posted
thats a good trick. but i think an even better trick is to pruchase appropriate wires and wire adapters. there no POSSIBLE reason you should have a 1 gauge wire going into an amp that isnt made for it. your only asking for other problems.
your an idiot, no ifs ands or buts about it. "your only asking for problems".....ya, ok.
-------------------- Rockford Fosgate FiCarAudio Team XS Power Batteries and Intellichargers!!
posted
This might sound dumb, but the nuts that come with alpine changers thread onto 75% of the factory battery terminals, also the nuts that come with the alarm pin switches fit the chryslers and older fords covering 20% of the other vehicles. This way you never have to disconnect the battery terminal when hooking up an amp, or spreading the terminal apart to rig the power wire in.
posted
[QUOTE]Originally posted by Steve-o: [QB] [QUOTE] there no POSSIBLE reason you should have a 1 gauge wire going into an amp that isnt made for it. your only asking for other problems. [QB] [QUOTE]
-------------------- 2006 Bass Race 149.9 World Finals 2nd place H.O. Alts FI If you dont like what I have to say, just contact Boomingcreation he will erase it for you Posts: 16186 | From: tx | Registered: Dec 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
I don't know if this has been said yet but a old school installer taught me this. When drilling through a firewall and not sure about something, use a 1/8" drill bit with a stopper on it or get a probe and bang it through. Also find a point in the vehicle that is the same on both sides, i.e. wire grommets and find it on both sides and look around it for open space. I've used this since I started installing 7 years ago and haven't ever drilled through anything.
-------------------- 1994 Ranger Extended Cab 4x4 1987 Mazda Rx-7 1974 GMC Jimmy 2wd (soon to be shaved and bagged) 1959 Chevrolet LWB Pickup (My work horse) Posts: 276 | From: San Antonio, Texas, USA | Registered: Aug 2000
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by slickwheels22: Some of us like to do things the right way.
ok, champ......whatever you say. Someday i hope i can do things the right way like you!! Someday my system will be LOUD like yours too i hope!
Why all the hostility??? Don't get mad because I recommend doing things the right way. You have some very high end installs, why worry about the price of a few good connectors? I am sure you are loud like me.
posted
Actually if you want some electronic engineering, wire resistance is a function of many things including "circular mils". When you take a wire and reduce the end to make it fit, you are reducing the "circular mils" and thus increasing the resistance. Therefore, you could end up with a problem during heavy loading. One of the cardnal rules is never nick a wire when stripping and that includes cutting off strands. Please keep this in mind when doing your installing.
quote:Originally posted by MOX-CT: Actually if you want some electronic engineering, wire resistance is a function of many things including "circular mils". When you take a wire and reduce the end to make it fit, you are reducing the "circular mils" and thus increasing the resistance. Therefore, you could end up with a problem during heavy loading. One of the cardnal rules is never nick a wire when stripping and that includes cutting off strands. Please keep this in mind when doing your installing.
A bigger wire that is cut down to fit the terminals on the amp will still have less resistance than whatever size wire the terminals were made for. It just won't be as low as if you didn't cut the end down to fit. In other words, a 1/0 wire that is cut down to fit a 4 gauge terminal will still have a lower resistance than if you were to just use a 4 gauge wire the same length.
quote:Originally posted by MOX-CT: Actually if you want some electronic engineering, wire resistance is a function of many things including "circular mils". When you take a wire and reduce the end to make it fit, you are reducing the "circular mils" and thus increasing the resistance. Therefore, you could end up with a problem during heavy loading. One of the cardnal rules is never nick a wire when stripping and that includes cutting off strands. Please keep this in mind when doing your installing.
A bigger wire that is cut down to fit the terminals on the amp will still have less resistance than whatever size wire the terminals were made for. It just won't be as low as if you didn't cut the end down to fit. In other words, a 1/0 wire that is cut down to fit a 4 gauge terminal will still have a lower resistance than if you were to just use a 4 gauge wire the same length.
Point well taken, however you need to make sure when cutting/shaping wire you don't undersize it. Does anyone here have a wire gage that can measure stranded wire sizes??? I hope you do, if you are going to do this.
To quickly tell if a speaker mounted in a factory location is out of phase (wired backwards) put a small piece of thin material (plastic, paper) over the grille and pop it with a 1.5 volt battery. Observe the movement of the paper when you connect the + and - leads of the speaker to the battery. You have to keep your eyes on the material to observe the very first movement. If the paper moves forward then the positive lead for your battery is the positive lead for the speaker.......if it moves backward first then what ever wire is on the negative side of the battery is your positive......get it? got it? Good!
Posts: 25 | From: o-town | Registered: May 2004
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by trickdaddee: Try this,.......
