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My first solo build and im sort of outdated with the car audio world I have a

JVC headunit 

2 12” ZVX’S 

1 Skar skv2 4500

1 XS Power 7500

2 Optima red tops under hood

awaiting on 390A alternator

Im seeking guidance on electrical and how to run everything and what to run I have a stinger isolator not sure if I need it.

It’s hard to find good info on how to install a good quality system so any help will be GREATLY appreciated!

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Ok, so let's start with cable. Use OFC car audio cable, or at least pure copper welding cable. It makes a huge difference. If you use car audio cable, 1/0 will be enough, but if you use welding cable, use 2/0. Car audio cable is oversized and almost twice as big (it's more expensive because of this). Bigger size means more stands, means more conductivity. 

From the alternator, you'll want to use 2 runs of cable to battery number 1. (In just going to refer to car audio cable). 1 run of 1/0 is rated for about 350 amps of current. Your 390 can potentially put out more than that, so 2 runs well disperse the amount of current between the 2, dramatically decreasing the chance of cable failure and also making sure you get all you can out of that alt. Some people fuse that run. You can for safety, but in my opinion, if you pop the hood and inspect it every once in a while, you'll be fine. If you do fuse it, fuse it as close to the alt as you can, and again as close to the battery as possible. 

From battery 1 to battery 2, I'd also do another 2 runs. Again, you can fuse this, or just regularly inspect the cable. 

From battery 2 to battery 3, 2 more runs. These runs I would DEFINITELY FUSE! there will be a huge section that you won't be able to inspect, so for safety, fuse it! Running from battery to battery, you're fusing to protect the cable. So, being as the cable is rated for 350 amps (assuming it's OFC car audio cable), 1 350a fuse per run AS CLOSE TO BATTERY 2 AS POSSIBLE. Do your runs back to battery 3 and fuse the same way AS CLOSE TO BATTERY 3 AS POSSIBLE. 

Then battery 3 to a fuse rated for the amplifier as close to the battery as you can, into the amplifier. 

The isolator is to protect battery 1 from depleting while the car is off, so you can start your car. If you don't listen to music with the car off, I wouldn't even use it. 

Let me know if you have any other questions, we all here will be happy to help. 

 

2011 Chevy Silverado under construction

My build log here. Check it out! 

 

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Nice write up @Dafaselescouldn't have said it better myself

06 Charger

Pioneer double din

Pioneer 6.5 and 6×9's

Knukoncept Krystal kable rca's

0 ga knukoncept kolossus wire 

Big 3 same wire ^ 1 run 

8g karma ss speaker wire

Sundown sia 3500d at 1ohm

2 Sundown U series 12's

Duralast platinum agm H7 (Main)

Xs power d3400

Trying to find a ho alt

 

 

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The only opinion I would add is to fuse the run from the alt to the battery(s). I have always fused my alt runs as close to the battery as possible.  It's still a live wire when connected to the battery, I have never quite understood the reasoning behind leaving this fuse out. 

 

F150:

Stock :(

 

2019 Harley Road Glide:

Amp: TM400Xad - 4 channel 400 watt

Processor: DSR1

Fairing (Front) 6.5s -MMats PA601cx

Lid (Rear) 6x9s -  TMS69

 

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27 minutes ago, MrSkippyJ said:

The only opinion I would add is to fuse the run from the alt to the battery(s). I have always fused my alt runs as close to the battery as possible.  It's still a live wire when connected to the battery, I have never quite understood the reasoning behind leaving this fuse out. 

To be absolutely safe, I agree with you. Not a bad idea to fuse it. The only reason I don't is because after you fuse it as close to your battery, and as close to your alternator as you can, you're really only protecting maybe a foot or 2 of cable. But yeah, more protected wire, the better. I can agree with that. 

2011 Chevy Silverado under construction

My build log here. Check it out! 

 

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So, you don't have to do runs from the alternator positive to the back battery. Yeah, some people do it, and maybe you can get a little extra to the back battery by doing it, but in all honestly, if you have a seamless connection between the batteries that enough current can flow between the batteries as easily as it wants, you essentially have 1 big battery. 

As far as grounding goes, I've seen people ground the crap out of a single battery in the chain and be fine (like I said, essentially it ends up being one big battery anyway). But what I like to do is a nice, single run of 1/0 from each battery, to a nice, thick part of the frame close to the same battery. Maybe it makes a difference or not, but I see it as putting multiple grounds in multiple spots on the frame. Then I do 1 run of 1/0 from battery number 1 negative to the engine block/ alternator ground (maybe 2 depending on the power). Then 2 or even 3 runs from the engine block/ alternator ground to the frame. I've been told it's a little overkill, but I like overkill. 🤷‍♂️

How where you thinking on grounding your amp(s)? To battery number 3? A dedicated ground straight from the amp, to the frame? Or to the vehicle chassis? 

2011 Chevy Silverado under construction

My build log here. Check it out! 

 

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14 hours ago, Dafaseles said:

So, you don't have to do runs from the alternator positive to the back battery. Yeah, some people do it, and maybe you can get a little extra to the back battery by doing it, but in all honestly, if you have a seamless connection between the batteries that enough current can flow between the batteries as easily as it wants, you essentially have 1 big battery. 

As far as grounding goes, I've seen people ground the crap out of a single battery in the chain and be fine (like I said, essentially it ends up being one big battery anyway). But what I like to do is a nice, single run of 1/0 from each battery, to a nice, thick part of the frame close to the same battery. Maybe it makes a difference or not, but I see it as putting multiple grounds in multiple spots on the frame. Then I do 1 run of 1/0 from battery number 1 negative to the engine block/ alternator ground (maybe 2 depending on the power). Then 2 or even 3 runs from the engine block/ alternator ground to the frame. I've been told it's a little overkill, but I like overkill. 🤷‍♂️

How where you thinking on grounding your amp(s)? To battery number 3? A dedicated ground straight from the amp, to the frame? Or to the vehicle chassis? 

I’m grounding amp straight to rear battery

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1 hour ago, 6.0_P_stroke_Staywinning said:

I’m grounding amp straight to rear battery

Ok,cool. So what I would do is do 2 or 3 1/0 grounds on that rear battery straight to the frame, preferably at least 6 inches apart. Also, it just makes it easier (for me anyway) to ground the 3 batteries in separate places like I mentioned before, so you don't have to have grounding runs between the batteries. 

Again, I'm sure most people will say that's a little overkill, but you can't go wrong with overkill when it comes to your electrical, in my opinion.

Also, just a side note, try to not mount the amp to metal. Sometimes, the screws can ground it the amp itself, and can cause you problems. 

2011 Chevy Silverado under construction

My build log here. Check it out! 

 

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