Wiring your stereo amplifier

Wiring your amplifier is not that difficult, however the way you wire your amp, will determine your sound quality and amplifier life span!

Car stereo amplifiers basically have three segments of wiring

1. Power distribution

2. Audio signal in (from radio output)

3. Audio signal out (to speakers)

Power distribution.

Most amplifiers will have three connections for power:

• ( +)  12 volts battery

• ( - ) or ground

• Remote "turn on"

Many audio amplifiers will draw a large amount of current during high volume.

So, it is very important that it have a good supply of power.

You should use a heavy gage wire, routed to the vehicles + positive battery post. It should run directly to amplifier for proper power distribution and maximum current draw if required.

Caution!

The positive power wire should have two fuses for protection:

The positive power wire should have two fuses for protection:

The positive power wire should have two fuses for protection:

• Battery fuse

• Amplifier fuse

Battery fuse:

This fuse is to protect the vehicle from any short circuit that may occur on this wire.

If this wire is not fused, and is shorted to ground, it could generate enough heat to ignite the vehicle and literally burn it to the ground!

Caution!

You must add an inline fuse no more that 6 to 12 inches from the battery post!

The current rating on the fuse will be determined by the amplifier fuse, located on amplifier (unless stated otherwise by manufacture).

Example

Most amplifiers will have a fuse built into the side of the amplifier for protection of the amp itself.

So, if the amplifier fuse is rated at 20 amps, you should place at least a 20 amp fuse at the battery.

Amplifier fuse:

As mentioned above, most amplifiers will have a fuse built into the side of the amplifier for protection of the amp itself.

This fuse is only for protection of the amplifier and its current rating should never be modified.

Placing a higher current rated fuse larger than intended for amplifier, may cause damage or fire!

(-) or Ground

This wire should be the same gauge wire as the +12 wire.

You should connect this terminal so that is fastened to a “clean” part of vehicles chassis. You should have this connection as close to amplifier as possible.

This can usually be found under vehicle carpet or any metal of chassis.

Avoid attaching the ground terminal to the dash, or anything that is not directly part of the chassis, as other devices that are bolted or attached, may appear to be ground, but will have resistance between those points.

This will cause motor noise and even degrade sound quality!

Remote turn on

This is the wire that will “tell” the amplifier to turn on, when you turn on your radio.

Most radios will have a wire for this purpose.

It is simply a wire that sends  +12 volts to the remote turn on connection, on the amplifier.

If your radio does not have a remote turn on wire, you can use the accessory wire located on radio harness to activate amplifier.

This means that each time you turn the vehicles key to  the accessory or run position, the amplifier will turn on.

This will not hurt the amplifier in any way.