2 2 ohm dvc subs - wiring

[WP7456]

I need to get two dvc 2 ohm subs (12" kicker cvr's) to a 2 ohm load. I used a multimeter and I read a 5 ohm load on the subs. I am guessing that means they are wired to 4 ohms. But I thought it was not possible for 2 dvc 2 ohm subs to be wired to 4 ohms? According to http://www.rockfordfosgate.com/rftech/woofer_wizard.asp?submitted=true&woofer_qty=2&woofer_imp=3 you can only get a .5, 2, or 8 ohm load. Either way I need to re-wire it, I was just wondering how there got to be a 5 ohm load, I didn't wire it that way, bought them from someone else who did.

 

[Blacksheep Josh]

need to know a few things first...

do you have it wired in series or parallel? or do you know?
and is your amplifier a 2 channel or 1 channel?

if the subwoofers are connected to each other i believe the load would read 4ohms due to the resistance adding up, but again i'm not positive. ansewr the above questions first and we can go from there

 

[Blacksheep Josh]

gotta love google, and crutchfield.

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-9pm3xMjX8P5/learningcenter/car/subwoofers_wiring.html

that should help you a bunch.

 

[WP7456]

no clue if it is wired in series or parallel, but my amp is a 1 channel. Guess I will just have to rip em out and re-wire it myself. By the way, I was thinking, where is the best place to buy a 4 gauge power wire with an inline fuse. I have the RCA's so I don't need to buy the whole kit. Is it okay to use an 8 gauge ground wire with a 4 gauge power wire? Or can I get a 4g kit without RCA's? Thanks.

 

[Blacksheep Josh]

no clue if it is wired in series or parallel, but my amp is a 1 channel. Guess I will just have to rip em out and re-wire it myself. By the way, I was thinking, where is the best place to buy a 4 gauge power wire with an inline fuse. I have the RCA's so I don't need to buy the whole kit. Is it okay to use an 8 gauge ground wire with a 4 gauge power wire? Or can I get a 4g kit without RCA's? Thanks.

stick with 4 gauge all around. you don't want to start mixing up sizes. it'll also be easier later on when you install another system (if you ever do).

as for 4 gauge wire, depending on where you get it will determine the price. if it's going in an explorer you'll need more then the average amount. i forget how much i had, but i'd rather have extra then come up short. you should be able to buy wire by the foot at any audio shop. i know i've bought tsunami wire from circuit city before. it can get pricey but invest now so you don't get problems later.

if you have a mono amp, i think this diagram is what you need.
http://www.crutchfield.com/learningcenter/car/subwoofers_wiring.html?imageID=2DVC_2-ohm_mono

good luck

 

[WP7456]

yeah that diagram is exactly what I'll be using it's perfect. Since I have a kicker zx750.1 do you think I should get 1/0 gauge or 4 gauge? I know that those amps are underrated and could get over 900 watts rms, so I don't know what's better 1/0 or 4, if there is that much of a difference.

 

[Blacksheep Josh]

first off, the wattage in the name or on the amp is normally always the maximum output. so you probably mean 900 watts rms. for that much, i'd say go all out then and intall the 1/0 gauge so you have no worries. but if you're running that much wattage make sure your battery/alternator can handle it.

in a perfect world, you'd be running an optimum battery, high output alternator (around 180amp), with 1/0 gauge power/ground wire. if you can do it, do it and forget it

 

[toypaseo]

http://akamaipix.crutchfield.com/Manuals/206/206ZX7501.PDF

The manual says 4 gauge, so go with that.

As for power wire, I found the cheapest route was buying mystery brand 4 gauge install kits off eBay. One of the kits were these, http://www.buy.com/prod/db-link-ck4b-4-gauge-blue-competition-series-kit/q/loc/111/90117759.html , and were dirt cheap from an eBay wholesale seller. The other kit was this, http://cgi.ebay.com/x..-XAK2500-4-G...ryZ71528QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem , and since they were from a local seller, they were dirt cheap also.

