Herokight Posted March 24, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 24, 2012 (edited) Also check your local hardware or electronics stores for a Multimeter you can pick one up for about 10.00 that will do the job. Test the voltage at the battery while the car is running then test the voltage at the amp with the car running. Then while the car is running idle turn the volume just below the point where the amp protects and test the voltage again at the battery then at the amp. You will notice you will have voltage drop even when the radio is not on. Then when you play your radio your voltage drop will be more significant. I'm trying to figure out what you mean by "even when the radio is not on" *EDIT* Ok. I got you now. I'll do that too. Edited March 24, 2012 by Herokight Quote Lane AKA HeroKight '96 Jeep Cherokee Classic 4x4 R.I.P. Molliboo $200 for new tires, on a jeep!? Is she stealing them or building them with a heat gun and rubber bands? You hear that????That's a category 5 shit storm coming n8: hey you doing today. What's it like being a bitch? you can pm me if you'd like to explain why you arent one. Just like you did for your vs threads. ^^^Rules. Follow them.^^^ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bump4life Posted March 24, 2012 Report Share Posted March 24, 2012 goodluck with work and your financial situation man. it does take time to build up when money is tight. a lot of guys like me buy the stuff pieces at a time till its all done. hard work makes it even more exciting at the end. im a full time student, on the track team, so only tine to work is breaks and summer. but save up and it will all ocme together. i would recommend upgrading to 4 ga power and ground and see if that solves yojur problems. Probably gonna end up doing that. ESPECIALLY considering that parts of what I want are on clearance and dirt cheap. I'll get those first. Hee heh. 4awg here I come. I'll try that first, and see what I can do about a big 3 too. I just realized that the specs of my amp say to use 4awg power wire. How silly of me to overlook my amps booklet and go with a wiring kit the can handle "systems up to 1000 watts". Classic novice, right here. the big 3 is always a good idea, especially if your car is older which tends to mean smaller stock wiring, but with the power you are running now start with the 4 gauge and good ground and see what happens. you can always add. just trying to save you some cash. Quote Buyer/Seller Feedback Thread: http://www.stevemead...5015-bump4life/ MB C220 153 Trunk Car Build Log: http://www.stevemead...d/#entry1840136 MB C280 Ipad Dash SQ Build Log: http://www.stevemeadedesigns.com/board/topic/194484-bump4lifes-new-benz-tony-c-relay-kit-pictures-ce-electric-audison-front-stage-installed/ My SPL Log: http://www.stevemead...__fromsearch__1 BMW M340 xDrive Stock, for now. Corner Load 10" maybe soon. But does 10s in the 1/4... Best Scores out of a trunk 153.0 sealed legal full tilt clamped 5524 @ 42 hz 154+ windows down, 155+ kick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNewbie Posted March 24, 2012 Report Share Posted March 24, 2012 I have no clue how old the battery is up front. It's got pretty bad corrosion, and I thought it looked like it needed replacing when I was doing the install but I kinda (foolishly) ignored it. The positive is run from the battery, and the ground is bolted to some bare metal in the back. A friend suggested bolting straight to the frame, but I haven't tried it yet. High school student, working at Mcdonalds at 8 bucks an hour.. not impossible. Applied for financial aid? Got a buddy in college is able to pay for college and audio with it. Just got to learn to budget broski. I live at home and my dad's been outta work for a couple of years, so I end up spending all but the $50 I can put back every two weeks on my own gas and food to lighten his load. Didn't say it was impossible, just said it was hard. Haha. Funny you mention financial aid. It's partly how I could afford the system I have now. That and the fact that my previous car was hit and totalled in December and I got most of that while my dad got the rest, and used that and more to buy me a new car for Christmas out of the money he had put back. Had to have a way to get to college and work. Problem now is that mine and my dad's savings are low because that was used for living expenses... They cut my hours, so I had some short pay checks.... Ahhh.. Well YOU CAN DO IT save up man wish you the best of luck. Quote Check out my build log: http://www.stevemead...60#entry1958353 Different folks have different strokes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herokight Posted March 24, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 24, 2012 Thanks guys! Gotta hold in there til May 6th. After that, I'm working 30-40hrs a week til August. That's over twice what it takes for me to live on my average weekly budget, so I can put more money back! I pick the most expensive damn hobbies... I'll get my hands on some 4awg as soon as I can. Might just have to keep it low for now. And, out of curiosity, should 14awg speaker wire be sufficient? Quote Lane AKA HeroKight '96 Jeep Cherokee Classic 4x4 R.I.P. Molliboo $200 for new tires, on a jeep!? Is she stealing them or building them with a heat gun and rubber bands? You hear that????That's a category 5 shit storm coming n8: hey you doing today. What's it like being a bitch? you can pm me if you'd like to explain why you arent one. Just like you did for your vs threads. ^^^Rules. Follow them.