How to make sure my electrical system can handle 6000 watts, 4 questions ***ADDED PICS ON PAGE 4***

[Kenyel Dotts]

The fuse amperage and wire size is determind by the power, load, length and resistance of equipment you are installing.

Yes, you would choose power wire size based on the power you draw (consume) from the load. And going over this is usually advisable and helpful to reduce voltage drop.

So let's use an example.

Lets say I have a 2000W amp, and upgraded battery under the hood. And a 200A alternator

The alternator would supply current to the battery at a rating of 200A max.

So based on my wire chart I have in my hands. if the wire length is under 5ft long, I can use 4awg OFC from the alt to the battery.

If over 5ft I should use at least 2awg which will give me 300A capabilities.

If I want to fuse this, I would choose a fuse between 200A and 300A. Since 200A is the max output of the alt, I wouldnt want a fuse lower than this because it can blow under normal operation.

Also, you would not want to go over 300A since the wire cannot carry that much current anyway and the fuse will never blow in the event of a short.

So now from the battery to the amp.

If the amp can output a legit 2000W and is 70% efficient, it will consume up to 2857W. At the lowest operating voltage of 10V. This would draw about 285.7A. Now lets say that we need 15ft of power wire from the batt to the amp.

Again I refer to my power wire chart that shows 15ft of 1/0awg OFC capable of 300A. 2awg is only 200A and 1/0awg CCA is 240A. So I go with 1/0 OFC.

My fuse 12" from the batt should be between 285.7A and 300A. Since if lower than that, it could blow under normal operation and if over that it may never blow. So 300A fuse would work here. If any longer than 15ft then I may want to add more lengths of wire since my chart does show 16ft-20ft 1/0awg OFC as capable of carrying only 250A.

It's a tight fit.

I tip my hat to you sir. He is so on point. excellent!

I have to ask all the guys that stated they blown there amps before the fuse blew out you to pay attention to this post because this man just put it down for you. awesome

[Kenyel Dotts]

Basicly if you are going to protect the copper from grounding as every is talking about you would have to fuse every brake in that wire run from the alt to your equipment.

from alt to fuse to wire, from wire to fuse to bat, from bat to fuse to wire, from wire to fuse to secondary battery, (if this is part of set up) from battery to fuse to wire then wire to fuse to amp.

with second bat from battery to battery it can short out on either end

Yes, fusing near each power source and split or reduction in wire size is a standard used by professional installers, MECP regulations. And SQ competition organizations such as IASCA.

If you go to an IASCA competition where they judge install and you dont have a fuse 12" or less from any battery, you get points deducted. If you have a distribution block that splits 1 length of 1/0awg into 2) 4awgs and you do not fuse the 4 awgs, or even if the fuses are more than 12" away, you get points deducted.

Good stuff I didn't no that. that is good to no.

see I don't no it all.

[HHR Ed]

The fuse amperage and wire size is determind by the power, load, length and resistance of equipment you are installing.

Yes, you would choose power wire size based on the power you draw (consume) from the load. And going over this is usually advisable and helpful to reduce voltage drop.

So let's use an example.

Lets say I have a 2000W amp, and upgraded battery under the hood. And a 200A alternator

The alternator would supply current to the battery at a rating of 200A max.

So based on my wire chart I have in my hands. if the wire length is under 5ft long, I can use 4awg OFC from the alt to the battery.

If over 5ft I should use at least 2awg which will give me 300A capabilities.

If I want to fuse this, I would choose a fuse between 200A and 300A. Since 200A is the max output of the alt, I wouldnt want a fuse lower than this because it can blow under normal operation.

Also, you would not want to go over 300A since the wire cannot carry that much current anyway and the fuse will never blow in the event of a short.

So now from the battery to the amp.

If the amp can output a legit 2000W and is 70% efficient, it will consume up to 2857W. At the lowest operating voltage of 10V. This would draw about 285.7A. Now lets say that we need 15ft of power wire from the batt to the amp.

Again I refer to my power wire chart that shows 15ft of 1/0awg OFC capable of 300A. 2awg is only 200A and 1/0awg CCA is 240A. So I go with 1/0 OFC.

My fuse 12" from the batt should be between 285.7A and 300A. Since if lower than that, it could blow under normal operation and if over that it may never blow. So 300A fuse would work here. If any longer than 15ft then I may want to add more lengths of wire since my chart does show 16ft-20ft 1/0awg OFC as capable of carrying only 250A.

It's a tight fit.

I tip my hat to you sir. He is so on point. excellent!

I have to ask all the guys that stated they blown there amps before the fuse blew out you to pay attention to this post because this man just put it down for you. awesome

Thank you.

I can get more in to fast acting fuse vs. slow acting fuses also but the MECA competitors out there would know more about that.

[HHR Ed]

Also, let it be known. I am like some of you guys out there and I don't always use fuses. There is the mentality that you would make your wires secure and your amps are solid and all that so you don't really need them.

But what if you get into an accident and metal ends up piercing power wire somewhere?

This can blow amps, or worse, catch your car on fire while you sit there getting your insurance card out.

[Kenyel Dotts]

I have a vfl 400.1 and I have two runs of welding wire for power and two for ground. I am not 100% sure if it is 400 amps on each positive or is it just 400 amps in total ( have to call American bass). In the case that it is 400 amps each then I may have to run 4 more 8ft runs 1/0 welding wire to my amplifier (2x neg 2 x pos) with 2x1 adapter.

[Kenyel Dotts]

Also, let it be known. I am like some of you guys out there and I don't always use fuses. There is the mentality that you would make your wires secure and your amps are solid and all that so you don't really need them.

But what if you get into an accident and metal ends up piercing power wire somewhere?

This can blow amps, or worse, catch your car on fire while you sit there getting your insurance card out.

LMAO so true

[HHR Ed]

I have a vfl 400.1 and I have two runs of welding wire for power and two for ground. I am not 100% sure if it is 400 amps on each positive or is it just 400 amps in total ( have to call American bass). In the case that it is 400 amps each then I may have to run 4 more 8ft runs 1/0 welding wire to my amplifier (2x neg 2 x pos) with 2x1 adapter.

From what I know about that amp, it can draw around 500A total. But I think they rate it 400A total. The 500A figure is based on optimal power levels and if you are running a very low ohm load on the woofers.

But that's just based on figures from others, I never used that amp myself.

[Kenyel Dotts]

Yeah like a dumb ass I used breakers from the front of the car to the rear but from battery to amp NO FUSE.

I think the breakers are part creating resistence for me. I have to check it one day

[Kenyel Dotts]

I have a vfl 400.1 and I have two runs of welding wire for power and two for ground. I am not 100% sure if it is 400 amps on each positive or is it just 400 amps in total ( have to call American bass). In the case that it is 400 amps each then I may have to run 4 more 8ft runs 1/0 welding wire to my amplifier (2x neg 2 x pos) with 2x1 adapter.

From what I know about that amp, it can draw around 500A total. But I think they rate it 400A total. The 500A figure is based on optimal power levels and if you are running a very low ohm load on the woofers.

But that's just based on figures from others, I never used that amp myself.

I am running at 1.3 ohms. I am a ass I could just use ohm's law to figure this out. just thought of it

[HHR Ed]

Yeah like a dumb ass I used breakers from the front of the car to the rear but from battery to amp NO FUSE.

I think the breakers are part creating resistence for me. I have to check it one day

I've known of a few breakers made by Stinger or Tsunami specifically for car audio. But I never checked to see if they had much resistance. That may be something to measure and warn people about but I guess it depends on the breakers, I would think that much like fuses, cheaper ones are not as accurate to their rating.