stereo question, yet again...

OK, so I got three Sony 1200 watt amps. I have one 1000cca battery.

I am going with a fused distribution block for positive and a distribution block for negative. The manual says to put the fuse no more than 18 inches from battery. Since I have a fused distribution block, where do I put it? Do I put it near the batteries, or can I put it near the amps?

If I get another battery, can I put it in under the dash by the amps, or should I leave it near the other one (if I get a second battery I will get an isolator too).

Will I need a Cap? I read on another post that it wouldn't be necesary for a system that wasn't that big (which this isn't).

I'll have more questions later, I'm sure...

Fuse at the battery in case the wire gets a short to protect from a fire. Fuse at the distribution block to protect the downstream wire and the amp, you need both. Talk to Grant about the cap.
Mike

What size fuse will I need at the battery then??? if they all require 80 amps each, then should I use 240 amp fuse at the batter, do they make one that big?

Oh yeah, and should I go to a second battery, or am I ok with the one (if I do, it will be the same 1000cca battery I already have).

YOu could put a circuit breaker at the battery.

I figure I'll go with the circuit breaker, but what amperage? do I need a 240 amp breaker, or can I use something else since the amps won't be pulling 80 amps all the time?

Don't go bigger than 200 amps on 0 gauge wire.

k, will that be enough?

Your fuses will blow at 80 amps. The power your amps will draw on a regular basis is a lot less. I'm no guru (see Grant for that), but I believe the rule of thumb would be no bigger than 200 amp fuse on 0 gauge and no bigger than 100 amp fuse on 4 gauge. If your amps are fuesed at 80 amps then run 4 gauge wire to each of them.

yeah, I figure I would have a power cable run to a fused dist block then 4 guage to the amps... I guess I can run two 2 guage to the block, and use 120 amp fuses.

What you should probably be more concerned with is where are you mounting those amps? I have heard those Sony amps run very hot, like frying pan hot.

Back to the wiring, I would run 3 individual #8 thhn reds with 50 amp fuses at the battery and 3 #8 thhn black grounds from the battery. In a boat the grounds are just as important as the hots. Start low and increase if necessary I am guessing that the 50 amp fuses will hold unless you let your voltage get too low.

Keep in mind that every junction point is a source of problems. All those junctions for your power and grounds provide lots of junctions points to get loose,corrode, or otherwise cause problems.

OK, went to a stereo shop yesterday, they do a lot of boats... my buddy got his done there... anyhoo, I ended up with 0/1 guage wiring from battery with a 300 amp fuse at the battery, to a fused distribution block, then 4 guage wiring to amps... the same with the ground side. The guy at the shop said that would even be overkill, but with this setup I could always go bigger in the future.

And as for the amps, my last sony ran hot, they will be in the storage area under seat, and I am working on a vent/fan setup... just above the amps, there is a vent, so it shouldn't be a problem getting cool air in there.

My concern is the battery... I figure it won't be long before I go to two and a HO alternator... man this hobby keeps costing me a ton of money!!!

My dad bought a powered bazooka bass tube about4 years ago for his old boat... now every time he looks in my boat, he asks, "wheres the tube I bought?" Just for giggles, I'm putting it in the front of the boat...

Run 2 6v golf cart batteries if you plan to listen to it with the engine off for very long.

I bet your dad thinks that bazooka tube rocks...

(Message edited by mikeski on July 27, 2004)

lol... yes he does!!!! how did you know???