I want to put an amp in the trunk of my car!

[magecite]

where is there a nice strong "+" wire in the trunk of my car? please don't tell me i have to run a wire from the dash (if so any methods of where to hide the wire?

 

[Airpoppoff]

what are you talking about??, a power wire or a remote wire?

 

[magecite]

just a power wire i don't need a remote. i just use the power wire as the remote to. done it b4 with no worries... (my amps on all the time i left the carr off 4 a week and it still didn't drain the battery)

 

[thespydaguy]

if you are referring to the nice thick, red wire...
the best way (and mostly considered proper way) to run a power wire for an amp is from the battery (putting a fuse in of course), through the car and into the trunk. It's not hard to find a good (hidden) way to run a power wire, just have to pop alot of panels and run the wires under the rear seats or through the real panels and so on... i might be able to find pics for you...

 

[Airpoppoff]

Originally posted by thespydaguy
if you are referring to the nice thick, red wire...
the best way (and mostly considered proper way) to run a power wire for an amp is from the battery (putting a fuse in of course), through the car and into the trunk. It's not hard to find a good (hidden) way to run a power wire, just have to pop alot of panels and run the wires under the rear seats or through the real panels and so on... i might be able to find pics for you...

right and finding a wire in your trunk is no where thick enough to run an amp more than 50 watts, seriously it will try to drain way to much from where ever its coming from....

 

[magecite]

ok then this is going to be a headache, ok i don't really mind the thought of running wires through my panels and ect., the question is how do i get from the battery through my firewall to my dash? i have a 300 watt rms. (what would be a good gauge wire to use?) planing on a 1000rms soon.

 

[dsmnate]

Originally posted by magecite
ok then this is going to be a headache, ok i don't really mind the thought of running wires through my panels and ect., the question is how do i get from the battery through my firewall to my dash? i have a 300 watt rms. (what would be a good gauge wire to use?) planing on a 1000rms soon.

You don't have a 2G so I can't tell you where to run the wire through the firewall. I would suggest using a 4 gauge fused power wire and then using a distribution block to spilt it out to 8 gauge to the amps.

 

[magecite]

sounds good, just for the frire wall now

 

[Malenko]

just relocate your battery to the trunk

 

[magecite]

then i "STILL" have to get wire through my firewall (jj) but that's really my question "what is an easy way to get wire to the other side of the firewall?" (besides "micky mouses", "duck tape the wire through side of the hood in through the driver window across the seats" jj), sorry i got up to early today. (wait i was going to say i mind is not thinking well today, but is it ever?)

Ummm... K anyone thanks..... (or should i be saying sorry?)

 

[Omega]

A lot of people run wires through the steering boot. I would much rather drill a hole through the firewall. Have a look at the firewall from the cabin and engine sides. You want to find a location that is easily accessable and still not get in the way. I never installed a system in my 1G but in my 2G the hole is close to the throttle cable.

Do your self a favor and run the wires correctly. DON'T have ass it by not running a seperate wire for the remote turn on. DO fuse protect everything and make sure you have NICE grounds.

In terms of the wire gauge..... What make amps are they? I can go to K-mart and buy a 1000 Watt amp for $200 I can also buy a 200 Watt amp for $1000 that will blow the K-mart amp out of the water. I doubt you will need anything more than 8 gauge wires.

 

[magecite]

prymnd it's purple, i would never buy a 1000 amp for 200$ i'm thinking of buying 1000 rockford

 

[dsmnate]

If your only going to run one amp you would probably be fine with just and 8-gauge from the Battery but if you plan on having a bigger system in the future you might as well run 4-gauge to a distrubution block and then 8-gauge to the amp.

On the 2G there is a grommet right below the battery that you can put the wire though. I don't know about the 1g. Just look around for a spot where wires go though the firewall. If there is room to sneak the power wire through then just poke a hole an push it through. Otherwise just drill a hole and put a grommet in for the wire.

 

[Joe's_GSX]

I ran my wires through the boot near where the battery currently sits. I had to remove the big grommet with all the engine wires and slide it through there. After that it wasn't that hard. It took a hanger and a couple of hours to do it right. I still have sometime to make it look good, although I may put in another battery to stop light dimming.

I also relocated the battery to the back. This helps weight distrubution like less than 1% and get power to your amp quicker. Makes your alternator work a lot harder too.

If you keep your battery in the front 4 guage is fine, i ran 2 guage in my truck, although I had 4 amps, with a combined wattage over 3000RMS. Ths #@%#@%#@%#@% was real lud, you could hear it a block away. This wouldn't be capable in a DSM because it would rattle it apart.

Good Luck!

Joe
I will post pics of my setup soon!

 

[jlbf]

I ran my wire to the battery. Took up that board in the trunk, drilled a hole and ran the wire with the fuel line right up to the battery.

 

[Laser-man]

i ran my wire through the passenger side door where the wires go to the door, you cant see it or anyhing you have to run it between the hood and where the window starts then down to that hole, easyst way i could figuere sinse my glove box was locked and i could not get it opened, and no it does not look getto, i hte it when you can see this big @ss red wire hanging out og peoples cars but that is just what i did, just a sugestion

 

[magecite]

ok thanks alot guys, i'll probly just drill a hole through my fire wall and run 8 guage wire along the the fuel pump wire i might even change the fuel put wire to a better gauge along the way thanks guys.

 

[Enraged78]

The easiest way to run a 4-gauge wire through the firewall is through the upper right corner of the retention ring of the steering column. If you look under the dash, and find the rubber boot of the steering column, you will find five bolts around it in a star pattern. You want to drill between the two bolts in the metal ring, about 2 O'clock. Be careful to drill straight, however, as you will nick the boot on the other side if you are off. 4 Gauge wire is really easy to route around the pedals if you drill there. Do NOT drill on the other side, as you will hit your brake lines.

 

[PropXprt]

since we are on the subject of amps; how hard is an amp on our stock alternators ( i have a 92 2.0L Turbo)?? just curious

 

[Joe's_GSX]

Well when I turn my bass up the stock alternator makes a terrbile screeching sound. I haven't been able to get it worked out, I need to tighten the blet, although the Canadian Galant VR4 has a 90AMP alternator. This is better than stock, if anybody knows a better alternator replacemnet make a post!

Joe

 

[9D9 MITSU RS]

My wire doesn't show. It is routed along the side of the carpet, and thru the firewall. The only way to my knowledge to wire an amp is with a wiring kit and a battery.

 

[Johnny5]

You definetly need to run a thick gauged power wire directly from your battery and with a fuse. Easiest way is straight through an opening in your firewall or you can run it down under your car and come up through the floorboards, just try to keep as much of the wire "inside" the car as possible.

 

[magecite]

Thanks for all the replys guys, this is what I did. I drilled a hole through the passanger side of the firewall. First I ran my boost controler wire I never hooked up to the boost controler. I hooked up 8 guage wire to my battery ran through the hole I also undid the 2 carpet fastners took off the 2 plasic guards that sit around the bottom of the door, lifted up th carpet, ran the wire underneath the carpet, behind to wood molding (never new that was there), and finaly behind the big plasic panel where the 6x9 is. I hot glued the hole and put everything back together. can't see a thing, there's just barly no room for the 10 inch sub to be without taking off the trunk panel thinggy time to make a a custom one. thanks again guys...