Need help with amp wiring
 

I need some help with wiring the power and ground. I've done simple car systems in the past (2 small amps) but nothing like I'm doing now. I'll have 5 amps, 3 Syn-4s, a Syn-1 and a Syn-Micro. How should it be wired? Can all 5 power wires go to 1 distribution block? What size of fuse do I need at the battery? What do I do for grounding? And what about the remote wire from the deck. I read somewhere that you should use a SPDT relay for connecting the remote to multiple amps.

Hey Alex,

here is what I would do if I were you.. (and mine is wired very similar only I have 3 amps not 5)

I use all Rockford Fosgate stuff so I will give you part descriprions from that manufacturer (there are lots of others out there)

For power -
Run 1/0 power and ground cable straight off your Stereo battery bank to a fuse block. This run should be around 12 to 18 inches - NO LONGER.
You can use either a fuse block or circuit breaker but basically the fuse should be able to carry the amp draw of all of your amps downstream of the block.
Based on what you have said in this post and others on this board I think I have a pretty good idea of what your system power requirements are going to be and
I think your whole system will be pulling about 150 amps when you are all cranked up. So I would look at using either a 200 amp ANL fuse block (fosgate RFFANL) or a 200 amp (RFCB200) circuit breaker.

Then run another length of 1/0 cable from the output of the fuse block to somewhere close to your amp locations. Here you will need a distribution block with a 1/0 gauge in and at least five 4 gauge outs (I am not sure where you can get a five 4 gauge out block but I am sure you can somewhere) If you were using Fosgate you would have to use an RFD1 that split into two 1/0's, and then 2 RFD4's.

Then run a single 4 gauge cable to each of the amps from the output of the distribution block.

For the ground I would do the exact same run, wire size, and distribution blocks as the power. the only difference is that there would not be a fuse block in the chain.

I would also run a smaller wire(maybe 10 or 12 gauge from the distribution blocks over to your helm to use to connect the head unit and the EQ so that you have the whole system powered from the same distribution point (this will help prevent ground loops and engine noise)

for the amp turn ons, yes I would use a relay somewhere near your head unit. so the input into the relay would be the incoming remote turn on wire from your deck, power and ground off the lines you ran over to the helm from the distribution blocks, and the outout would be a line running back over to somewhere near the amps, then you can use a smaller distribution block to feed seperate remote turn on feeds to each amp.

This is a lot of help, thanks. I didn't mention that I'd be using a perko switch, with everything (except bilge) going to perko common and stereo bank on perko 2. It would be the same though, right? 1/0 from battery to fuse to perko 2. then 1/0 from perko common to distribution block?

Battery 1 (Starting) goes to Perko 1, Battery 2 (Stereo) goes to Perko 2. Then run 1/0 from Perko common to fuse block (short run). Then run 1/0 from fuse block to amp board distribution block.

Ground would come straight off Battery 2 over to the amp board distribution block.

Then run 4 gauge both power and ground from distribution blocks to amps.

Take the time to run the cables clean and neat, keep the power cables seperated from any RCA cables as best you can to prevent noise.

Take lots of pictures and post em up :)

Thanks again.

Curios about the relay for the remote turn on. I'm currently running 2 amps and adding a third. I've always daisy chained the turn on lead from one amp to the next and never had any issues, I've even tested the with third amp and saw no problem. Don't know if it makes a difference, my lead comes off a dash breaker and the powers the HSE, Exile ZLD, the iPod charging cable and turns on the amps. The amps themselves are powered by their own seperate batteries, the house and the stereo bank are all grounded to the same bus so there are no issues with ground loops. If the relay is just keeping the amps on when there is a strong draw from the battery then I shouldn't have that issue the way I have things configured. Anyway, it's a good time to add things since I've only done a temporary instal at this point, just testing everything so far. Hope to have all the needed pieces fabricated for the permanent instal in a couple of weeks.

Pulled this off the internet.. this explains the need for the relay pretty well


Remote Turn On
All amplifiers in the system will need a 12 volt signal that let’s them know when to turn on. Aftermarket head units provide this but it is recommended that you do not connect more than 1-2 components directly to it. This is because a head unit turn on circuit can only supply about 500mA on average. Most electronic components such as amplifiers, active crossovers and equalizers need about 125mA to turn on. As these components age the current draw can be even higher. If this current draw exceeds the rating of the head unit the circuit can burn out completely.

Instead of connecting each component directly you will want to use a relay. The relay will receive the low current signal from the head unit which will trigger the relay. The relay will then connect the 12 volt signal to the amplifiers and other components. Most 12 volt relays can supply up to 30 amps of current which is more than enough for all your turn on circuits. This prevents your head unit from trying to deliver too much current which can burn out the turn on circuitry in the head unit. The generally accepted way to connect a SPDT (single pole, double throw) relay is illustrated below.

Terminal 85 is connected to ground and terminal 86 is connected to the remote turn on lead from the head unit. These wires could be reversed since they both connect to the relay coil but for this illustration we’ll connect them this way. Terminal 87 of the relay is connected to the electronic components remote turn on terminal. Terminal 30 of the relay is then connected to 12 volts. Again, these wires could be reversed. When the head unit is turned on the remote lead triggers the relay which connects terminals 30 and 87 together, sending a 12 volt signal to all of the electronic components.

OK, thanks. That's basically what I'm doing already minus the relay to turn things on, my breaker is performing the same task. Also some good relay info, that will help trouble shooting a seperate issue.

How will the fuse be less than 18 inches from the battery? I guess the perko switch will have to be moved right next to the batteries, correct?