How could i test my amp at home?

S@njay · 24 Oct 2006 at 18:17

I have a small amp and sub that i installed in my old car, now i'm missing the sub sound as the mondeo speakers are pap. So i intend to use the sub for the midrange to fill the sound gap in the car.

I dont know weather the amp and sub is still working (been in the garage for a year!) so before i buy a wiring kit, how could i test the amp?

What would i use as + and earth, and what would i use a the "remote" signal? Could i use a multiplug or a car battery charger?

Dont have a spare car battery at home so thats a no go

Magic_x_uk · 24 Oct 2006 at 18:19

perhaps a old PC PSU use the 12V from that ?

dadofsam · 24 Oct 2006 at 18:33

A 12v line form a PSU will work, then short the rmeote and +, or is it remote and earth terminals together, works a treat, used a VIBE 10" active sub once to add a littl punch to a system in a Village production and worked a treat.

-Mike- · 24 Oct 2006 at 18:44

Its the +12v and the remote not the negative :eek:

BenST · 24 Oct 2006 at 19:53

Don't forget to short out pins 14 & 15 to make the ATX power supply work.

S@njay · 25 Oct 2006 at 14:55

just about to try iy now, what are the 12v lines on the end of the connector block of the psu?

squiffy · 25 Oct 2006 at 14:57

Best to use a 12v lead acid battery really.

wizardmaxx · 25 Oct 2006 at 14:57

Yellow and black on one of the molex connectors.

S@njay · 25 Oct 2006 at 15:00

wizardmaxx said:
Yellow and black on one of the molex connectors.

Thanks

I'm guessing yellow is + and black is - ?

wizardmaxx · 25 Oct 2006 at 15:01

S@njay · 25 Oct 2006 at 15:13

oooooh! it works!

Its soo bassy! Time for me to buy some 0 gauge power cables for the car! (think 0 gague is ott?)

Its only a 250watt(prolly 100rms) sony xplod and kenwood "tycoon" sub (12") in a custom made 1cubic foot sealed box.

Luke · 25 Oct 2006 at 15:24

er.. 0 gague is well over the top for that.
From memory, 4-8 should be ok.

agw_01 · 25 Oct 2006 at 15:24

Probably uses about 40 amps so 8 gauge will be fine... especially if it runs off a PC PSU.

monkeyspank · 25 Oct 2006 at 15:51

8 AWG kit will be fine and a LOT easier to route than 0 AWG

S@njay · 25 Oct 2006 at 15:59

Just been looking around for wiring kits, there so expencive and over priced!

Could i not just buy some 8AWG cable from homebase or B&Q? And some good connector blocks over the net?

Looks like your paying for some fancy cover over the cables, that no one will see!

agw_01 · 25 Oct 2006 at 16:14

Do DIY shops sell single core cable, I thought it was all 2 or 3 core.

The reason car audio cable is so thick and expensive is because it has to handle massive current going through it. Choose a cable not thick enough for the current and it'll melt, short out on the cars' chassis, and if it hasn't been fused at the battery, will set on fire.

Trust me, the expense is there for a reason.

Regarding the connector blocks, do you mean the screw clamp ones? Use one of those and they'll melt. With high current applications, you need a proper distribution block.

Ring Peace · 25 Oct 2006 at 16:29

Size of cable is proportional to current needed, most cables differ in only two ways, they are either made from copper or aluminium, and the properties of the sheath of the cable.

If you know what cable you want the cheapest place to get it is your local electrical wholesaler on your local industrial estate.

If you want to get "specialist audio cable" it will be more expensive but no different to that at the wholesaler.

wizardmaxx · 25 Oct 2006 at 16:32

Safe current handling for cables can be rounded off at 10A/mm squared. Fuse in the engine compartment is an absolute must though.

S@njay · 25 Oct 2006 at 16:32

agw_01 said:
Regarding the connector blocks, do you mean the screw clamp ones? Use one of those and they'll melt. With high current applications, you need a proper distribution block.

Taking your advice onboard!

The distribution block will have one heavy duty cable (4awg) from the + battery terminal. And from that block i will connect all my other connections that previously was on the + terminal?

In my old escort all i had was a cheapo wiring kit, with that was a plastic fuse holder (blade type) that connected to the battery terminal. Was that wrong?

S@njay · 26 Oct 2006 at 12:12

Brought a KnuKonceptz 8AWG wiring kit, so waiting for that to be delivered.

I'm just sorting out my sub box, and thinking of putting some wadding in there to make the box seem bigger (info from talk audio forum).

http://web.archive.org/web/20020808224043/integra.cyberglobe.net/caraudio/resources/fiberfill/

Either i am being stupid, but i cant work out my sub box volume, when i first made it i calculated it to be 1cubic foot. Now i forgot how to recalulate the area (just to be sure).

My box is aprox 1ft by 1ft by 0.6 ft (tiny i know!). According to me and new calculations its only 0.6 cubic ft? is that right?