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What cable do I need?
All power cable has some resistance, and the more current that is passed,
the higher is the volt-drop between the battery and the amplifier. (Yes,
its Ohms law back again to haunt you!)
The lower the voltage at the amplifier, the poorer it performs, or in
the worst case, will not even switch on.
Increase the diameter of the cable - decrease
the gauge number - and for the same current the volt-drop is less.
Aim for less than 1 Volt drop, which you can easily check with a voltmeter.
The graph on left shows the gauge you should be using for a given current
over the required distance;
eg an amplifier takes 100Amps maximum, and is sited 10 feet away from
the battery. Where these line cross, the correct cable is shown as 4 gauge.
Between 10 and 20 feet, you need to use 2 swg.
Don't neglect the negative side of the amplifier - you need to use the
same gauge cable to earth the amp.
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Use a suitable fuse to protect your equipment,
and your investment.
Don't take shortcuts; protect your system and the car from damage due
to unintentional short circuits. Just think of your amplifier supply lead
acting like an arc welder drawing 100+ Amps as it touches the chassis.
- It makes a big ,
and that could be your car gone up in smoke!!
Splitters enable you to run a heavy gauge
from front to back of your car, and then split off at a lighter gauge
to power separate amplifiers. Fuse at the battery and the splitter for
maximum protection.
Need to know more, have your system checked for performance,
or buy your power accessories - contact the Road Radio sales team.
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