Install noob - Not so noob kit - Some questions

[matt|H]

Planning on starting my install tomorrow but just want to clear up the steps before starting.

I have two components, tweeters, crossovers, subs, an amp and cap to put in.

The two subs, amp and cap will be in the boot (this will later be replaced with a single sub stealth install - just using what I've got for now) and the comps, tweets and crossovers are going up front. Rear speakers are being completely removed (..at least, for now).

1. Speaker wire.
I understand speaker wire needs to be seperated from the power cable. If I run the RCA cables and speaker cables down both sides and the power cable down the middle this would be ok? How much trouble is it taking up carpet to get it all in?

2. Ground cable.
Where's the best place in the back of the car for this?

3. 6.5" comps in doors.
They're not very deep speakers... would I simply need to create some MDF rings for these to fit or will I need to hack out some door for the magnets?

4. Power.
The amp is a 2KW amp. As stupid as it sounds, I don't really plan on using this install all that much. I know this is going to kill my batt/alternator but will I be OK using standard until I can actually afford to replace these? Read about split-charge systems - does this require a new alternator to help charge?

5. Think I can do it?
Full weekend and first ever install. Plenty of guides here to help me with certain bits but I'm not entirely sure if I can actually get this all in myself!

Thanks for any comments (even bad ones :/ )!

 

[AlexG]

ive been doing my wiring the last two days,

was going to take the carpet up but you have to take the seats out which is a mission.
ive got 2 sets of rca and a speaker wire going down right side, and power and rem going down the left side. the speaker wire to the left hand door i have just tucked under the carpet and is about 10cm away from the power lead so should be fine.

i tried 2 earth spots yesturday and i found the best one is the bolt between the split in the rear seats. 13mm i think, just unbolt it and scrape some paint off and do it back up and it works fine.

there is a guide on here about the speakers and fitting bigger ones. just take the door card off and make mdf baffle for them then cut the door card section out and it should fit.

as for the 2000w amp i think that is too much for the standard battery

 

[matt|H]

Thanks.

Are your cables on top of the carpet then?

 

[jessica_laurie]

Why do you run the cables on different sides of the car?

 

[matt|H]

The power through the power cable interferes with the signal through the speaker cable so they need to be seperated.

 

[jessica_laurie]

how would you know the difference?

 

[Budgie]

One links the amp to the battery, the other links the amp to the head unit.....

 

[matt|H]

how would you know the difference?

Difference between what?

 

[AlexG]

no they are all hidden behind the trims running down the sides of the car, what i ment was the speaker cable is just tucked under the carpet and the power cable is in the trim so they are about 10cm apart from each other. i dont think i will get any interferance from that distance so it should be okay.

more sound deadening should be arriving tomorrow so i can take the door cards off and doo them then do the rear quaters and the tailgate.

the hardest but i found was getting the cable through into the doors. took me about 2 hours the first time to do the right door. today i done the left and i done it in about 40mins it is very fidely and you need a lot of patience.

what gauge power lead are you running because i dont think you will be able to put it under the carpet without getting a huge bulge

 

[matt|H]

I've got 2-gauge... pretty thick.

Having it show through the carpet a bit doesn't bother me... as long as the actual cable isn't visible I'll be happy.

 

[AlexG]

mines 4 awg and it was a b*****d to get through the bonnet release grommit. what i ended up doing is pulling the grommit though into the foot well then cutting it slightly so its big enough to take the cable, then pass the cable through from the engine bay and through the grommit then put the grommit back in the hole. you need to move the PAS fluid resivour too to get to the hole from the engine bay.

 

[matt|H]

If I can't get it through I'll just drill another. No problem!

 

[AlexG]

if you run the power cable down the middle of the car you will need to take the carpet up, which will mean u need to take the seat or seats out. under the carpet is a think foam like underlay so i suppose you could cut a groove in that an run the cable in it so it won't be as much of a bump.

 

[matt|H]

I'm not too sure if I fancy taking all the seats out.

Sounds like an epic task tbh.

 

[AlexG]

i thought oright ill just pull the seats out easy peasy. could not be bothered doing them in the end. as long as your cables are not touching and they have a decent distance between them. it should be fine i think.

 

[TJB182]

Seats are just 4 bolts from the underside of the car. Couldnt be easier. Putting the carpet back down looking right would be the harder task.

 

[AlexG]

ive still got a couple of days work on mine doing the sound deadening and the boot build. you should be able to do it in 2 days though if you are not building anything in the boot.

 

[wallop]

Where is Mr Dink????

Perfect response for him.....

Interference isn't an issue, power supply is 'DC' not 'AC'....

If you pick up interference it will be due to either a faulty electrical item or a ground loop.....(unless your running RCAs from local 'pound shop').....

I often run power & signal cables together with no issues thus far.....

Is your amp 2k rms or 2k peak/max ???

With regards the power crap;
These are merely a small reserve of power, once discharged they then recharge, this cycle can happen many times a second, in any case its still another load on your charge circuit.....I wouldn't fit it....


All other points seem to have been covered.....

Search for posts made by me, there is some info regarding amp wiring sequence that you should read.....

 

[matt|H]

It's 2K peak... not sure on RMS.

I was only going to fit the power "crap" because I had it. One recommendation not to fit it is good enough reason not to.

Will do some searching when I get home from work - thanks.

