Just a quick thread to confirm something...

**Shamingo** · 02-16-2006, 02:18 PM

I have setup my carputer software wise, installed everything I need in my car (screen, ran cables to trunk). The only thing I have yet to install is the power cable, I have an M1-ATX. It has 3 cables. I am just confirming that all I will need to buy is something like an amp cabling kit with a fuse right near the battery. I would attach that to the positive on the battery, run that back to the M1 and connect that to the power line on that. Then, run a ground wire from either the negative on my battery back to the ground on my M1 or to a sanded off piece of metal in the trunk (to ensure it is grounded). The third wire, the ignition wire, goes to the ignition line somewhere in my car (i'd just splice it in). I know I ramble, but would this all be correct? Thanks.

**DarquePervert** · 02-16-2006, 02:50 PM

You're on the ball, amigo.

**Shamingo** · 02-16-2006, 02:53 PM

One more quick question. I'm not experienced with wiring, so I'm not sure. Should I use 10 or 8 gauge? Also, the wire that comes from the M1 is very small, maybe 20 gauge. Should I solder them together? How shall I get the most effective amount of electricity flowing? Thanks.

**matt11601** · 02-17-2006, 12:28 AM

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but I think you fuse again. One side of the fuse holder will have the 10 or 8 gauge wire coming in and the other end will connect to the M1's 20 gauge wire. In the middle will obviously be the fuse.

I believe if you soldered the two wires together (no fuse holder) then you run the risk of the wire overheating, melting and possibly starting a fire.

**nkotch** · 02-17-2006, 12:47 AM

For the + wire from the battery fuse as close to the battery as possible....as if there is a short the wire running thru the car is going to be the big fire hazard.

**Rocky388** · 02-17-2006, 06:18 AM

Originally Posted by Shamingo

One more quick question. I'm not experienced with wiring, so I'm not sure. Should I use 10 or 8 gauge? Also, the wire that comes from the M1 is very small, maybe 20 gauge. Should I solder them together? How shall I get the most effective amount of electricity flowing? Thanks.

10 gauge is good for 30 amps and 8 gauge is good for 40 amps (roughly..I'm trying to remember this off the top of my head). So, depending on how many amps the M1 is capabable of drawing, that's how you'll decide on what guage wire you need.

Personally, I wouldn't get an amp kit. Just get a spool of 10 gauge (or whatever gauge) stranded wire.

**J187** · 02-17-2006, 10:05 AM

Don't run a ground all the way through your car. You'd do fine just to grind down some paint in the trunk, and ground to there. After ground is in place, spray a rust inhibitor over the whole thing to stop rust. Much easier and more convinient. Its not a bad idea if you would like fuse on both ends, one closest to the batter and the other closest to the PSU. Also, I don't know if you have an AM head unit, but I personally have my PSU iginition wired to my remote turn on wire from my head unit. This allows me to shut down my computer from inside my car by simply turning off my radio if I need to, Eg, It freezes up and stops responding. ...

**dkguitarist** · 02-17-2006, 11:24 AM

i thought it was bad to run multiple things off of your remote line w/out a relay b/c it's only supposed to draw a certain amount of mA and if it's over-powered, then you can fry your hu, and/or start a fire.

**Teranfirbt** · 02-17-2006, 10:57 PM

Generally things don't use much power for the IGN "switch" power, so he should be ok...

**Shamingo** · 02-17-2006, 11:31 PM

Ok, so I'm sorta getting crossed signals here from people. I know I need to run 1 wire back from the battery's positive to the M1's positive. I will need a 10-20 amp fuse close to the battery in the front and I can put another 10-20 amp near the M1 if I want. For the ground wire, I should be good just sanding off a piece of metal in my trunk and connecting it there. For the IGN wire, I will need to find the IGN wire in my car, I have a friend who works for a Mazda dealership in the parts/repair department and he said he can find the IGN wire for me, I will just splice into this wire and then run to the IGN on the M1. I should probably use about 8-10 gauge wire for this. Here is my only other question, there will be a size difference between the wires coming out of the M1 (it seems to look like 16-20 gauge wire) and the size of these other wires (the 8-10 gauge). How should I physically connect these wires of differing sizes together? Should I solder them? I'm pretty good at soldering. Anywho, that's the only real questions I have anymore. Thanks a bunch for the help guys, I'll definitely post pics after I'm done.
-aaron