Wiring a car amplifier can get confusing due to the high volume of wires running to and from the unit. However, if you stick to a wiring diagram, the process is actually simple. If you want a clean installation with no visible wires, wiring an amp can take a couple of hours, but the finished product will be worth it. This guide will help you hook up and power the amplifier, which requires two tasks: connecting the amplifier to the car battery and grounding it. You can purchase all the neccessary wires at any car audio store individually or in an all-in-one kit.
Instructions
Grounding the amplifier
1. Mount the amplifier in a well-ventilated area. Popular places to mount an amplifier are in the trunk or under one of the front seats.
2. Disconnect the negative terminal on the battery to avoid a short circuit.
3. Connect the ground wire to the amplifier. Oftentimes this task requires a simple tool, such as a Phillips-head screwdriver or a flat-head screwdriver to screw the wire in place.
4. Find a location to ground the amplifier. It should be another stable, metal fixture on your car. Try securing the other end of the grounding wire to another screw in your vehicle, such as the screw holding in a seat belt.
Hooking up the power wire
5. Find an area underneath the dashboard to run the power wire through to the engine bay and the car battery. You might have to peel back some carpeting and cut a hole through your vehicle's firewall by using a razor.
6. Slide the power wire through this hole and connect it to the car battery's positive terminal by using a monkey wrench. Be sure the power wire is taut so it doesn't become loose and fall into any moving parts or belts.
7. Attach the fuse to the power wire, being sure it's within 18 inches of the battery.
8. Seal the hole you used to run the power wire through to the engine bay by caulking it or using a rubber grommet.
RCA and speaker-wire connections
9. Remove the head unit. Most head units require specific tools for removal, so use that tool or consult your head unit's instruction manual for more detailed removal instructions.
10. Connect the RCA cable to the amplifier's input.
11. Run the RCA cable to the head unit along the opposite side of the car from where the power cable runs. This will prevent sound distortion.
12. Connect the RCA cable to the head unit and reinstall the head unit.
13. Make the appropriate speaker-wire connections to the speakers or subwoofers you'd like your amplifier to power, reconnect the negative cable to your vehicle's battery, and you're set.
Tags: power wire, head unit, power wire through, wire through, your vehicle, cable head