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Installing Amps |
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| Every amp requires 3
types of inputs; 12 volt power, 12 volt turn on, and signal inputs. The
amp also requires 2 types of outputs; 12 volt ground and speaker outputs.
I will walk through each connection separately.
Since I was installing two amps I also needed some extra parts; a fuse block to split power for both amps with separate fuses, and a grounding block to tie all the grounding wires together before grounding to the chassis. I also had to orientate my wires so that I can fold down my seats together or independently with out pulling wires. This picture was taken near the end of my instillation. |
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| Inputs 12 Volt Power - To power the amp a wire needs to be run directly from the battery to the amp. This wire needs to be large, depending on the max power of your amp. I used 8 AWG wires with an inline 30 Amp fuse near the battery. I ran the cable through the firewall in the same location that I list under tips. I than ran the cable along the drivers side to the rear of the car paying careful attention no to run it against any sheet metal where it could become worn and grounded. The 12 volt power plugs directly into the amp, in my case it is split to both amps in a fuse box first. 12 Volt Turn On - The amp my have power but it needs to know when to turn on. The wire used to turn on the amp needs to be associated with a system that only has power when the car is turned on. The best solution is to connect to the radio since the amps will only be used when the audio system is on. I connected my 12 volt turn on to the radio's main power. I removed the fuse for the radio and installed an external fuse for it. This gave me enough room to add an extra wire to the radio's power source. I ran the wire with the 12 volt power wire. Signal Inputs - When I first installed the amps I used the rear speaker inputs as the input signal. This proved to give poor quality so I tapped into the Saab 8 pin preamp cable to provide my amps with a clear signal. This allowed for me to use the RCA inputs on the amps. I ran the RCA wire from the splice that I made along the passenger side to the amps. Outputs 12 Volt Ground - The grounding wire is the same gauge as the power wire and is grounded to the chassis. The grounding location must be clear of paint and clean to provide a good connection. It should also be away form other electrical grounds to avoid distortion. I grounded my amps below the driver's side 6x9 speaker. Speaker Outputs - These wires run to the speakers and provide them with power. They should be kept short and away from power wires to avoid distortion. |
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