Bottom line....
1) Will this kind of wiring work ? Yes
2) Will you notice any difference if you do the entire thing in 8g for a 30A load ? Probably not
3) Is this the proper thing to do or have done to your car ? NO....

Just because it works, it doesnt mean its proper and I'll re-iterate my original response...Go back and have them change it...

 

Personally I hate those loop style fuse holders. SO budget and fugly looking. But they do work and it really won't affect your system at all changing it.

 

Thanks for the reply... There are varied responses. So ill assume then its ok, and its purely a cosmetic issue for me. I dont like the look of it... lol.

 

so whats wrong with it ?
sorry your remark has no validity

i will ask how many people have replaced agu fuses because the solder connection where the attach the filiment to the end cap has gone bad
then i will ask how many people have repalces blade fuses because they were faulty

 

My question would be, did you ask for, or did they lead you to believe, that the install would be done in 8g?

I guess there's nothing wrong with what they did, but personally if you had any idea of possibly expanding in the future I would have had it done in 4g. 4g is still relatively cheap, you should be able to find a wiring kit for well under 100 bucks. And, it's sufficient more almost any daily system.

 

Neither. I went in there and said, i have 1050.00 to spend, please install a stereo for me. Dont forget im on the other end here, the consumer who knows nothing about wire guages to what amps and etc.

 

My two cents is this:

your average run of 8awg can generally handle up to about 50 amps of current before voltage drop becomes unaccepatable.... and IMO a 50-60 amp maxi or glass cartridge type fuse/holder should have been used.... it looks like they used an ATU which are generally used for riggin up CBs, CD players, car alarms, and the likes, and you can generally only find up to 30amp fuses for them..... the larger fuses will have less resistance and will allow you to pull more current if you ever wish to do so.............


As far as the wiring.... a few simple calculations show that the voltage drop in a 15' run of 8awg plus a 1' run of 12awg versus the voltage drop in a 16' run of 8awg will be close to a one Db difference.... that will in fact be on the cusp of audibility, and IMO is unacceptable....


I am sure the shop just wanted to give you the best price they could on what they felt was acceptable.....If you do go back, Id ask them to exchange for a better fuse holder, and you pay the difference for however much 8awg wire.... On the otherhand I probably wouldn't loose much sleep over it if you just leave it the way it is.....

 

They had "loomed over" both bits of wire at the battery, but I assume you could see the 8ga at the amp end. If so, I dont' think it's unreasonable for you to have assumed that it would be 8ga all the way through. While the fact that it isn't won't likely make any opperational difference, it would leave me with a "where else might they have cut corners?" feeling.

Cheers,
--
Terry McG

 

Glad to see someone knows the basics.


I don't understand how people find it unreasonable for the shop to use the required size wire and fuse holder. Most of smaller power wire kits use the ATC fuse holders because they are for one cheaper and acceptable.

He has a single 150watt amp and you expect the shop to install 4 or even 0 gauge wire? haha, I would be more upset if they did this because you're paying for something you don't need. Now, if he had requested a larger gauge for future requirements, so be it.

 

i start with a 0 and i did no say a shop needs to do it
i do a larg wire because i know i will need it
i have a set up with ,3 amps ,H O alt ,and 2 air pumps at 200psi