Where is the best place to put your amp?
Correct me if I'm wrong, the further you place your amp from the power source (battery) the more loss of DC power you have that's why they recommend a larger gauge for further runs, but also the longer you speaker wires are you can have signal loss and wattage loss. Is a car small enough where these things don't come into play or is it better to choose one location over another.
Example: Lets say someone wants to add subs in a box it the trunk of a car. This person has the option of placing the amp inside the car under one of the front seats or it can be placed in the trunk. What location is better and why?
I know ya'll know the answer to this from experience. GRIN I'm throwing this concept out to help me decide on locationing items for my car.
Replies (10)
swez on 12/1/2006 15:17:25
There's no right or wrong answer for this one ravin. As you say, using the appropriate power wire gage is really the key issue here.
Since this is a small Import, the power wire run is well under 20 feet. So, we base the wire gage on how much power draw the amp(s) consume at full power. Use this as a general guide:
Under 40 amperes current, use #10 gage
Over 40, but under 60 A's, use #8
Over 60 A's, use #4
Over 100 A's use #2 or larger
As for speaker wire, subs that get under 1000 watts, use #12 gage line. If you have a very strong amp and subs, drop to #10 gage if you wish.
FYI: A 6 foot length of #12 gage can easily handle 2000 watts of continous power w/o measurable losses.
Swez
Victor on 12/1/2006 16:21:07
Ditto.... but something else to add to..
Amps should be ideally placed where there is lots of air circulation, the heat generated by amps is a lot and it needs lots of free air around to cool down well. mounting an amp under the seats is not generally a good option..
ravin on 12/2/2006 02:29:37
Thanks swez and vic for your input. I kind of wonderd if it would make a difference in such a short distance. When mounting an amp of 1000 watts or more should I be considering some type of fan to help circulate air? I live in the central valley of cali and in the summer there are many many tripple digit days, thats kind of why I thought that under the seat in the cab (where there's A/C) might help with heat. Maybe? What do you guys think.
cplkittle on 12/2/2006 03:23:48
Most of the time 2" of airspace on each side is fine as long as it is not in a sealed off space (small box). The trunk and or the front seat are both good locations.
When a transistor fries, it usually does so at an extremely high temperature (over 500 degrees). This is the most sensitive part of an amplifier, and most of the time this is the first item to self destruct. The few degrees difference your air conditioner will make will not affect the amplifier's performance.
Wire length is a little different. when considering loads of 1000+ watts, a high quality high grade wire should be used, and every foot you can spare will make a difference.
This really made me think, I didn't know that voltage dropped this much:
http://www.mypq.net/tools/voltagedrop.asp
ravin on 12/2/2006 03:40:45
Your right about the voltage drop kit. I was amazed also. Since were talking DC it's quite dramatic. There is an obvious reason why AC current was invented or else we could never get power to travel so far across wires! GRIN
swez on 12/2/2006 12:11:57
That's exactly why we use high voltage AC on power lines. The voltage drops are minimal when voltage is very high on long runs, and large gage wires are used.
You mentioned a 1000 watt amplifier earlier. There is a big difference from one amp brand to another. Some rate amplifers in PEAK watts while others rate them in continous power. (RMS) Some give both numbers. We look primarily at RMS watts. To know which is what, we look at the fuse requirements and max current draw.
Examples:
1. Legacy LA770 ($100.00)
2 Channel Amplification
2 x 500 Watts Output (PEAK)
1 x 1000 Watts Bridged Output
1000 Watts Total Output Peak (~175 RMS)
Fuse rating: 20 Amps
2. Alpine MRD-M1005 ($380.00)
1 Channel Class D MONO amp
700 watts x 1 at 4 ohms
1000 watts RMS x 1 at 2 ohms
Fuse rating: 80 Amps
See what I mean? Not even in the same zip code, much less the same home address. ALL AMPLIFIERS ARE NOT RATED ACCURATELY!!!
In this business, the consumer has to be smarter than the Slick Marketeers that pitch misleading data around.
Swez
ravin on 12/2/2006 14:29:34
The amp I was considering was a Diamond Audio D61000.1 amp.
swez on 12/2/2006 19:37:33
Now you're talking a quality brand amp and speaker maker! Diamonds are definitely a top 10 choice for most audiophiles and serious listeners. Good choice ravin!!! CLAP
Swez
ravin on 12/2/2006 20:03:31
Thanks swez, I feel the same about diamond since I heard them for the first time. I think they were hex. Also the first sub of theirs I heard was a M5 ten in a subzero encloser, I was drooling!! HAPPY
cplkittle on 12/2/2006 23:49:57
I have the models one year behind those (D5) I have a 1200.1, a 300.2, and a 600.4. These are awesome amplifiers, and I have never had a problem with them.
I have the 5.25 and the 6.5 hex components as well. Simply amazing!
