Hi Guys,
Just wondering if there is any difference between 1 gauge and 0 gauge power cabling in terms of what they can hadle in current draw?? I have just bought 1 gauge power cabling for a Earthquake D3, and was wondering if this was sufficient? As a few car audio places have told me that 1 guage is only good for 200 amps, and the D3 apparently draws close to 300. Would I still be getting maximum power and voltage from the D3 with 1 gauge power cabling from the battery (fron of the car), to the amp (back of the car), in a 1998 civic?? . Thanks for your help.

Well, as it's dependent on the wire's length, use some string or make a rough guess, and use the caulculator found here http://www.powerstream.com/Wire_Size.htm it's always helped me gauge what I'm going to need. (I'm sorry, sometimes I suffer withdrawals if I don't make horrible puns)

But make sure that you'll actually be pulling 300amps first. i.e. with car switched off, 12v (up to 14.4 with car running) so total power draw of the amp divided by the voltage will give you the amps you'll be pulling. i.e 300amps with 12v will mean that your amp is draining 3600W power. (I think)

Of course, don't just use RMS power ratings to figure out if your amp is using 3600W power at max, as amps are not 100% efficient. But it gives an idea, especially if you have the spec sheet of the amp with it's efficiency.

And if it says 1/0, it's 0 gauge (i.e one zero, as opposed to 2/0, being 00), if it says 1, it's one gauge. I'm think I've seen this wiring kit on ebay.

Edit: (Lol m0n. Bad luck:P)

they handle different amounts of current through different lengths. The longer the cable is the less it can handle. With short lengths > .5m i think you should be ok with 1gauge i'd say.... :S

*ps you beat me to it... just as i clicked post reply! *

1 guage isnt very common... are u sure it isnt 1/0g??? in thois case it is 0g... stinger is16mm diameter including the insulation...

as far as i kno the common wire sizes for power wire is 12, 8, 4, 2, 1/0, 2/0(00g) etc...

4g is good to about 120-150A
2g is good to about 160-180A
1/0g ive heard is good to about 300A

Thanks for all your help guys, the wiring kit is a Fusion 1 gauge, so I'm assuming that that means 1/0, as its sold by a respectable car audio company, or so i hear. thanks heaps

I just hope the wiring is thick enough not to cause much voltage drop

just do 2 runs...

I only bought 5 metres of 1/0 gauge, has any one else used this thickness for Earthquake D3's?? Any problems? As the car audio store that I bought it from won't change it for 0 gauge as they dont sell any, and they tell me 1/0 gauge is plenty :huh:

Yes, 1/0g will do the job.

But....if you plan on entering SPL comps you better make yor 1st burp count, cause the D3 wont like you if you try to burp more than once (maybe twice if you're lucky).

the fusion 1/0 guage is actually 1 guage its not as big as 0 and not as small as 1 its inbetween.


where bouts you at and how much did the store charge you for it?

just goto a welding store and get welders cable.

SSS_Hoon

The store charged $140, for 5metres of 1/0 power, ground 1/0 and remote wiring. And also included battery terminals, and a 140amp circuit breaker. Im from Bonnyrigg Heights, near Liverpool. I was just worried that I would be getting voltage frop due to the thinner cable.

Hi Db Barina,
Does the D3 experience problems if burped more than once? And are there any things I should watch out for when using the D3? Would a 450cc battery and a 3 farad capacitor be sufficient to power this amplifier?

for starters get rid of the cap not needed.

I cannot remember how much CAE charged me for the cable for the first 2 install i did, i actually think i got it for free.

and get a optima or odysey battery.

from what i remember rerading somewhere on here, that the d2 and d3's like the power so maybe run 2 runs of power cable or even 3 runs.


SSS_Hoon

Basically what SSS Hoon said the Earthquake amps suck alot of power and dont take to well to low voltage burps, if you can keep the power up to them they are great amps that make good power.

But starve them of juice and they will respond by expelling a smelly smoke.

For daily use they are fine so long as you run them at 2 ohms, but for burps just watch your voltage.

im running d5
teh formul aabove si correct but u have to account for efficency about 75% for digital amps so divide it by .75


if the erminlas are stripped it should just fit in 0G but i hav eto figure out ho wto get my runns of 2/0 g to my d5

if you're not tripping your 140A circuit breaker, don't worry about your wiring.

the d3's will only draw 300+A if you're running tones @ 0.25ohm.

for music 1ohm (assuming you have it wired like this), your wiring is fine.

well there you go ripped has answered your question and he would know.



SSS_Hoon

Thanks for all your help guys you are legends, the amp will be running at 2ohm hooked to a L715 dual 2 in a sealed box whacked in a honda civic, not the best sub but it will do for now. Hope everything goes well. thanks again...

Ah.....you have a L7 with dual 2 ohms coils?

You cant run an amp at 2 ohms with that sub on its own.

Only 1 ohm or 4 ohms.

Also nothing wrong with L7s for the price they go alright.

Since I can't run it at 2ohm, I think I may have a problem in terms of the power handling of the Kicker. Wont' close to 3kwrms be too much for the 15", I think they only handle 1kwrms??

set your gains correctly and you'll be laughing.

Ok beautiful thanks for that, Fairfield car radio are installing the system this saturday for $180.00, so I guess i shoudl tell tham to be careful with the gains, any idea how much a decent battery would cost for 1 d3 to run comfortably? Does the battery need to be odyssey? or can it just be a large battery with around 500 cold cranks?

if u are on budget a supercharge 900cca will do $150ish
i fu wan tthe best o fthe best kiketic 2400 arround $500
oddessy and optimas are great batterys in there own right just next to the spercharge it looks damm expensive and netx to the kiketic its looks week.

id say keep an eye out in teh for sla wsection i bet lot of guys will be selling ther eoptimas as they replcae them with the keketics

oddessy 2150
enought said

at $600 doesn't the kinketic walk all over it?