Newbie install mess-ups (amp power)

[Astral]

(Sorry if it's too long...)

I got everything I needed (excpt. the tools) for my audio install last Friday, so I got out of work early and decided to go do it (adding an amplifier in the stock audio path).

So far I've set up the LOC & the normal and reverse harnesses, which turned out to be quite clean w/ butt connectors and extra speaker wire from reverse harness to LOC (for more freedom in placing the LOC behind the deck).

This morning I started routing power and ground wires for my amp, Tsunami DB-4440. I got the KnuKonceptz 4ga amplifier installation kit, w/ an 80amp fuse (as per manual's suggestions).

Now this is the part where you will say that I should've just went and paid for an audio shop pro installation. My answer to that is that I want to save a bunch of money (this is a relatively low budget upgrade) and I also want to learn how to properly do this myself.

I have never installed any audio before, so I'm a complete newbie... feel free to laugh.

The chain of mistakes/mess-ups/experiences today:

1) Broke the 80amp fuse that came w/ the amp installation kit. Closeby places all had max 60amp fuses, one place had 80amp circuit breakers. I decided that since I'll be only using half the amp's power for starters, I can live w/ a 60amp fuse for a bit (the amp itself has two 30 amp fuses).

2) Unscrewing the seat bolt to get ground was a b****. Had to buy a longer wrench to get enough torque on it. What size is that bolt anyway? I used a 9/16" wrench, but it seemed to be a little too big.

2 b) Turned out that the ring terminal wouldn't fit under the bolt, so I ended up scraping/filing off paint and just sticking bare wire under the bolt and tightening it down. Looks and feels pretty tight, so I hope it's a good ground.

3) 4 gauge wire is a pain in the ass to work with! The worst is crimping the 4ga ring terminals to the wire: even after getting big ass crimpers, the goddamm thing still wouldn't bend (or barely so). I guess I'm too weak. Can't even imagine working w/ 1/0ga wire! Is there any secret to crimping 4ga wire/ring terminals?

3 b) Instead, I ended up getting (for $8, bah!) this "screw on" terminal that penetrates the power cable with a pin. This will do for connecting to the battery, but the terminal is bulky and expensive.

4) How are you supposed to stick that 4ga wire in the terminals that have holes that have the little screws up top? After stripping the wire, the entire cable just refuses to completely go into the terminal. I end up having strands of the cable stick to the sides and up and around the terminal (same deal w/ the ring terminals). After a few attempts, the stripped portion of the wire gets all puffed up and even worse to work with!

And now for the worst of them all (qualifies as a ****-up and not a mess-up):

5 a) The amp has terminals for power and ground that you stick the wire in and tighten the screw up top. As I was tightening the power cable with the little hex alan wrench, I managed to strip the screw! Now I can't unscrew the power terminal.

5 b) I tightened the ground cable, but I guess I didn't insert a long enough portion of it in, because after readjusting the "bend" of the ground cable, it slipped out of the terminal. After unscrewing the terminal screw, it didn't seem to go back in correctly. It would stop screwing in just quarter-length into the terminal, as though I messed up the thread on the terminal (not the actual screw). As I screwed it in and out to try to see whether maybe I could orient it in some sort of proper direction to make it go in right, I managed to strip the ground terminal screw as well.

So at the end of the night, I have a brand new amplifier with stripped bolts on the power and ground terminals, with the power cable "stuck" connected, and the ground terminal now seemingly unconnectable.

**** me, as they say!

So now I gotta save the situation somehow.

Is there any way to connect a wire to the amp's terminal without using the "screw-down" bolt? Maybe there's an insert/snap-in kind of terminal available?

Is there an easy way to replace these terminals on the amp?

Ok, you can stop laughing now

 

[fLyPiNoY7]

to get the 4ga wire held onto the ring terminals, i just bashed the terminal shut with a hammer...and for the screw things, well, nothing is impossible with a dremel...

edit: use plenty of patience!!!...btw, what kinda of amp did u get?

 

[Astral]

Ah dremel, I need that..

hammer! good idea!

I got the Tsunami DB-4440 amp. It's 4x75W or 2x220W (440W total), watts RMS.

