Wiring questions

Hey all,

I've got some questions about wiring up a single amp with a second battery.

Here's a quick diagram:

http://dce.ath.cx/images/wiring.jpg

Do you see anything wrong with this, and what do you think about the diode idea to eliminate chassis current noise? I don't know if diodes exist that can take the kind of current loads that go through the grounding wire, but I'd like to look into it.

Hmm...i'm not seeing the diagram show up...

NG

that's odd... My computer seems to be serving the images just fine... you my try clicking here (http://dce.ath.cx/images/wiring.jpg) and see if you can access it manually. If you still can't see it, I'll try rebooting my computer to reset the server. Sometimes my ISP drops our connection too, and you might have been trying when my connection was out.

that's odd... My computer seems to be serving the images just fine... you my try clicking here (http://dce.ath.cx/images/wiring.jpg) and see if you can access it manually. If you still can't see it, I'll try rebooting my computer to reset the server. Sometimes my ISP drops our connection too, and you might have been trying when my connection was out.

Hmm...not getting anything!

host it for free on www.imageshack.us

Use one of the links that says "for forums" and it'll post the pick in here...

NG

Ya not seein anything either, but i dont fully understand what you are trying to say. Wiring up an amp to a second battery? if your talkin bout something that simple (wich i doubt) wire it the same you would with the battery under your hood, run each battery parallel

Ya not seein anything either, but i dont fully understand what you are trying to say. Wiring up an amp to a second battery? if your talkin bout something that simple (wich i doubt) wire it the same you would with the battery under your hood, run each battery parallel

Make sure the batteries are AT LEAST the same type...if not the same brand/kind. Wiring ONE regular starting battery (i.e. Red top) and One DEEP Cycle battery in parallel (i.e. Yellow Top) in parallel creates more stress on your alternator to charge both! Keep that in mind!

NG

I run a Yellow Top under the hood, and a basic Everlast battery in the trunk, if you do a similar setup just make sure you dont run your system with your car off an try to keep the batteries fully charged.

Well, I know the one under the hood is a stock honda battery, and the secondary will be an older battery from my Dad's Ford Ranger. I also seriously doubt I'll be using the system at high power for extended periods of time. There isn't much of a community in my town that appreciates this sort of thing (think lots of old ladies).

Does anyone know what a diode is anyway? You seemed to miss that idea completely. I read on one of the basic car audio sites about how problems with back current causing noise in the system when the brake lights turn on, and I thought that since diodes are designed to allow current to only flow in one direction, they would be the ideal solution to keeping grounding noise out completely. The only problem is the only diodes I've ever seen are on like 25 gauge wire, and could never handle the current. Does anyone know if diodes big enough even exist?

Well, I know the one under the hood is a stock honda battery, and the secondary will be an older battery from my Dad's Ford Ranger. I also seriously doubt I'll be using the system at high power for extended periods of time. There isn't much of a community in my town that appreciates this sort of thing (think lots of old ladies).

Does anyone know what a diode is anyway? You seemed to miss that idea completely. I read on one of the basic car audio sites about how problems with back current causing noise in the system when the brake lights turn on, and I thought that since diodes are designed to allow current to only flow in one direction, they would be the ideal solution to keeping grounding noise out completely. The only problem is the only diodes I've ever seen are on like 25 gauge wire, and could never handle the current. Does anyone know if diodes big enough even exist?

Yeah, I know. Basically, what I think you're thinking of...but in a fail-safe real world application is a battery isolator. They're available online, and it separates the auxillat battery from the starting. Therefore, the auxillary battery can be completely drained (not good unless it's a deep cycle anyways...) and the starting battery can till be used to start the vehicle! Also, when the car is on...it charges each "separately", peace

NG

I run a Yellow Top under the hood, and a basic Everlast battery in the trunk, if you do a similar setup just make sure you dont run your system with your car off an try to keep the batteries fully charged.
You did mount the battery inside a battery box and vented it, right? If not, you're gonna blow!

You did mount the battery inside a battery box and vented it, right? If not, you're gonna blow!

What's going to happen? Why would a battery blow up if it's just strapped inside the trunk?

Ok, sorry to start this up again, but here's an imageshack.com hosted image of how I plan to wire my system:

http://img227.exs.cx/img227/6497/wiring2tb.th.jpg (http://img227.exs.cx/my.php?loc=img227&image=wiring2tb.jpg)

Thanks for all your help so far!