^^^ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hotdog Posted March 24, 2012 Report Share Posted March 24, 2012 (edited) I'm trying to figure out what you mean by "even when the radio is not on" What I am saying is you will have voltage drop even if the radio is off. If you take a multimeter and test your voltage at the battery then take the multimeter and test your voltage at the amp there will be some voltage drop. you could be for instance 13.8 volts at the battery and only 13.5 volts at the amp. Now when you turn the car on and turn your radio on and you test the same two points you will have more voltage drop that is why you see people with big systems running multipal runs of 1/0 wire. Even if it is more then they need, they do it so they have less voltage drop from front to back. Edited March 24, 2012 by Hotdog Quote (NEW) 2004 F-150 Build Log -->http://www.stevemeadedesigns.com/board/topic/192208-hotdogs-f-150-build-log/ 2003 Mercury Mountaineer Build Log --> http://www.stevemeadedesigns.com/board/topic/114380-hotdogs-2003-mountaineer-build-log-20-removed/page__gopid__1602379#entry1602379 2008 Equinox Build Log --> http://www.stevemead...g/#entry1475764 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNewbie Posted March 24, 2012 Report Share Posted March 24, 2012 Honestly man, I might be willing to send you some 4gauge Knu for dirt cheap. Just depends if I figure out this whole shipping thing :l Quote Check out my build log: http://www.stevemead...60#entry1958353 Different folks have different strokes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hotdog Posted March 24, 2012 Report Share Posted March 24, 2012 I'll get my hands on some 4awg as soon as I can. Might just have to keep it low for now. And, out of curiosity, should 14awg speaker wire be sufficient? yes Quote (NEW) 2004 F-150 Build Log -->http://www.stevemeadedesigns.com/board/topic/192208-hotdogs-f-150-build-log/ 2003 Mercury Mountaineer Build Log --> http://www.stevemeadedesigns.com/board/topic/114380-hotdogs-2003-mountaineer-build-log-20-removed/page__gopid__1602379#entry1602379 2008 Equinox Build Log --> http://www.stevemead...g/#entry1475764 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herokight Posted March 24, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 24, 2012 I'm trying to figure out what you mean by "even when the radio is not on" What I am saying is you will have voltage drop even if the radio is off. If you take a multimeter and test your voltage at the battery then take the multimeter and test your voltage at the amp there will be some voltage drop. you could be for instance 13.8 volts at the battery and only 13.5 volts at the amp. Now when you turn the car on and turn your radio on and you test the same two points you will have more voltage drop I see what you mean now. I'll get to checking that too. It'll probably be a bit before I can upgrade my power wire. Just gotta take it easy til I can. Quote Lane AKA HeroKight '96 Jeep Cherokee Classic 4x4 R.I.P. Molliboo $200 for new tires, on a jeep!? Is she stealing them or building them with a heat gun and rubber bands? You hear that????That's a category 5 shit storm coming n8: hey you doing today. What's it like being a bitch? you can pm me if you'd like to explain why you arent one. Just like you did for your vs threads. ^^^Rules. Follow them.^^^ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bump4life Posted March 24, 2012 Report Share Posted March 24, 2012 if i had cash id help a brother out but im scraping together money for my wiring ahha. and 14 gauge for the power your running should be fine. personally, i love 10 gauge karma SS from knukonceptz, but im running more power than you.when i had a JL 500/1 a while back and noticed signicant increase in owend reproduction when i went to 12 gauge wire from 16 gauge. so im sure the 14 gauge should be doing you fine. if you get more power though ever get some bigger wire. it never hurts Quote Buyer/Seller Feedback Thread: http://www.stevemead...5015-bump4life/ MB C220 153 Trunk Car Build Log: http://www.stevemead...d/#entry1840136 MB C280 Ipad Dash SQ Build Log: http://www.stevemeadedesigns.com/board/topic/194484-bump4lifes-new-benz-tony-c-relay-kit-pictures-ce-electric-audison-front-stage-installed/ My SPL Log: http://www.stevemead...__fromsearch__1 BMW M340 xDrive Stock, for now. Corner Load 10" maybe soon. But does 10s in the 1/4... Best Scores out of a trunk 153.0 sealed legal full tilt clamped 5524 @ 42 hz 154+ windows down, 155+ kick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herokight Posted March 24, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 24, 2012 Honestly man, I might be willing to send you some 4gauge Knu for dirt cheap. Just depends if I figure out this whole shipping thing :l There's two car audio shops right down the road from my house, pretty much literally. I think I'm gonna stop by there after school one day next week and see what they'd charge for some wire. Problem is, one of them is one of those places that'll wanna do it for me and charge me for it. I hate going in there. Some of those guys are pretty cool and just like to talk about stuff, show you what you could do, give you ideas and whatnot. The rest of them always seem like they're trying to pressure you into buying something and letting them do an install for you. Don't get me wrong, I've seen them do some pretty damn sweet installs, but $125 and up for a 5 channel amp seems a little steep to me. Quote Lane AKA HeroKight '96 Jeep Cherokee Classic 4x4 R.I.P. Molliboo $200 for new tires, on a jeep!? Is she stealing them or building them with a heat gun and rubber bands? You hear that????That's a category 5 shit storm coming n8: hey you doing today. What's it like being a bitch? you can pm me if you'd like to explain why you arent one. Just like you did for your vs threads. ^^^Rules. Follow them.^^^ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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