This wire from Parts Express is an excellent choice also: http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&Partnumber=100-194

 

[Blacksheep Josh]

good call.

i'd still look around and see what the price difference is. if you can get 1/0 gauge wire for not much more why not go with it? you'd be able to upgrade to almost any amplifier/subs you'd want to. just my opinion though, it's what i'd do.

my main thing though now is your alternator, if you're pulling that much i wonder if your electrical system can take it. i'd upgrade the alternator and do the big 3 wire upgrade.

 

[toypaseo]

I'd agree with blacksheep_josh on going with 1/0, if...

-you plan to add more amps or upgrade
-if the price is cheap enough for you

It is cheaper to overkill now, instead of buying 4 gauge, then yanking that, and buying 1/0 gauge.

In my Paseo, I at first had some dinky 10 gauge running to a Clarion amp. I had a chance to buy some Stinger 4 gauge for cheap, so I went with the overkill route. Glad I did since I currently run a Kicker DX350, and a Rockford Fosgate Punch 60 off of it.

 

[Blacksheep Josh]

Also, if you decide to ever add anything in the back (neons, accesories or whatever), you can always hook up a splitter to the 1/0 gauge wire and not have to worry. i know in my Explorer when I had my system i ran 4 gauge wire for a little 400 watt sub/amp setup, and eventually ran neon accents around it. having the bigger wire helped a lot.

so just do some shopping and see what's in your budget

 

[WP7456]

Okay partsexpress.com seems to be a really good deal, just get the wire and attach a ring terminal to the end, but how would I add an inline fuse to the wire? The only wire I have used already had it.

 

[oplitic]

4 gauge will be fine, 1/0 definitely won't hurt though. Only think that sucks is the price jump from 4 to 1/0. My stock alternator is doing fine with my 1200 watt amp pushing 4 12W3v3's. I hit 144.12 today on the term lab mic, (my box didn't do as good as I thought it did, time to build a new one, lol). Definitely no need to upgrade with that amp. The only thing I did to the charging system was the big 3. (1) 2 gauge and (2) 4 gauges alternator to battery, (4) 4 gauges from engine to chassis, and (4) 4 gauges battery to chassis. All scrap wire at work, that's why it's multiple runs of 4 gauge and not just a few runs of 1/0.

Figured I'd through that out there to give you an idea how it will do.

 

[oplitic]

Okay partsexpress.com seems to be a really good deal, just get the wire and attach a ring terminal to the end, but how would I add an inline fuse to the wire? The only wire I have used already had it.

Just cut the wire close to the battery(close as possible, like, less than a foot away) and put an INline fuse in between them. You put the wire on each side and tighten it down, usually with an allen wrench.

 

[WP7456]

Okay, been looking around and don't know where I can get a 4g inline fuse holder. Any ideas?

 

[toypaseo]

If you go Parts Express, they have them...

http://www.partsexpress.com/webpage.cfm?webpage_id=3&CAT_ID=35&ObjectGroup_ID=735

Keep in mind, that getting a complete package might be a better overall value. Plus, having spare install junk comes in handy...

 

[toypaseo]

KnuKonceptz is another brand I have heard is good. Maybe check out this kit...

http://cgi.ebay.com/KnuKonceptz-KLM...ryZ71528QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[Blacksheep Josh]

just make sure whatever fuse you get, especially if it's the allen wrench kind, that you have plenty of wire exposed in it, and that it's tightened down all the way.

 

[oplitic]

4 gauge fuse holders are the most common there is. ALmost any fuse holder you see will do either 4 or 8 cause they are the most used sizes. To to 8 gauge they have a spacer inside the hole to make it smaller. Ay car audio shop, circuit city, best buy, wal-mart, etc. will have them.

 

[WP7456]

Does fuse type matter? I know I can get the kind in my fuse panel that are mini blade type I think? Or is it okay to get the tube-like ones as well?