Using a wire loom is also a good idea as well for protecting the wires from possible damage. DO NOT connect the power wires to the battery until you have completed the entire installation!Īfter routing the amp power wires, secure the wires so they do not chafe, rub, or hang down where they can be damaged. Many vehicles have drain holes or plugs that can be used to run the wires through. If you have to drill an opening in the firewall of the vehicle, it is usually easiest to drill next to the steering column. Use a grommet to protect the wires where they enter the cab or pass through sheet metal of the vehicle and seal it with some silicone adhesive. If your vehicle uses side post and you have one of these batteries, use the marine style connectors for the top posts with wing nuts to attach the amp power wires.) Route the amp power wires so they do not chafe or get exposed to exhaust heat that could melt or damage the insulation. (Suggestion: Some batteries come with top and side posts, this makes if very nice to attach your amp power wires. Place an appropriate size fuse or breaker at (or very near) your battery. Keep the amp power wires from running parallel to any coax you have or will be running. Plan out the power wires routing to the amp from the battery. Some amp manufactures have remote kits for turning on and off the amp if it is mounted where you can not readily access it while driving. Amps need ventilation, so choose a location that will not restrict the air follow around the amp and where it wont get water, coffee, or soft drinks spilled on or in it. Select the appropriate wire AWG from this list.
All fuses and breakers must be located directly at the battery(s). Breakers should be rated 25% higher than the appropriate fuse for the same application. Select the appropriate wire gage and fuse or breaker for the power needs of your amp.
Also, if the amp is rated at X watts RMS, the DK should be A½ of that. If your final amp is rated at X watts peak, the DK should be A¼ of that from the final amp. This may be 1 watt for some amps, 20 watts for other amps, just remember the ratio of 1:4 for best performance. Each amp is a little different and may require a different DK, so it is best to set the DK of the radio so the amp is putting out A¼ (25%) of its rated value.
#XFORCE AMPS HOW TO#
If you dont know how to do this, have a good shop set the DK for your amp. Turn your radio DK (Dead Key) down to about 2 watts. Some off the shelf amps can handle a little higher SWR, but the Comp boxes wont live very long with an SWR above 1.3:1. High SWR will cause the transistors to fail in the amp and possibly the radio. RG58 can handle 500 watts peak, RG8X (Mini 8) can handle 1000 watts peak, Times 240 can handle 2000 watts peak, and RG213 can handle 4000 watts peak. Also, make sure the coax can handle the peak power you plan to put through it. Make sure that your antenna can handle double the power youre going to put to it. Get the antenna SWR down to 1.3:1 or less on channels 1-40. Try to keep the grounds straps/wires to 12 inches or less. Grounding straps are the best, but heavy gage wire will work. Ground the hood (and trunk if a car), and doors (if using a mirror mount) to the body. Any more power than 1000 watts and you should all ready know what you are doing or get an expert to do the entire setup.) Ground the body (and bed if in a pickup) to the chassis. (Note: If you solder the terminals on, use a non-corrosive flux when you solder. Before attaching the wire, clean all connection areas down to a clean bare metal surface and then protect it from corrosion or oxidation after making the connection. All connection should be crimped and/or soldered with the appropriate terminals on to the power wires. Whatever size wire you choose, make sure it is very finely stranded, like welding cable. Ground everything! Ground the chassis to the battery with a 4AWG wire if you plan on running less than 500 watts and 1/0 if you plan on running 500-1000 watts. Now you need to get the vehicle ready to handle the power of the new amp. Make sure the positive charge wire(s) from the alternator is clear of any sharp metal objects and secure. Also add 4AWG ground wire from the alternator case to the chassis.
#XFORCE AMPS UPGRADE#
(For example, if your vehicle is large and has 100A alternator, this will leave about 60A to power your new amp.) It is recommended that you upgrade the charge wire from the alternator to the battery by paralleling a 4AWG or larger wire to the battery. This does not include any accessories you may have added. As a rule of thumb, smaller vehicles need about 30A to run the vehicle and larger vehicles need 40A or more. Make sure your vehicle alternator can handle the added power draw of the new amp.
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