What is recommended?

[somebodyelse]

Hi I'm planning to pay a local shop to run my power wires but wanted to make sure they were selling me what I need. I'm planning on running up to 5k RMS including future upgrades. I'm installing a sundown 3k amp and a jl audio 800x8 highs amp (3800rms total) (but I may be adding another 1200 watts soon).

Stock alternator is 150 amp in a 2016 Silverado.

I am being told I only need a big 3 upgrade, a second battery (xs d6500), and one run of 0awg cable. Distance I think is less than 10 ft from battery to back seat of crewcab.

I believe they are planning one power wire and grounding to the seat bracket bolts in the back.

Do I need more runs of cable or an independent ground cable too? Or do I need a second alternator and caps?

If I go with 2 power runs is it OK to ground to the chassis or floor? Or dobi need to have them run a ground wire direct to the battery? I may end up doing this myself but their cable installs look pretty clean.

Thanks guys!!

[Efreakingt]

Well you have a 250a and 80a fused amps, so 330a max, averaged at half draw is 165a. That exceeds your alternators maximum output at high rpm.

Grounding to a seat bolt is bad, no professional should do this for any amp let alone nearly 4k watts. Just based on what you've said they recomend, I don't think I'd give them my business, but that's just me.

[somebodyelse]

Well you have a 250a and 80a fused amps, so 330a max, averaged at half draw is 165a. That exceeds your alternators maximum output at high rpm.

Grounding to a seat bolt is bad, no professional should do this for any amp let alone nearly 4k watts. Just based on what you've said they recomend, I don't think I'd give them my business, but that's just me.

That's good to know. What would a reliable shop suggest for ground? I'll shop around some more and see if I can't find a better shop

[Efreakingt]

You should at least be grounded to a very thick portion of the body or the frame itself. For 350+ amp current at 10+ feet I believe you're right at or exceeding the ability of a single 1/0 guage but I'm sure others with more experience can comment on that. Once you cross into the thousands in watts, electrical becomes extremely critical.

[frogcase2002]

You should order some 2/0 welding cable or bigger ( will be alot cheaper than a shop will try to charge you for car audio 1/0) and do a run of neg and pos. And a High output alt so you wont have a problem upgrading in the future. And do it your self so you can save money to put toward the alt

[BoomZoom808]

Well you have a 250a and 80a fused amps, so 330a max, averaged at half draw is 165a. That exceeds your alternators maximum output at high rpm.

Grounding to a seat bolt is bad, no professional should do this for any amp let alone nearly 4k watts. Just based on what you've said they recomend, I don't think I'd give them my business, but that's just me.

Why? Please explain

[Efreakingt]

Well you have a 250a and 80a fused amps, so 330a max, averaged at half draw is 165a. That exceeds your alternators maximum output at high rpm.

Grounding to a seat bolt is bad, no professional should do this for any amp let alone nearly 4k watts. Just based on what you've said they recomend, I don't think I'd give them my business, but that's just me.

Why? Please explain

In my chevy express the seat bolts aren't actually bolts, they're a thick composite material used with a metal nut holding them down. The only major metal to metal contact is a tiny bit of painted seat frame to a tiny bit of painted floor. Even if you're running a tiny amp the all metal seat bolts can be a weak ground. Every amplifier owners manual I have ever read says don't use a seat bolt.

On to the issue that they should know enough about electrical to know that a 150a factory alternator cannot feed a nearly 4k watt setup. Sitting at idle you're making nowhere near max output and you'll be drawing all the alternator reserve and draining batteries while doing any average to full tilt listening. Even at full rpm those amps will be hitting into the batteries.

I wouldn't find anyone that doesn't know those basics trustworthy to install a potential fire hazard in a brand new truck.

[somebodyelse]

Thanks guys I stopped by my 3rd audio install place and the guy swore I only needed one run of 1/0 awg... I'm gonna do this myself.

Do you guys think one run of 2/0 awg welding lead is sufficient for power?

If I find a good ground to the frame or chassis of the truck with 2/0, should I still run an independent 2/0 ground from the negative terminal to the ground distro block or will that just be redundant if I already have a ground to the frame? My logic is telling me the chassis is best ground wire ever as long as my Big 3 upgrade is flawless.

[ChevyBoy95]

Hi I'm planning to pay a local shop to run my power wires but wanted to make sure they were selling me what I need. I'm planning on running up to 5k RMS including future upgrades. I'm installing a sundown 3k amp and a jl audio 800x8 highs amp (3800rms total) (but I may be adding another 1200 watts soon).

Stock alternator is 150 amp in a 2016 Silverado.

5kw rms is basically in a position to where you should probably jump to a true high output alternator around 250a+

I am being told I only need a big 3 upgrade, a second battery (xs d6500), and one run of 0awg cable. Distance I think is less than 10 ft from battery to back seat of crewcab.

150a alt and a second battery will not support 5kw rms without heavy voltage drop, probably like 3kw. If you stick with that alt, I would do 2 secondary batteries and 2 runs of 1/0 wire. More wire is never a bad thing, just increases efficiency of current transfer.

I believe they are planning one power wire and grounding to the seat bracket bolts in the back.

With that much power, do a proper set (2) of frame grounds as well as (2) frame grounds under the hood near the front battery.

Do I need more runs of cable or an independent ground cable too? Or do I need a second alternator and caps?

Like said, 2 runs of 1/0 power wire from front to rear batteries, and then the same quantity of frame grounds for the rear bank and front battery.

If I go with 2 power runs is it OK to ground to the chassis or floor? Or dobi need to have them run a ground wire direct to the battery? I may end up doing this myself but their cable installs look pretty clean.

Ground to frame (chassis), but the frame grounds will go to the battery(s) and then the amp grounds will come from the battery.

Thanks guys!!

[Efreakingt]

I'd say 2/0 will be sufficient according to the amp wire charts, even 1/0 could work if it was a short run. As far as how you do your grounds, there's a split in opinion. Some say do a direct to battery, others say frame is fine. As long as you have a solid ground point on the frame you should be ok. If you're adding a second battery you could ground to that. Every installation has a different ideal method based on the vehicle and setup.

As far as audio shops, I've had nothing but bad experience with them. They aren't all bad but you never really know till they do some half ass work. If you want it done top notch, it's best to educate yourself and do it yourself. Plus you will save yourself money down the road in future installs by learning everything yourself.