 

[AlexG]

cheers for clearing up the interferance issue wallop. its good to know that it wont cause problems

 

[agithegreat]

I thought a small amount of interference was inherent in the alternator. During the rectification stage not all the "peaks and troughs" so to speak technical, are removed, and so you can get whine there.
I coudl well be VERY wrong, but i read that soemwhere a LONG time ago!
I found the bolts for the iso fix bar quite good for the ground. Well it works on my amps at the moment. I'll let you know how it does when i get my 1201.1, and i've got 1500watts going to into it (component amp as well before you ask !)

 

[wallop]

It's 2K peak... not sure on RMS.

I was only going to fit the power "crap" because I had it. One recommendation not to fit it is good enough reason not to.

Will do some searching when I get home from work - thanks.

2kw peak, would equate to an rms figure anywhere between 500w to 1kw.....

A stock charge circuit will usually take around 1kw rms to 1.5kw rms before serious issues come to light.....

Without further info I can only make guesses, so the following is merely that, guesswork....

1, Amp will only achieve full output playing 0 dB tones into its lowest impedance, (or bridged if 2ch)....FACT....
2, Amp will only achieve max current draw playing as above....FACT
3, If your simply playing music, both output & draw will be greatly reduced....FACT

I would guess, (no idea what size batt/alt you have), that an ADDED battery to chassis earth to match your new power cable will do for now, then simply look for an uprated/larger battery as winter, (dark nights & colder temps), set in.....If stereo will be seeing light use at only moderate volumes then you may be OK with stock battery......AS STATED "GUESSWORK"....

 

[matt|H]

Thanks for that. I've started fitting cables now... all going pretty well!

So you think I'll be fine with standard battery but would benefit from an uprated battery at the front?


Edit - How the hell do I get RCA cables up to the back of the headunit? I have one down driver side and it's now just sitting in the footwell whilst I try to figure how it gets up there lol.

 

[matt|H]

Aha got it. Found a nice hole to go through eventually.

 

[AlexG]

you taking the seats out then?

 

[matt|H]

Nope! So far I've got;
- Power cable down middle of car. Cable is visible between gearstick and handbrake (will get some pics up later). I could have hidden it but didn't fancy cutting any carpet! Will probably get some carpet wrapped around it to sort of hide it..
- Speaker cable + RCA cable down right side completely hidden.
- Speaker cable down left side completely hidden (will also have an RCA to go with it once I get hold of one later tonight).

Got to do;
- Power cable into engine bay, onto battery.
- Ground cable.
- Crossovers/Components/Tweeters fitted and wired.

On track to finish tomorrow methinks.

 

[matt|H]

Please excuse the unhoovered carpet lol.

It doesn't look great, but that's the only visible part of the power cable and I will, eventually, get around to hiding it (either cutting carpet or covering it with carpet.. though I don't think that'd look too good).

 

[AlexG]

thats not too bad, wrap it in something is quite a good idea so it looks the same colour as the carpet.

 

[Jamie]

dont look that bad my 0awg was i b**ch 2 run but its all done now (thanks stevo172-RWD)

 

[matt|H]

Is this bolt a good place for the ground? Obviously taking off the black paint first.

 

[agithegreat]

Yeh thats the bolt i used. VERY tight the thread is, and you need to remove the paint on the bare chassis, not just on the bar that goes across!
The bolt also gets a bit sticky in palces. But be persistent. And what i ddi was coat the entire bolt in WD40 and the thread i9nto the chassis. Goes in and out more smoothly now, but still bloody tight!

Makes a great ground though, so far. When i get my 2 rear batteries, i hope it lives up as well as it has so far!

 

[matt|H]

Cool will do that tomorrow and test the amp then.

 

[agithegreat]

Yeh just check the voltage drop if you have a multimeter. Run it full whack ( well before clip ) on a 0db test tone (realmofexcursion.com) Then measure voltage across the battery, then across the amp power terminals. If the values are only a few 0.1's out then thats great! Power supply is ok. If not, try re-doing the earth! If it still drops low on the new earth, then i think your 4gauge is too small ( i didn't say that though)

 

[matt|H]

It's a 2 AWG kit.

I'm gonna go Halfrauds tomorrow and grab a multimeter... want to do this properly.

 

[agithegreat]

Stuff halfords, try maplins, or a local hardware store. Damn, even B and Q and get one sub £5!

And it just looked small for 2 gauge!

 

[matt|H]

Think my Dad's got one somewhere. If not then I'll take your advice and go B&Q or something.

 

[AlexG]

that bolt was tight on mine. i used the one inbetween the split in the rear seats.

 

[matt|H]

Decided to use some of this tacky plastic tubing around the power cable to make it less obvious. Better than bright blue cable but still not great. Will do for now...

Not liking this 'ISO bar' (that's what it's called?) bolt.

There's a bolt where you put the strut bar ('strut tower'?).. is this suitable?

My power cable goes through a gap between the rear seats.. will it still be ok to have a ground cable run there too? Is it the bolt in this picture?

Sorry about all the pictures! lol

 

[matt|H]

Found another possible earth location. Right under the plastic trim on the edge of the boot there's a threaded hole with no bolt (same on both sides). Looks quite bare and perfect size for the terminal on my cable which could be fed under the plastic to have direct contact with the metal.

(the right one)

 

[AlexG]

it is called the isofix bar mate and i got it out even though it was well tough and i found that it was too fat for my terminal on the end of my earth lead lol. the picture where the power lead comes through is where i earthed mine. if you unbolt it and scrape the paint off then put the terminal from under neath you wont be able to see the wire much. hard to explain ill get you a pic in a mine in a minute!