How to Set this Up???
 

Hey there,

i just bought a used rockford fosgate 1500 amplifier for $250.

in the near future ill be buying 2 sa 12's 600rms each, and going to have futureshop build me a custom box for them.

im wanting to power these to their full potential "eventually", but for now i just want them to sound decent.

i drive a 2006 chevrolet malibu lt v6, i currently have 4guage wire ran through my car, stock alt, stock batt.

is what i have now good enough to power these subs with the bass on 1 or something for now,

and also, what will i need to upgrade to get these to run to their full potential, and how would i have to wire it.

thanks in advance.

the amp is the t1500, andthe subs are dual 4 ohm

The SA12s are dual 4ohm coils, yes? That means you can either drive them at 4ohms (500w) or 1 ohm (1500w). I don;t know how good they'd sound sharing a measly 500w, but I don't know if 4gu will support 1500 watts either. I guess you could try, and see how the car reacts.

A 15 ft run of 4 awg is good for up to 131 amps at typical car voltage of 13.8 volts or about 1800 watts. However, amps are not 100% efficient which means you can get about 1200 watts rms out of it (assuming a typical rf efficiency of about 65% at 1 ohm with those amps, and no other power drain from other equipment off that 4 awg wire...any other amps running off of it will reduce the amount available to the rf amp).

While you wait for the SA12s to come in, upgrade to 1/0 welding cable;oblem solved for little $. Leave the 4gua in place for any other (mid/high) amp(s).

is 1/0 a wiring kit i can buy of welding cable?

also if i later get a automatic starter installed, would this interfere with anything or no?

thanks

A wiring kit would have a bunch of stuff you don't need (speaker wire, RCAs etc) Just find an Acklands Granger/welding/industrial supplies shop and buy enough 1/0 (0 guage) wire to run from your batt to your sub amp(s). Fuse it (like your 4gus should be) and you're good to go.
there are online shops which sell wire, as well as those who sell affordable fuse holders- local stuff can be expensive, and I bet your surrent fuseholders won't accept 1/0 unless you buy downsizing adaptors.

well ill need new rcas for my amp if i plan on using an amp for speakers later right?
so thats why i was just gonna buy a whole new kit, and leave the 4 guage how it is for now and run a 0 guage kit and later on use the 4 guage kit