Hey all,

This is one of my first posts. I just got my amp wiring kit today in the mail. It's 4 gauge. And I plan to later to 0 gauge for the big 3. I have a propane torch which I plan to use for soldering the ring terminals on the 0 Gauge (and 4 gauge too), but this got me thinking.

I'd like to solder any and all terminals, even the spade terminals for the 12 gauge speaker wire. Do I need to/should I get a soldering iron for this smaller gauge of wire. I can't see using a blow torch feasibly on such small wire. maybe I'm being a wuss though?

P.s. I have an Alpine MRP-M500 amp -- it doesn't fit 4 gauge into it's terminals. I have reducers (4 to 8 gauge) coming, but here is what I was just thinking: The 4 gauge spade terminals almost fit, it's very close, I mean millimeters if that -- I might just dremel-grind down those spade terminals to make'em a little bit more narrow and they should fit. Any thoughts or suggestions on that?

Thanks every.
Happy Bass!

 

i'd grind the side of the spade terminals to make them fit the amps connector.
pick-up a soldering gun to solder the smaller connections, overheating connectors will make them fail Under load or crack with vibrations.

 

^ good advice from a veteran.

 

You could also put the 4 guage ring terminal in a big vice and crimp it slightly, then melt the solder on for extra support. I've always crimped my terminals in a vice, and they never come off. Obviously don't crimp it too much or you'll break the wires. For the speaker wire, a small 7-12watt iron is plenty.. a blow torch would most likely melt the shething off the wire!

 

+1

 

Thanks for all the help.

I just wrote a reply that got lost *angry face*.

So, I used a dremel to grind the spade terminals for the 4 gauge and that worked great.

I learned to solder, with a blow torch and with an iron. It's not hard really, and it's cool. Haha.
But I'm not sure about the comment by Loud Brown Kicker Colt "overheating connectors will make them fail Under load or crack with vibrations."
Overheating at what point-from what-the soldering? Fail under load as in just from operation of your system/amp -- and again -- due to overheating from the soldering process?
I've watched 1 or 2 videos where the guy said "heat up until glowing hot", which I really didn't find necessary to flow the solder...at all. Just nice and evenly hot worked ok.

I still, however do not know what I'm gonna do about grounding my amp.
My only problem is location, also mixed information from a friend of mine. I know that grounds are supposed to be as short as possible. Well the ground cable that came with my kit is 3feet long and I DO NOT want a 3 foot ground cable, it just seems like I should be able to find a better solution.

Please check out my video, I'd really appreciate if anybody had some useful suggestions for me. I'd like to keep the ground 18" at the VERY longest but man, I don't know how I'll manage to do that without drilling my own hole somewhere - which I'm not keen on doin'.

Video:

Thanks for any help.

 

I commend your ambition. But really an extra 18" of ground wire is probably not going to noticeably choke your power delivery.

Your reducers will probably cause a bigger drop in voltage than the extra wire.

Also consider that you're using an amp kit that is clearly oversized for the amp in question.

 

Thanks a lot for the response.

I did go oversized, I believe the guy at bestbuys alter ego (whom I know) suggested 6 gauge, I went with 4awg because (1) I couldn't find 6, and (2) ...it's bigger. haha.
Also, I didn't end up using the reducers (which by the way haven't got here yet -mail strike just ended) I ground down the spade terminals that came with the kit. They were only a few millimeters too wide. So that worked great.

I'm just gonna solder a freakin' ring terminal onto that 3foot piece of 4 gauge for ground and get it done today, so I can start enjoying my new stuff.

Thanks guys.