150A ANL Fuse Melted!!
2000 Watt CAFz'r
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 2,026
ac_2007
I've been reading this thread for a few days now, and I'm disappointed that you haven't really taken the time to listen to what has been said.
The weakest point of a system will determine the systems maximum potential. Regardless of what amps you have, or what subs you have if the amplifier isn't even connected you will get no sound. Now that is extreme of course, but I want to use that as a started so you can see why your stock wiring is not good enough.
I know that you've said you haven't done any of the big 3 and your system is fine. While you think that, it isn't true. Regardless of caps, 4 awg wire, 250 amp ANL fuses or High output alternators, if your ground is factory (which is typically 10 or 8 awg at best) it will be just like the whole system is running on 10 or 8 awg. Think about rush hour and a contruction zone. You can have 5 lanes of traffic narrowing into 2 lanes. Sure, the 5 lanes can handle lots of cars at 100km/h - but that potential is worthless because just up ahead, everyone needs to sqeeze through those 2 lanes. The highway's capacity is essentially 2 lanes of traffic even though most of it is 5 lanes.
Turn that analogy to your car - 5 lanes from your battery (and your issue with the fuse relay was not the main issue - yes fixing that will help - but if you don't upgrade your ground the same problem will happen again - or potentially a fire this time) 5 lanes to your cap; 5 lanes to your amp. 5 lanes from amp to chassis; 2 lanes from chassis to battery through the stock wire. And so the current gets held up in grid lock through the rest of the system - and we know that in grid lock tempers flare and people can get heated.
UPGRADE YOUR GROUND!
For get about the other 2 - but ground to Battery is essential!
As much as Yuli lacks tact and acts like an arrogant *****, he's right.
Don't let your own pride refuse to receive good advice from someone because you think they might be arrogant; because if you think like that, you have become just as arrogant.
I've been reading this thread for a few days now, and I'm disappointed that you haven't really taken the time to listen to what has been said.
The weakest point of a system will determine the systems maximum potential. Regardless of what amps you have, or what subs you have if the amplifier isn't even connected you will get no sound. Now that is extreme of course, but I want to use that as a started so you can see why your stock wiring is not good enough.
I know that you've said you haven't done any of the big 3 and your system is fine. While you think that, it isn't true. Regardless of caps, 4 awg wire, 250 amp ANL fuses or High output alternators, if your ground is factory (which is typically 10 or 8 awg at best) it will be just like the whole system is running on 10 or 8 awg. Think about rush hour and a contruction zone. You can have 5 lanes of traffic narrowing into 2 lanes. Sure, the 5 lanes can handle lots of cars at 100km/h - but that potential is worthless because just up ahead, everyone needs to sqeeze through those 2 lanes. The highway's capacity is essentially 2 lanes of traffic even though most of it is 5 lanes.
Turn that analogy to your car - 5 lanes from your battery (and your issue with the fuse relay was not the main issue - yes fixing that will help - but if you don't upgrade your ground the same problem will happen again - or potentially a fire this time) 5 lanes to your cap; 5 lanes to your amp. 5 lanes from amp to chassis; 2 lanes from chassis to battery through the stock wire. And so the current gets held up in grid lock through the rest of the system - and we know that in grid lock tempers flare and people can get heated.
UPGRADE YOUR GROUND!
For get about the other 2 - but ground to Battery is essential!
As much as Yuli lacks tact and acts like an arrogant *****, he's right.
Don't let your own pride refuse to receive good advice from someone because you think they might be arrogant; because if you think like that, you have become just as arrogant.
Thread Starter
0 Watt CAFz'r
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 26
ac_2007
I've been reading this thread for a few days now, and I'm disappointed that you haven't really taken the time to listen to what has been said.
The weakest point of a system will determine the systems maximum potential. Regardless of what amps you have, or what subs you have if the amplifier isn't even connected you will get no sound. Now that is extreme of course, but I want to use that as a started so you can see why your stock wiring is not good enough.
I know that you've said you haven't done any of the big 3 and your system is fine. While you think that, it isn't true. Regardless of caps, 4 awg wire, 250 amp ANL fuses or High output alternators, if your ground is factory (which is typically 10 or 8 awg at best) it will be just like the whole system is running on 10 or 8 awg. Think about rush hour and a contruction zone. You can have 5 lanes of traffic narrowing into 2 lanes. Sure, the 5 lanes can handle lots of cars at 100km/h - but that potential is worthless because just up ahead, everyone needs to sqeeze through those 2 lanes. The highway's capacity is essentially 2 lanes of traffic even though most of it is 5 lanes.
Turn that analogy to your car - 5 lanes from your battery (and your issue with the fuse relay was not the main issue - yes fixing that will help - but if you don't upgrade your ground the same problem will happen again - or potentially a fire this time) 5 lanes to your cap; 5 lanes to your amp. 5 lanes from amp to chassis; 2 lanes from chassis to battery through the stock wire. And so the current gets held up in grid lock through the rest of the system - and we know that in grid lock tempers flare and people can get heated.
UPGRADE YOUR GROUND!
For get about the other 2 - but ground to Battery is essential!
As much as Yuli lacks tact and acts like an arrogant *****, he's right.
Don't let your own pride refuse to receive good advice from someone because you think they might be arrogant; because if you think like that, you have become just as arrogant.
I've been reading this thread for a few days now, and I'm disappointed that you haven't really taken the time to listen to what has been said.
The weakest point of a system will determine the systems maximum potential. Regardless of what amps you have, or what subs you have if the amplifier isn't even connected you will get no sound. Now that is extreme of course, but I want to use that as a started so you can see why your stock wiring is not good enough.
