n00b question

Capital_M · Post by **Capital_M** » Wed Nov 12, 2008 4:00 pm

So I have built boxes before, but never installed amps or done the wiring. Never had the time. Now I want to do everything for my next install.

When working on a system that is already seeing power, how do I go about working on it? Do I just disconnect the negative battery terrminal? Or do I have to disconnect the amps positive 0 gauge at the battery as well.

When reinstalling everything, do I ground everything first, then hook up the power. Or vicevera.

What do I do with the existing wiring going to the battery if I need to use my car in the middle of the install? Wrap it in electrial tape?

Last question, how do you go about cutting 4 or 0 gauge wiring? With a utility knife? Just peel the plastic sheild off and stick it in the amp?

Shoud be a fun expirence

Post by **Bfowler** » Wed Nov 12, 2008 4:05 pm

you just need to remove the fuse near the car battery +

you cut 1/0 and 4 awg with large wire cutter...a utility knife might take a long ass time.... you can strip it with a utility knife

Capital_M · Post by **Capital_M** » Wed Nov 12, 2008 4:09 pm

So everytime I want to remove amps all i need to do is take off the negative battery terminal and remove the fuse at the battery?

Post by **Bfowler** » Wed Nov 12, 2008 4:19 pm

you dont need to remove the negative terminal, just take out the fuse

Capital_M · Post by **Capital_M** » Wed Nov 12, 2008 4:47 pm

But the headunit is hooked up to the cars electrical system....and the amps are connected to the headunit through the remote turn on wire...

blake · Post by **blake** » Wed Nov 12, 2008 4:48 pm

If you pull the fuse from the fusible link,then the amps and whatever else feeds off of that power feed gets no power.

GX3 · Post by **GX3** » Wed Nov 12, 2008 5:03 pm

blake wrote:If you pull the fuse from the fusible link,then the amps and whatever else feeds off of that power feed gets no power.

fusible link is on the remote turn on wire on the back of you head unit(just in case you didn't know)

Just remember you still have to pull the fuse under the hood at your bat. It needs to be done in both places to avoid a short.

gridracer · Post by **gridracer** » Wed Nov 12, 2008 5:13 pm

Capital_M wrote:But the headunit is hooked up to the cars electrical system....and the amps are connected to the headunit through the remote turn on wire...

the remote turn on wire just sends a low voltage signal to the amps so they "know" when to turn on if the fuse is removed from the power wire at the battery your fine

GX3 · Post by **GX3** » Wed Nov 12, 2008 5:14 pm

look at your install manual to find the correct wire color for your turn on wire.

GX3 · Post by **GX3** » Wed Nov 12, 2008 5:19 pm

gridracer wrote:
Capital_M wrote:But the headunit is hooked up to the cars electrical system....and the amps are connected to the headunit through the remote turn on wire...
the remote turn on wire just sends a low voltage signal to the amps so they "know" when to turn on if the fuse is removed from the power wire at the battery your fine

It is still 12VDC but low current. If the remote turn on wire is unhooked from the amps and just laying about the trunk and still hooked to the head unit it could short out and damage the head unit.

HoseHead · Post by **HoseHead** » Wed Nov 12, 2008 5:36 pm

You should ALWAYS have a master fuse rated for your entire system within 18 inches of the positive battery (B+) terminal.

Anytime you need to work on any of your audio system's power, remove this fuse. This will kill any power to your distro blocks which is where your amps should be drawing power.

Your car will function normally with the B+ master fuse removed.

Grounds need not and should not be removed.

Remote turn on wires need not be removed either. The amps cannot turn on without the master fuse inserted. The 5V remote voltage connected to an amp without B+ harms nothing. Other devices with remote turn on may still power up, but again, no harm.

Any appliance should always be grounded PRIOR to B+ being applied.

When cutting through a large gauge wire, snip it using small "bites" with diagonal cutters until through.

When stripping insulation, use a sharp utility knife and just press the blade into the insulation until it almost touches the conductor. Do this in several places around the insulator and then bend the wire and the insulation should break free. The idea is not to cut ANY of the copper conductors. Don't just pull off the cut away piece of insulation, but twist it off in the direction of the copper conductors. This will keep the individual wires together making it easier to insert into the connector and also leaves you with a nice trimmed connection with the insulation running right up to the connector face.

HH

Capital_M · Post by **Capital_M** » Wed Nov 12, 2008 5:41 pm

Thanks for all the info guys

Post by **stipud** » Thu Nov 13, 2008 7:36 am

Hold on... if you just disconnect your negative terminals, nothing will get power. That seems a lot easier to me than pulling the headunit to get a fuse on the back of it??

Hell, it's less annoying than removing the + fuse in most cases. Certainly in my install since I need to mess around with allen keys and stuff to get that fuse out. I always just pop the - terminal, because resetting my clock still takes less time than removing the fuse.

I agree with HH though, if you just want to turn off the audio part of the system, remove the big + fuse, but don't mess with other stuff.

Post by **Bfowler** » Thu Nov 13, 2008 8:49 am

^you will also loose any station pre-sets/adjustments etc...

i will stick to my "remove the fuse at the battery" guns

Post by **stipud** » Thu Nov 13, 2008 8:58 am

My stock deck stores them in EEPROM. The only thing that gets reset is the date/time, trip computer and ECU (which is fine anyways because I like to re-adapt occasionally).

But yeah, removing the fuse, flipping the breaker or disconnecting the amp power wires from the battery is more than enough.