Wiring and terminal block recommendations?

**omehegan** · 07-20-2005, 09:50 AM

I'm ready to install my PC finally, planning to do it this weekend. The only things I need are wiring and parts for hooking up power. I know I should get at least 12 guage wire. What about a terminal block (so I can just run one 12v for my amp and the computer) and a grounding clip (whatever you call the thing that you tighten the nut onto to ground your stuff to the car frame)? Can I get these at Radio Shack? I hate shopping there, but for simple stuff it's generally the easiest. Or should I go to Best Buy or something? I don't know if I really want to buy a $70 amp install kit, because I already have the 12v line run from the battery. I just need to add an accessory line for triggering PC boot, and do some grounding. I looked at terminal blocks on Crutchfield, but they're like $35... that's pretty over the top for my purposes.

**LeoTheHamster** · 07-20-2005, 02:13 PM

12 gauge? Hell, thats speaker cable. You want to be looking at 4 gauge at least

**omehegan** · 07-20-2005, 06:04 PM

OK, so 4 guage wire. What about terminal blocks, etc?

**sdashiki** · 07-21-2005, 11:17 AM

What do you have running 12V from the battery already? If its not 4G, scrap it.

What you seem to want to do is what car audio peeple do with multiple amps. Very simple, but other than car audio stuff (just sold mine on ebay sorry) you are outta luck I think.

You need 4G wire to a fuse block with AMPERAGE rated fuses for each line out. From that block you can run 4G-12G or so out to your amp and computer.

Then you need to find a spot in the car where you can either find a bolt with easy access that is touching the cars frame, or a hole somewhere in the sheet metal (check in the trunk behind the carpet on the sides). Scrape the paint off to get a good solid connection and using a bolt and a grounding wire (8G is cool) with a metal loop on the end (thread bolt thru loop duh) bolt to cars frame. Use a ground block to go from the single ground to multiples.

**greenman100** · 07-21-2005, 11:54 AM

Originally Posted by sdashiki

and a grounding wire (8G is cool) with a metal loop on the end (thread bolt thru loop duh) bolt to cars frame. Use a ground block to go from the single ground to multiples.

ground and power wires should be the same gauge boss

**sdashiki** · 07-21-2005, 12:31 PM

I meant that the INPUT wire can be different for 12V+/G- the output should be the same, yes. Match the output guage to the input gauge of the amp.

**greenman100** · 07-21-2005, 12:39 PM

Originally Posted by sdashiki

I meant that the INPUT wire can be different for 12V+/G- the output should be the same, yes. Match the output guage to the input gauge of the amp.

input? output? what are you talking about?

if you really want to get technical, remember that electrons flow from negative to positive, so the negative terminal on an amp or inverter is really the 'input' for electrons

**MrPerfectionest** · 07-21-2005, 03:27 PM

ground and power wires should be the same gauge boss

This isn't essential. You could run a 4 gauge into an amp with a short 12 gauge ground wire and be fine all day long. It isn't ideal but it will be fine for 99.99% of car audio cases out there.

If you want to argue this point I fully expect to see some calculations of current density, wire heating, and the effect this will have on the sound quality.

Go!

**omehegan** · 07-21-2005, 04:34 PM

4 guage wire is pretty damn thick. This is not a serious amount of power; I'm running a low end amp to stock speakers, and a 90 watt power supply for an EPIA system (pretty low power consumption - no peripherals other than the hard drive). Why would using 6 or 8 guage wire be a problem?

**pancit175** · 07-21-2005, 05:49 PM

I wouldnt run the power for you pc from the same wires that are running your amps, esp if you're running subs. There will be too much power fluxuation that would probably be harmfull to your computer.