I know that you've said you haven't done any of the big 3 and your system is fine. While you think that, it isn't true. Regardless of caps, 4 awg wire, 250 amp ANL fuses or High output alternators, if your ground is factory (which is typically 10 or 8 awg at best) it will be just like the whole system is running on 10 or 8 awg. Think about rush hour and a contruction zone. You can have 5 lanes of traffic narrowing into 2 lanes. Sure, the 5 lanes can handle lots of cars at 100km/h - but that potential is worthless because just up ahead, everyone needs to sqeeze through those 2 lanes. The highway's capacity is essentially 2 lanes of traffic even though most of it is 5 lanes.
Turn that analogy to your car - 5 lanes from your battery (and your issue with the fuse relay was not the main issue - yes fixing that will help - but if you don't upgrade your ground the same problem will happen again - or potentially a fire this time) 5 lanes to your cap; 5 lanes to your amp. 5 lanes from amp to chassis; 2 lanes from chassis to battery through the stock wire. And so the current gets held up in grid lock through the rest of the system - and we know that in grid lock tempers flare and people can get heated.
UPGRADE YOUR GROUND!
For get about the other 2 - but ground to Battery is essential!
As much as Yuli lacks tact and acts like an arrogant *****, he's right.
Don't let your own pride refuse to receive good advice from someone because you think they might be arrogant; because if you think like that, you have become just as arrogant.
Im saying what needs to be said, but let's forget all that.
I understand what you're saying and it makes perfect sense. The problem is that everybody will say something different which amounts to a bunch of "things to do" that don't even really matter. This is my first personal system, and I have to learn.
I trust most people here know what they are talking about. So what I need to resolve this issue is have a clear idea of all the things that need be done, a checklist so to speak.
- Yellow top battery
- Big 3 with all 0AWG (this includes the battery ground)
- Rewire with 0AWG
Did I miss anything?
5 lanes of 0AWG turn into 3 lanes 4AWG because the amplifiers can only take 4AWG, so what would be the point of using 0AWG in the first place? Correct me if I'm wrong.
2000 Watt CAFz'r
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 2,026
Consider it a splitting of express and collectors 5 lanes divided into 2 sets of 3 lanes = 6 lanes. 0 awg you don't need, 2 awg would be fine. But you can do 0 awg if you wish for further head room and expansion in the future (and 0 AWG matches that beefy 250 amp fuse you bought).
So you have 2 awg (or 0awg) into your distribution block (If you don't have one, get one - preferably fused) From the distribution block it splits into 2 independant runs of 4 awg.
From the amp - is still 2 runs of 4 awg and when they hit the chassis its like the full 5 lanes again provided you've upgraded your ground.
Thread Starter
0 Watt CAFz'r
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 26
You have 2 amplifiers.
Consider it a splitting of express and collectors 5 lanes divided into 2 sets of 3 lanes = 6 lanes. 0 awg you don't need, 2 awg would be fine. But you can do 0 awg if you wish for further head room and expansion in the future (and 0 AWG matches that beefy 250 amp fuse you bought).
So you have 2 awg (or 0awg) into your distribution block (If you don't have one, get one - preferably fused) From the distribution block it splits into 2 independant runs of 4 awg.
From the amp - is still 2 runs of 4 awg and when they hit the chassis its like the full 5 lanes again provided you've upgraded your ground.
Consider it a splitting of express and collectors 5 lanes divided into 2 sets of 3 lanes = 6 lanes. 0 awg you don't need, 2 awg would be fine. But you can do 0 awg if you wish for further head room and expansion in the future (and 0 AWG matches that beefy 250 amp fuse you bought).
So you have 2 awg (or 0awg) into your distribution block (If you don't have one, get one - preferably fused) From the distribution block it splits into 2 independant runs of 4 awg.
From the amp - is still 2 runs of 4 awg and when they hit the chassis its like the full 5 lanes again provided you've upgraded your ground.
Or the other option is to run 0AWG straight to the cap, ground it with 0AWG and then run 2 separate 4AWG to the amps.
What does master Yuli think?
2000 Watt CAFz'r
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 2,026
On a side note:
It was mentioned before and I'll say it again: Fuses are to protect the wire not the amp. You can use a smaller fuse than the combined ratings of the amps, and likely won't have a problem. Think about your house. Most homes have a 100 AMP main breaker which protects the 4 AWG feed into the house. From there the combined amperage of all the circuits adds up to over 300AMPS. In my house, the stove, AC & clothes dryer all combine to more than 100 AMPs on their own. But I haven't blown my main breaker yet. Why? Because those are maximums (ie using my top & bottom element in the oven and all 4 stove top elements all on max might get close to that . . . but who does that? / AC might draw that on start up, but not continuously etc).
The 100 amp breaker in the house is to protect the main wire into the house - not each fuse and run of 14/2 through-out the house.
It was mentioned before and I'll say it again: Fuses are to protect the wire not the amp. You can use a smaller fuse than the combined ratings of the amps, and likely won't have a problem. Think about your house. Most homes have a 100 AMP main breaker which protects the 4 AWG feed into the house. From there the combined amperage of all the circuits adds up to over 300AMPS. In my house, the stove, AC & clothes dryer all combine to more than 100 AMPs on their own. But I haven't blown my main breaker yet. Why? Because those are maximums (ie using my top & bottom element in the oven and all 4 stove top elements all on max might get close to that . . . but who does that? / AC might draw that on start up, but not continuously etc).
The 100 amp breaker in the house is to protect the main wire into the house - not each fuse and run of 14/2 through-out the house.
2000 Watt CAFz'r
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 2,026
I personally have no use for caps . . . but if your cap has a built-in distibution block (as some do) then keep it as this would save you from buying something else. But don't get messy and attach two 4 AWG wires to a single post on the cap . . .
