom corner of the rear storage locker. Not as easy to get to but no big deal right now.

tinytdubb 12-28-2007 11:40 AM

Put it in the glove box

chilidog 12-28-2007 11:45 AM

I just bought a kit from best buy that has 17feet of 8ga that was supposed to be for hooking up an amp to a sub according to the pictures on the box, did I just buy $40 worth of crap? <BR>It did come with the remote wire and a 2 foot ground wire that I can't use...I think i should look for that receipt

chpthril 12-28-2007 11:58 AM

I kinda miss read you previous post. I thought you were asking about the 4 ga for the amps, sorry. <BR> <BR>IMO, the 4 ga will be too small for the battery cable runs of that length, need 0ga, but would be perfect for the amps. The 4ga would work if your were going to mount the 2nd battery and switch with in about 3 feet of each other (keep the runs less then 4". <BR> <BR>The 8ga Amp kit will work, but you would still need a long enough piece to run from the Amp ground to the battery 2x if you add a 2nd amp. <BR> <BR>I have found that battery cable is cheaper by the foot then "amp" cable. It's about load x length = gauge (size) <BR> <BR>(Message edited by chpthril on December 28, 2007)

tonality 12-28-2007 12:29 PM

Cheaper, yes, but much less flexible as well...if you buy battery cable, make sure you don't have to take any tight corners with it, or it'll be a real bish. <BR>We need some model #'s on all your gear to tell you if your current stuff will work (ohm/watt loads, gauge requirements, etc), but if you're going to end up with another amp anyway, may as well just grab a single-channel class D...it'll run cooler than if you were to buy a 2ch and bridge it, and use less battery too, unless my brain's backward again.

chilidog 12-29-2007 12:40 PM

I'll try and get the numbers on the sub next time i'm out there, I like the 1 channel idea... <BR> <BR>Thanks for all the help

chilidog 01-01-2008 9:30 PM

The sub is a Kicker Comp VR, i didn't unscrew it to get the numbers though, its all hooked up in the sanger and sounds great on its old amp. I think I need to build it a new box and stick it under the drivers dash because under the pass dash with the seat rest closed you can barely hear it. <BR> <BR>Anyone sell pre made boxes to go under there? <BR> <BR>If its any concellation my ohm meter said 3.4 ohm when i hooked it up to the bridged outputs where the speaker wire hooks up, not sure if that helps,

chpthril 01-02-2008 5:18 AM

From the Kicker website <BR> <BR>Comp VR 12: <BR>2 or 4 ohm DVC <BR>800W peak, 400 RMS <BR>sensitivity (dB 1 w/1m) 86.7 <BR>frequency res (Hz) 25-500 <BR>min sealed box(cu/ft) 1 <BR>max sealed box(cu/ft) 4.6 <BR>min vented box(cu/ft) 1.75 <BR>max vented box(cu/ft) 2.25

chilidog 01-02-2008 2:04 PM

Thanks for that info... so right now I am at 150W to my sub and its all the bass I need, so I'm thinkin of throwing in a 160x4 rockford fosgate amp i have in my commuter and powering the 2 to 4 cans on the tower with 1 channel and the 4 boat speakers on the other channel, any opinions on that idear? <BR> <BR>also-- <BR> <BR>What does RMS stand for ?? <BR> <BR>"There are no stupid questions, just stupid people who ask questions"

wakeprodigy 01-02-2008 3:38 PM

RMS = Root Mean Square.

darinmg 01-02-2008 9:39 PM

I will second Tony on the cheap battery cable. The stuff with only ~15 conducting wires is a b1tch to work with. I would spend a little more next time to get the more flexible stuff. Fortunately I had some of the good stuff from work that I could use for most of the connections. Much, much, better. <BR> <BR>While we are talking about making battery cable, I found something that worked really well. <BR>Tools: torch($30 at HomeDepot), flux, solder, bench vice, cable connectors(ebay:GenuineDealz) <BR> <BR>Put the connector in the vice with the opening up. Put some flux on the inside to clean it. Put some flux on the cable end you will be inserting. Start heating the connector with the torch. The pre-tined connectors will change from a dull grey to shiny when the solder is ready to flow. Fill the cup of the connector with solder 1/2 way or more, keep the torch on the connector to keep the solder liquid. Hold the end of the cable close to the flame to burn off the flux, and pre heat the end. When the flux is gone and the cable is warm, shuv it into the connector. Keep the heat on for a little longer to ensure the solder flows into the cable wires. <BR>Make sure the solder is a good liquid before shuving in the cable, if it only goes in halfway, and you need to heat it again to get the solder to flow, the cable is now pulling a lot of heat away from the solder, and it will take a while longer. <BR>Hope that helps someone. I heard it from a friend who is building a desert racing truck right now, and he actually used old tire weights instead of solder.

chilidog 01-04-2008 10:23 AM

I ended up going to the stereo store and bought 50 ft of 4ga. Rockford Fosgate cable to power the amp. Each cable goes into a distribution block which goes from 4 down to 8ga. and from there into the amp. <BR>Now I need to move my amp to the pass side and move my sub to the drivers side, its really muffled with the seat closed, but sounds sweet with the seat open, and I expect it to sound good under the drivers dash since its not a sealed area. But for now I just hope my cover holds up because we have a southwind hitting 50mph in the valley!!


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