To quickly tell if a speaker mounted in a factory location is out of phase (wired backwards) put a small piece of thin material (plastic, paper) over the grille and pop it with a 1.5 volt battery. Observe the movement of the paper when you connect the + and - leads of the speaker to the battery. You have to keep your eyes on the material to observe the very first movement. If the paper moves forward then the positive lead for your battery is the positive lead for the speaker.......if it moves backward first then what ever wire is on the negative side of the battery is your positive......get it? got it? Good!
Hey that's a good trick, I swear this thread should be a stickyPosts: 453 | From: $in City | Registered: Mar 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
thanx , I have kept it to myself for @ 10 years although i know it is known by others, its a little involved on how to tell ya how to do it but once youve done it it sticks with ya.
quote:Originally posted by Mabeita: You should try and avoid using vaseline, WD-40 and other petroleum based lubricants to help get your wires to slip through the tube. The petroleum can sometimes break down the jackets of the wire over time, this can be avoided by using a squirt or two of diluted Windex, or other mild cleaner that will evaporate away after the wire has been run.
Also, if you go to Home Depot and get the 48" wire ties, cut off the end that has the zip lock molded to it. You can drill several holes in the end large enough to fit single wires through, then use it to pull all of your wires through at the same time. Just feed the wire tie through the boot, attach your wires, spray with Windex, and pull the whole thing through at once.
Mike
I prefer using lituim based grease for wires inside of boots and such as it won't break down over time. But this is in case your boot might develop a hole of tear over time it'll help keep moisture from building up inside and damaging the wiring. I also use a mild guaged wire running it through the boot, taping the wiring to the end of that, and pulling the wiring through that way. Depending no how far back you tape the wiring you can grease it up with lituim based grease pull it through and remove the taping leaving no grease on the wiring you plan to use for your connections.
Oh and don't forget to put a small dab of diaelectric grease on your connections to keep moisture and filth from corroding them and limiting their performance.
Actually I agree with Steve, sometimes less is more. Especially if your working in a very limited amount of space, where big componants will suck up space and add a whole lot more clutter, look unsightly, and generally be a real hassel if you need to fine tune it.
SF: Currently planning a audio/video system for a 1973 MG MGB Roadster code named Project: Vixen
posted
This was already posted here I think, but I want to mention it again. To route wires through tough areas use a slightly stiff wire. I use a bare welding wire that is .030 thick. Bend the end in a loop shape so it won't catch on anything. The other end you can bend at a 90 degree so you can easily twist the wire.
quote:Originally posted by Team BIO Meade916: one of my favorite tricks is when you build a box, if you have any kind of gap (it happens sometimes even with the straightest eye) what i do is take a few handfulls of MDF sawdust off the floor and mix it with woodglue until it is like a paste. Then you can take that mixture and fill any inconsistancy you may have with it, including countersunk screwholes. When it dries, and it does fairly fast you can sand it and it is as good or better then the MDF itself.
Another trick i learned this weekend is getting large gauge wires on small terminals. For example, i ran 4ga speaker wire to my 18's and i needed a way to get it on there and not be all ghetto. You take and strip the wire to about half its guage, twist it tight and then stick the end in a vice. Next solder the crap out of it and after it cools and is solid as a rock on the end, take it to a bench grinder and grind it to a nice point. You can keep grinding it till it fits wherever your putting it whether its an amp or a sub. Like a built in bananna terminal! Not to mention it shouldnt ever come apart if you solder it good enough the solder should leach far enough into the wire jacket to make it very sturdy.
Try this if you need to get a 1/0 wire into an amp that only accepts 4ga.....works great and is clean!!
thats a good trick. but i think an even better trick is to pruchase appropriate wires and wire adapters. there no POSSIBLE reason you should have a 1 gauge wire going into an amp that isnt made for it. your only asking for other problems.
for example, you wouldnt use a 40 inch storm drain piping to move the contents of one bottle of water. less is more.
can anyone say voltage drop? I run two runs of 1/0 into amps made for dual 4 gauge, helped my voltage out quite a bit and it isnt hurting a thing
-------------------- Scott Christensen
quote:Originally posted by 8675309: Happy Birthday Lord Narvels
quote:Originally posted by trickdaddee: thanx , I have kept it to myself for @ 10 years although i know it is known by others, its a little involved on how to tell ya how to do it but once youve done it it sticks with ya.
j.b
I've read that trick on many sites. Supposedly you shouldn't do it on tweets though, dunno why, Posts: 31 | From: Texas | Registered: Apr 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
heres a good trick i learned from installing at, believe it or not, circuit city. When doing an alarm, screw the brain down into the bench, plug in all harnesses, take all the wires from one harness and hold them around the tip of a drill, then squeeze the trigger to twist all of the wires together nice and tight. This makes things much cleaner and easier to handle. Of course you still need to cut to lenght but it makes it much easier to handle and looks much cleaner.