 

[aydu]

For your ground cable, take a trip to your local hardware store and see if you can get either a self tapping screw. Take the old one with you for sizing. If you have a "real" hardware store that has people with some experience with tools, this would be preferable to a Menards, or other type chain store where they hire kids to stock shelves and tell you what aisle things are on. Grey hair on the guy you ask is usually a good sign that the person has actually done some work and knows something about tools.

Self tapping screws are made to deal with stripped out situations.

If this doesn't work (won't cost much to try) look for a tap set. this tool set helps clean out stripped connectors and get them working again. You may have to go up a screw size, but it should work out fine.

If your power wire is stuck solid, I'd tend to leave that as is for now. You won't have to deal with it inless you change your audio setup again. If you can access the bottom of the screw on the positive wire connector, you'll likely have to put some upward pressure on it, while trying to unscrew the connector from above. This usually gets the thing going. Fixing it will be the same as whatever works on the negative connector.

Good lesson here is that connectors need to be snug, but all things have their tolerance. Over tightening will cause something to give, as you found out. Allen wrenches are easy to overdo as they make a solid connection and give good leverage.

If all else fails, you can call on a local audio shop for help. They have all types of tools to deal with stubborn and stripped connectors. They also have the experience on how to fix things that go wrong in an install. Sound like the things you need fixed are not very time consuming, so the fee they would charge would likely be reasonable.



The tap set will allow you to clean out the threads on the amp. You may have stripped out the threads on the amp or the screw.

 

[Astral]

Thank you very much for your reply, aydu! I'll visit some hardware shops and audio shops in the area tomorrow.

 

[KYREDP5]

2) Unscrewing the seat bolt to get ground was a b****. Had to buy a longer wrench to get enough torque on it. What size is that bolt anyway? I used a 9/16" wrench, but it seemed to be a little too big.

Our cars are Japanese... That means everything is Metric. IIRC the seat bolt is 12mm. Not certain on that though.

 

[Astral]

Re: Re: Newbie install mess-ups (amp power)

Our cars are Japanese... That means everything is Metric. IIRC the seat bolt is 12mm. Not certain on that though.

A 13mm wrench didn't fit, so maybe they are 14? 9/16th inches is 14.3mm, so I guess they are 14mm.

 

[brokemp3]

use a little bit bigger allen wrench and you should be able to get it to work just tap it lightly and it should be allright. just some advice try not to use so much force they just need to be snug. so that they dont just pop out

 

[Finnster]

Why use the seat bolt for ground?

I'm a mid-level noob, and I just did an amp install. ( did a couple back in high-school, but looking back, it was a pretty hack job )

Couple hints from my install:

Hammer works great to get the 4ga ring terminal on. Measure your wires first (practical only for the ground). Ground is easy, but for power cable, you will only be able to do one end (batt side.)

Use terminals for both ends!!!

Don't stick 4ga wire into the amp directly, way too big!! This is why they stripped. Get a 4ga spade. (follow-up top last point,) I used a c-clamp to crush the terminal on. You can't hammer the power wire when inside your car, and can't pass a terminal through the firewall grommet.

I ran all my wires thru the center console. Its very easy to remove, and easy to route wires thru for an under-the-seat amp install. In there are several good bolts to attach ground to, and won't have to f^%k w/ seat bolts. Also saves alot of wire. I ran the speak wires back thru here to the dash as well (away from incoming power wire, but not so important as RCA's.)

Lastly, GET FISH TAPE!!! God this made things soooooo much easier. Using this I ran the rca's down the dash, under the carpet, then to a small slit in the carpet by the amp under the seat. This way, you will only need 6' RCA's (save some cash!)

Edit:
OH, also, after fussing for some time trying to get the 4ga wire thru the firewall grommet, I just took a 4" pocket knife, and pushed it thru my starter hole, making ~.5" cut. Power wire went thru easy then. Don't worry about leaks. The grommet is thick and rubbery enough that it will mold itself around the wire, sealing it. Just don't cut too big. Use fish tape to feed it thru. G/L!

 

[traitorhound]

my cheapie jensen am took the 4ga wire easily without a terminal