Wiring two amps?

[youngbuck98xj]

I'm trying to install an amp for my door speakers. I currently have one amp hooked up to a pair of subs. I have a distributor to split the power. I grounded both amps together and have RCA's hooked up and ready to go. When finished hooking up everything, the system worked but the battery drained instantly. The truck was running and the voltmeter wasn't reading. After turning the truck off and letting the stereo play, the battery died within seconds. Am I doing something wrong with the wiring? Is my battery not strong enough, do I need a capacitor? Any input is greatly appreciated

 

[nekocopter]

How large are the amps?

What gauge is your power wiring?

What kind of battery?

How many amps is your alternator?

 

[youngbuck98xj]

Both amps are 250Wrms. Wiring is 10 gauge and some 8 gauge. The power is 10g coming from the battery. The battery and alt. are at stock specs whatever that may be. Dont have a high output alt or a good battery. By good I mean better than what it came with.

 

[nekocopter]

By grounded together I hope you don't mean you went from negative to negative on the amps.

And 10 gauge is awefully small, especially to power 2 amps, run 4 gauge to the splitter, and 8 after it, or 4 the entire way. Are you running an inline fuse on your power wire? Or a breaker?

You either have a 75 or 100 amp alternator (IIRC) depending on what power options your vehicle has, but 2 250watt amps should run fine on a 75 amp if you don't have an assload of accessories running.

 

[JTwthaXJ]

I did a similar setup on a Dakota a few years ago. I had a 250watt amp running door speakers and a the 5x7s behind the seat and a 500watt amp running the two 12" subs that I had stuffed behind the seat. I was running a 2ga. wire from the battery to a distribution block then 6 or 8ga. from that to each amp. The lights flickered a little at night. I think you need larger wire for your main power wire I would say 2 to 4ga. A cap. wouldn't hurt either. With the system that I was running I could drain the battery from fully charged to dead in less than a half hour without the truck running.

 

[youngbuck98xj]

By grounded together I mean they are spliced together than ran to ground. I run an inline fuse for the power. I will try upgrading the wire. I dont want to run it again but it'll be worth it if thats the problem. Maybe get a new battery as well. It's at least two years old and I have no clue how long the guy before me had it. I ran the RCA's for both amps down the same side of the truck, does that matter.

 

[Ghost]

Get something like this: http://www.crutchfield.com/S-wN6ISqFHCnI/cgi-bin/ProdView.asp?g=715&I=211DBX44

 

[surf2snow]

I’ve used to run more amps with smaller wire. What you might try is remove the power to one amp and try it, if it run ok then move on to the next one.
Because it seems that your amp (or amps) is bad.

 

[youngbuck98xj]

Thanks for everyones input. Hopefully I can get around to testing it this weekend. Keep the ideas coming if anything else comes up. Ill let yuns know if I fix it.

 

[aroncull]

I have:

1- 200W
1- 400W

Both ground to same spot on body, not spliced together.
I run inline fuse to optima red top with 4Ga cable through distro block to 6Ga to each amp. Remote start line is run from antenna..or accessory... then spliced to each amp...
I also upgraded my battery cables... cant tell you whats up with your system but i can tell you how mine is cabled....

 

[mtsz52784]

hey check out this website... i know it has helped me a few times and the link http://www.the12volt.com/caraudio/caraudio.asp will get you to the page that you can find answers about wire sizes per distance and usage.