Installing Amp - where to get power from?

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PeteE30Tourer
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Post Sat May 07, 2005 9:29 am

I'm considering beefing up my average head unit with a 4-channel amp as i've already upgraded the speakers front and rear, plus all the cabling to them.

I'd prefer to keep the job simple by installing the amp in the front of the car somewhere, so i need some suggestions on where it could go and where i can take a power feed from please. I guess the power needs to be switched otherwise the amp would be powered up all the time when the car is left parked up.

Just need loads of advice really.

I'm considering getting one of these - seems a good deal and i dont want to spend any more than this really.

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Post Sat May 07, 2005 9:40 am

the amp needs powing from the battie it has a swicted power off the headunit so its goes on and off with the headunit
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Jos
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Post Sat May 07, 2005 12:46 pm

Yup, take a large cable (10 AWG) from your battery +ve (I also take one from the -ve but you don't have to) and run it to the amp. Make sure you have a fuse (40A) on the +ve one as near to the battery as possible. You will also need a 'Remote Switch' line from the headunit to the amp, this tells the amp to come on only when the headunit is on. Most headunits have this on them, its sometimes labelled as Electric Ariel

Placement in the front is a bit limited, under the passenger seat would possibly be best, or in the glovebox (if it fits).
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Post Sat May 07, 2005 1:00 pm

yep, you have to power it straight from battery. then a remote wire (should be blue) from your stereo connects to the amp. if you wanna put the amp in the front i guess best bet is glovebox or under passenger seat as said above. But you have to remember that you need to ground the amp to some point on the body.
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Jos
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Post Sat May 07, 2005 1:08 pm

Or as it's only a short run just run it directly back to the battery -ve. Putting 2 wires in is not much more work than running 1 in. That way it avoids all bad earthing and earth loop issuse.
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Post Sat May 07, 2005 3:52 pm

if you drop the golvebox down there's space above it up in the dash, above the smooth black plastic tray that sits up there forming the 'ceiling' of the glovebox. it might fit in there.

best to earth it as close to the amp as possible to avoid earth loop issues!!

the remote on lead is (typically) either blue or blue-white striped.

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Post Sat May 07, 2005 10:24 pm

ther is alos space behind the centre console underneath the heater controls
Pete its ben Who you spoke to last Surrey meet if you are around surry one wkend i can do it for you for a Pint
Regards Fowler 8) :cool:
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PeteE30Tourer
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Post Sun May 08, 2005 10:31 pm

fowler wrote:ther is alos space behind the centre console underneath the heater controls
Pete its ben Who you spoke to last Surrey meet if you are around surry one wkend i can do it for you for a Pint
Regards Fowler 8) :cool:
That's very decent of you Ben - i may take you up on that the next time we're over to see the out-laws in Sutton.
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Post Sun May 08, 2005 10:38 pm

ok mate not a problem
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