I have some pictures :
http://new.photos.yahoo.com/cplkittle/albums
Correct me if I'm wrong, the further you place your amp from the power source (battery) the more loss of DC power you have that's why they recommend a larger gauge for further runs, but also the longer you speaker wires are you can have signal loss and wattage loss. Is a car small enough where these things don't come into play or is it better to choose one location over another.
Example: Lets say someone wants to add subs in a box it the trunk of a car. This person has the option of placing the amp inside the car under one of the front seats or it can be placed in the trunk. What location is better and why?
I know ya'll know the answer to this from experience. GRIN I'm throwing this concept out to help me decide on locationing items for my car.
Replies (10)
swez on 12/1/2006 15:17:25
There's no right or wrong answer for this one ravin. As you say, using the appropriate power wire gage is really the key issue here.
Since this is a small Import, the power wire run is well under 20 feet. So, we base the wire gage on how much power draw the amp(s) consume at full power. Use this as a general guide:
Under 40 amperes current, use #10 gage
Over 40, but under 60 A's, use #8
Over 60 A's, use #4
Over 100 A's use #2 or larger
As for speaker wire, subs that get under 1000 watts, use #12 gage line. If you have a very strong amp and subs, drop to #10 gage if you wish.
FYI: A 6 foot length of #12 gage can easily handle 2000 watts of continous power w/o measurable losses.
Swez
Victor on 12/1/2006 16:21:07
Ditto.... but something else to add to..
Amps should be ideally placed where there is lots of air circulation, the heat generated by amps is a lot and it needs lots of free air around to cool down well. mounting an amp under the seats is not generally a good option..
ravin on 12/2/2006 02:29:37
Thanks swez and vic for your input. I kind of wonderd if it would make a difference in such a short distance. When mounting an amp of 1000 watts or more should I be considering some type of fan to help circulate air? I live in the central valley of cali and in the summer there are many many tripple digit days, thats kind of why I thought that under the seat in the cab (where there's A/C) might help with heat. Maybe? What do you guys think.
cplkittle on 12/2/2006 03:23:48
Most of the time 2" of airspace on each side is fine as long as it is not in a sealed off space (small box). The trunk and or the front seat are both good locations.
When a transistor fries, it usually does so at an extremely high temperature (over 500 degrees). This is the most sensitive part of an amplifier, and most of the time this is the first item to self destruct. The few degrees difference your air conditioner will make will not affect the amplifier's performance.
Wire length is a little different. when considering loads of 1000+ watts, a high quality high grade wire should be used, and every foot you can spare will make a difference.
This really made me think, I didn't know that voltage dropped this much:
http://www.mypq.net/tools/voltagedrop.asp
ravin on 12/2/2006 03:40:45
Your right about the voltage drop kit. I was amazed also. Since were talking DC it's quite dramatic. There is an obvious reason why AC current was invented or else we could never get power to travel so far across wires! GRIN
swez on 12/2/2006 12:11:57
That's exactly why we use high voltage AC on power lines. The voltage drops are minimal when voltage is very high on long runs, and large gage wires are used.
You mentioned a 1000 watt amplifier earlier. There is a big difference from one amp brand to another. Some rate amplifers in PEAK watts while others rate them in continous power. (RMS) Some give both numbers. We look primarily at RMS watts. To know which is what, we look at the fuse requirements and max current draw.
Examples:
1. Legacy LA770 ($100.00)
2 Channel Amplification
2 x 500 Watts Output (PEAK)
1 x 1000 Watts Bridged Output
1000 Watts Total Output Peak (~175 RMS)
Fuse rating: 20 Amps
2. Alpine MRD-M1005 ($380.00)
1 Channel Class D MONO amp
700 watts x 1 at 4 ohms
1000 watts RMS x 1 at 2 ohms
Fuse rating: 80 Amps
See what I mean? Not even in the same zip code, much less the same home address. ALL AMPLIFIERS ARE NOT RATED ACCURATELY!!!
In this business, the consumer has to be smarter than the Slick Marketeers that pitch misleading data around.
Swez
ravin on 12/2/2006 14:29:34
The amp I was considering was a Diamond Audio D61000.1 amp.
swez on 12/2/2006 19:37:33
Now you're talking a quality brand amp and speaker maker! Diamonds are definitely a top 10 choice for most audiophiles and serious listeners. Good choice ravin!!! CLAP
Swez
ravin on 12/2/2006 20:03:31
Thanks swez, I feel the same about diamond since I heard them for the first time. I think they were hex. Also the first sub of theirs I heard was a M5 ten in a subzero encloser, I was drooling!! HAPPY
cplkittle on 12/2/2006 23:49:57
I have the models one year behind those (D5) I have a 1200.1, a 300.2, and a 600.4. These are awesome amplifiers, and I have never had a problem with them.
I have the 5.25 and the 6.5 hex components as well. Simply amazing!
I have some pictures :
http://new.photos.yahoo.com/cplkittle/albums
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