Posts: 429 | From: San Diego, CA | Registered: Apr 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
Although twisted wires are pretty, the practice of wrapping wires of mixed polarity in a mesmerizing spiral can compound problems in the event of a short circuit.
The reason is that when a wire is shorted, the current running through that wire increases and can heat the wire enough to melt through the insulation.
This is not normally a problem, and in most cases would never become a problem so long as the wires are fused appropriately. The problem exists when the wire heats faster than the fuse can blow, when this happens to twisted wires the possibility of a heated wire melting through it's own insulation and the insulation of wires it is wrapped around is so great that the practice is altoghther regarded as unacceptable.
I understand the desire to make as neat a harness as possible, but suggest that extra care be taken when deciding on something that is simply cosmetic.
quote:Originally posted by Mabeita: Although twisted wires are pretty, the practice of wrapping wires of mixed polarity in a mesmerizing spiral can compound problems in the event of a short circuit.
The reason is that when a wire is shorted, the current running through that wire increases and can heat the wire enough to melt through the insulation.
This is not normally a problem, and in most cases would never become a problem so long as the wires are fused appropriately. The problem exists when the wire heats faster than the fuse can blow, when this happens to twisted wires the possibility of a heated wire melting through it's own insulation and the insulation of wires it is wrapped around is so great that the practice is altoghther regarded as unacceptable.
I understand the desire to make as neat a harness as possible, but suggest that extra care be taken when deciding on something that is simply cosmetic.
Later, Mike
I agree with the above statement. thats why whenever i install an alarm i seperate any power and ground wires from the bundle of wires. Im not a pro installer either but i also know to help "beef" up the wires that would be running in any spot that could at any chance harm the wire.
a little trick i use when using scotch locks is to use a little bit of super glue the hold the end of a wire that you will be locking onto a factory wire. ie the parking light wire of an alarm to the factory parking light wire at the headlight switch. makes it easier to attach the wire to the factory wire without holding the parking light wire into the scotchlock
Bobby
Posts: 221 | From: North Prairie Wi | Registered: Apr 2002
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by Mabeita: Although twisted wires are pretty, the practice of wrapping wires of mixed polarity in a mesmerizing spiral can compound problems in the event of a short circuit.
The reason is that when a wire is shorted, the current running through that wire increases and can heat the wire enough to melt through the insulation.
This is not normally a problem, and in most cases would never become a problem so long as the wires are fused appropriately. The problem exists when the wire heats faster than the fuse can blow, when this happens to twisted wires the possibility of a heated wire melting through it's own insulation and the insulation of wires it is wrapped around is so great that the practice is altoghther regarded as unacceptable.
I understand the desire to make as neat a harness as possible, but suggest that extra care be taken when deciding on something that is simply cosmetic.
Later, Mike
I agree with the above statement. thats why whenever i install an alarm i seperate any power and ground wires from the bundle of wires. Im not a pro installer either but i also know to help "beef" up the wires that would be running in any spot that could at any chance harm the wire.
a little trick i use when using scotch locks is to use a little bit of super glue the hold the end of a wire that you will be locking onto a factory wire. ie the parking light wire of an alarm to the factory parking light wire at the headlight switch. makes it easier to attach the wire to the factory wire without holding the parking light wire into the scotchlock
Bobby
scotch locks are baaaadddd
I can understand what you are saying but whats the difference between the wires being spiraled and just being next to each other? Seems to me either way if a wire melts its insulation its going to harm the other wires.
Posts: 429 | From: San Diego, CA | Registered: Apr 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
Scotch locks arent all bad if properly installed. If scotch locks were so bad, they would not be used in the electrical trade. If scotch locks can be successfully installed for 277 volt light fixtures on a 20 amp breaker, surely they would be ok for a 12 volt 10 or 15 amp wire in a car, so long as they are properly installed.
Solder and heatshrink is better, but suitcases or scotchlocks will work fine if you are new or unfamiliar to soldering.
Posts: 5535 | From: CO | Registered: Apr 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
which is more reliable over time and abuse? soldering or scotch-locks? i've fixed several head units where the problem was wires were connected with scotchlocks and they didnt hold.
Posts: 429 | From: San Diego, CA | Registered: Apr 2004
| IP: Logged |
![[Mad]](mad.gif)
![[Roll Eyes]](rolleyes.gif)
![[Confused]](confused.gif)
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
![[Embarrassed]](redface.gif)
Printer-friendly view of this topic