Wiring an amplifier can be a burdensome task but with prepackaged amplifier wiring kits, the process becomes much easier. You will still have to do the work of attaching everything and there are still plenty of chances to make mistakes. What makes a wiring kit so nice, however, is that every wire is included, already cut according to its use and typically color coded. These wiring kits can also be purchased for a price frequently lower than purchasing the components individually.
Instructions
1. Disconnect the battery by detaching the negative terminal first and then the positive. Disconnect the battery before doing any wiring work.
2. Find an existing hole or determine a position to drill a new hole in your car's heat shield--the barrier between under the hood and inside the car. If you have to drill a hole, make sure it is just big enough for the power wire and heat protecting wire cover to fit.
3. Loosen the paneling around the door frames on both sides of the car. There should be screws holding the paneling in place. Loosen them.
4. Place the end of the power wire closest to the fuse holder under the hood. Feed the other end through the hole in the heat shield. Continue feeding the wire back along the side of the car the battery is on. If the hole was close enough to the paneling, feed it directly from the hole to run under the paneling. If it is further from the paneling, run the wire under the carpet until it reaches the paneling.
5. Continue feeding the power wire to the back of the car until it is under the rear seats. Feed the wire under the rear seats and into the trunk. There will be small gaps under the seat through which to reach the trunk.
6. Once the power wire is in the trunk, lead it to the positive terminal on your amplifier. If you have excessive wire, cut it. Strip the end of the wire and connect it to the amplifier by inserting the end in the positive terminal and tightening the screw to secure the wire.
7. Lift the carpet in the trunk to expose the frame. Look for a bolt. If you find one, loosen the nut and place the ring on the ground wire over it. Tighten the bolt. If you want a more-secure connection, solder the ring on the ground wire to the frame of the trunk. Connect the other end of the ground wire to the negative terminal by stripping the end and inserting it into the terminal. Tighten the screw to secure the wire.
8. Connect the RCA wire ends to the preamp outputs on your stereo receiver. These will be color-coded ends, so be sure to connect them to the appropriate color. Either cut a small hole in the carpet directly under the center console or run the RCA to the edge of the carpet and feed it under. Run the RCA to the paneling on the opposite side of the power wire.
9. Run the RCA under the paneling to the back of the car. Feed the wire under the seats and into the trunk. Connect the RCA ends to the amplifier.
10. Connect the small remote wire to the blue remote output on the back of your receiver. You can strip the ends and twist them together. Use electric tape to finalize this step. Then run the wire alongside the RCA to the trunk and connect it to the remote terminal between the positive and negative connections by stripping the end and inserting it into the terminal. Secure the wire by tightening the screw.
11. Connect the speaker wires to the amplifier and speakers. Connect one end of the speaker wire into the positive speaker wire terminal on the amplifier. Connect the other end to the positive terminal on the speaker. Do the same with the negative terminals and wire.
12. Tighten the screws on the paneling. Make sure the wires are all securely underneath and are not being pinched or cut by plastic or screws.
13. Make sure the heat protective cover is on the power wire under the hood to the hole in the heat shield.
14. Remove the fuse from the fuse holder. Connect the end of the power wire to the positive terminal by removing the terminal nut and slipping the ring over the threading. Reattach the terminal nut.
15. Attach the positive terminal to the battery post. Attach the negative terminal to the negative post.
16. Insert the fuse into the fuse holder.
Tags: power wire, positive terminal, wire under, fuse holder, ground wire, negative terminal, under hood