You did mount the battery inside a battery box and vented it, right? If not, you're gonna blow!

THe hell r u talking about?

That diagram looks ok, but dont cut into those power and ground wires. Use terminals off of the battery

yea poncho wtf are u talkin about?

What are you all Newbies at the battery games???? I can't believe it. What kind of so called "audiophiles" are you if you don't know battery basics 101?

Read the link below, there's alot of them. I know not all are car related but as you go down farther you'll find them.

For those that are too lazy to click the link, H2 is always being released from a standard battery. Well, putting those batteries inside the cabin area or worse yet the trunk without proper ventilation is a recipe for a bomb. There has been many people hurt doing this the wrong way. In fact, even doing it properly leaves you open for problems.

Now, for those of you that say "hey, I see car audio pros have all kinds of Optima batteries inside their ride with no vents." Yep, you are right. They are "dry" batteries simular to "AA" batteries. They do not let off hydrogen gas like standard wet batteries. That's why you can mount them sideways, upside down, or anyway inbetween.

http://www.rayvaughan.com/battery_safety.htm

First off yellow tops are not dry batteries. They use gel. And that website is a buncha BS you don't have to build a big box vented enclosure wtf ever for batteries..... I know pople who put regular batteries in their trunk and don't use your little special box.

Sounds like another lame gimmick brick and mortar dealers push onto newbies so they can make another buck.

Sounds like another lame gimmick brick and mortar dealers push onto newbies so they can make another buck.
Nope, just talk to anyone that knows about batteries that has nothing to do with stereos.

Right, you do not have to build or buy special box(even though they are very cheap). But you should have some sort of vent for the H2 gases. Have you ever looked at how a battery is installed in a vehicles like an Olds Aurora? GM has them vented directly under the car through a tube that exits under the car.

Again, if you plan to just through another battery in your ride, I'd go with a "dry" or gel battery.

Ok, back to wiring questions... is 12 gauge wire enough for connecting the amp to the sub? My wiring kit includes a ton of the stuff, but I didn't know if it's heavy enough to carry the signal to the sub. Should I go and buy some 8 gauge or something?

Update... I was just looking at my sub, and the wires going off the connections are about 14 gauge wire. It's a dual voice coil though, and the way I'm going to wire it is going to be in series (I know it sucks, but it's what I gotta do with my POS stuff), so the wire is going to have to carry twice as much at peak loads as the wires going into the voice coils, right? What size wire do people use for sub wires? Peak wattage is rated at 1200 watts, but the voltage is variable, right? What amperage actually goes to the sub?

Ok, back to wiring questions... is 12 gauge wire enough for connecting the amp to the sub? My wiring kit includes a ton of the stuff, but I didn't know if it's heavy enough to carry the signal to the sub. Should I go and buy some 8 gauge or something?

Update... I was just looking at my sub, and the wires going off the connections are about 14 gauge wire. It's a dual voice coil though, and the way I'm going to wire it is going to be in series (I know it sucks, but it's what I gotta do with my POS stuff), so the wire is going to have to carry twice as much at peak loads as the wires going into the voice coils, right? What size wire do people use for sub wires? Peak wattage is rated at 1200 watts, but the voltage is variable, right? What amperage actually goes to the sub?
Usually 12ga. wire should be plenty. It really depends on things you stated plus the distance between the speakers and amps. The further the distance, the more the resistance. Now, I will tell you that using cheap, thick wire is worse than using thin, high quality wire. I like to use high quality, O2 free wire and I seal the ends that I splice. The reason is that the copper can degrade very quickly in vehicles because of the poor conditions like moisture.

Excellent... I'm planning to use about 3 feet of it, because I'm going to mount my amp directly on the back of my enclosure. The wire says "high definition 12 gauge OFC speaker wire", which I hop means high quality. I was thinking about dipping the ends in solder to seal them, and filing away the places it makes contact with the sub and amp. My Dad has a crucible that I've meltled solder in before.... lots of fun to drip it into cold water. Very interesting latticework.

what ponco is talking about is batteries "gas." They let off hydrogen gas when they are being heavily charged and discharged. Hydrogen is extrmely flammable ...... think back to the zeppelin airship explosion. If the battery is in the car, hatch or trunk - it needs to be vented to the outside to prevent a hydrogen buildup.