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Wolverine
Advanced Member
Username: Wolverine

Post Number: 605
Registered: 2-2003
Posted on Saturday, February 25, 2006 - 4:50 am:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I'm thinking about buying another amp, preferably a custom 4 pill, using 2879 transistors. My car is already wired with 8 guage wire (10 to 11 feet) going to the pos/neg posts of the battery, and it's too much of a hassle to rewire the car with bigger wire. Can I get away with it, without burning up anything ??(Most 4x 2879 amps reccommend 4 guage wire.
Wolverine.
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Patzerozero
Senior Member
Username: Patzerozero

Post Number: 2481
Registered: 7-2004


Posted on Saturday, February 25, 2006 - 1:54 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

100 watts key/400 swing from a dx500-maybe. 250 key/750 swing from a custom-burning wiring irratates my eyes. i would change the wiring. make sure your car insurance covers fire, wolverine. when you replace the current one, get a suburban, more room for wiring, amps etc
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Hotwire
Advanced Member
Username: Hotwire

Post Number: 968
Registered: 1-2005
Posted on Sunday, February 26, 2006 - 12:22 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Wolverine,

I just recently installed a DX500 in the mobile. I'm using 8 gauge fine stranded wire. Its the high qaulity stuff used to hook up audio amps. Both the postive and negative are atleast 8 feet long and direct to the battery 100 amp alternator. Now a custom will pull more amps but my DX500 is working good and I have very little volt drop. A headlight flicker when I first key and my dome light dims a bit. I can hear the motor work a little more. Driving it with about 20 watts and the amp is doing maybe 75% its power. The amp does not get hot just a little warm. I do know if you have a custom 4 pill and you really drive that dude hard it will do way more than a regular 4 pill like mine. So 8 gauge may starve the custom of its high demand of amps and really reduce output. Thought about running a second run of 8 gauge? I look at it like this. Your gonna pay some bucks for that amp right? Go ahead and be on the safe side and get some beefer wire to power it. I'm sure you will be glad you did. Its a pain I KNOW with the cars today but if your gonna invest into a piece of gear thats so powerful take no shortcuts. I'm learning this is the only way when it comes to our beloved hobby. 73
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Wolverine
Advanced Member
Username: Wolverine

Post Number: 606
Registered: 2-2003
Posted on Tuesday, February 28, 2006 - 5:09 am:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Thanks Pat, Hotwire. I got the mo power fever again. I really want to get a 4-pill custom amp. I remember a CBer state on another forum a few years back, that you really have to drive a 4 pill with 8 to 12 watts, like you stated hotwire....but, after you give it sufficient drive, the amp will take off like a rocket, and give you mad swing numbers. Those swing numbers might overwhelm the old 8 guage. I've never smelled 10 ohm smoke before, and I don't want to start. And yes it is definetely a pain to rewire new cars these days. Even the Texas star Dx 500 amp requires 6 gauge, according to what I read in this forum. Okay, I'll give it further thought.
Wolverine.
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Mrgoody
Junior Member
Username: Mrgoody

Post Number: 26
Registered: 1-2005
Posted on Saturday, March 11, 2006 - 12:30 am:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Hey Guy's:I just recently got a palomar 450 elite and what I need to know is I think it comes with 8 gauge wire on it and can I continue using 8 gauge (directly to and from the battery).also do I hook just a regular little fuse to this or is there some kind of a bigger fruse box I need?And will a 40amp altenator handle this much power(98 buick lasabre)
Thank's,
Mrgoody
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Patzerozero
Senior Member
Username: Patzerozero

Post Number: 2544
Registered: 7-2004


Posted on Saturday, March 11, 2006 - 9:14 am:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

i responded to your other post mrgoody
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Texasyankee
Junior Member
Username: Texasyankee

Post Number: 24
Registered: 1-2006


Posted on Saturday, March 11, 2006 - 11:04 am:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

mrgoody,I used the same amp for a while.
Got bad audio reports on ssb.
just go into the amp and remove the cheesy 8ga. and resolder some 4 or 6ga. in it's place.
you'll be happy that you did.
the small gauge wire just isn't really any good
good luck
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Mrgoody
Junior Member
Username: Mrgoody

Post Number: 29
Registered: 1-2005
Posted on Saturday, March 11, 2006 - 11:13 am:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Thank's Pat


mrgoody
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Patzerozero
Senior Member
Username: Patzerozero

Post Number: 2548
Registered: 7-2004


Posted on Saturday, March 11, 2006 - 3:14 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

good idea TY...did that on my old dx1600, just felt 110+ amps drawn through those little wires was asking for problems
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Hotwire
Senior Member
Username: Hotwire

Post Number: 1050
Registered: 1-2005
Posted on Sunday, March 12, 2006 - 11:24 am:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Did you have to modify the chassis to get the big wire to fit through?
Also how in the world do you achieve soldering 4 gauge wire to a board? Blowtorch?
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Patzerozero
Senior Member
Username: Patzerozero

Post Number: 2559
Registered: 7-2004


Posted on Sunday, March 12, 2006 - 2:19 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

solder GUN

and, yes, it required some patience as well as thought, & lots of flux!
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Hotwire
Senior Member
Username: Hotwire

Post Number: 1058
Registered: 1-2005
Posted on Monday, March 13, 2006 - 12:00 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Cool, I'm not bad at handling a soldering gun when it comes to coax ends, mic plugs, boards, and wire splicing up to 8 gauge. Gonna need practice for anything bigger. I really need to toss out my Radio Shack 40 watt gun and spend some dough on one of those nice Weller's with a power supply.

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