Thread: How to install Amplifier

Originally Posted by mainecrab

I need some advice. I have a bass canon type thing in my trunk. But the other day my car would not start because of corrosion on the screw that goes to the positive terminal to the car. I am thinking I am doing something wrong or else it is not grounded correctly. What is the way that you guys have setup the amp to get to the positive terminal since it is a screw type terminal and one that has a post. Do you buy a battery with both and put the positive on the post? I dont want to be in a position where my car will not start because of this. i am thinking the corrosion was enough to keep the battery trickle charged as it only happend when the car sat for two days.

Jason

Sorry, the wording of this "question" is confusing. You have a Bazooka in yer trunk. O.k.

I'm assuming it has the amplifier built into it. Corrosion on the Positive Terminal on the "amp" will only make the Tube sound like crap, or not work at all: It will not drain the battery. As the above poster said, there should be a remote turn-on wire that tells the bazooka to turn on only when the in-dash head unit comes on. If that connection is always on, i.e connected to the battery, it will drain the battery after a day or 2.

Long story short, there should be 3 Power connections made to the Bazooka, assuming it is self amped.

1)A +12V main to the Battery to the +12 on the amp. Most guys will run a separate heavy duty cable to the battery positive, with an in-line fuse less than 12" from the battery.

2)A ground strap from the ground terminal on the tube to the chassis somewhere handy. Same gauge wire as the Positive cable. Some guys go thru the trouble to run this heavy wire back to where the Head unit is grounded, to guard against noise in the amp, but I have never had the need.

3)A turn-on line for the tube so that it isn't always on. This is basically a remote switch. Usually it is made on an after market stereo from the blue <power antenna> line or an orange <remote turn-on> wire, back to the tube from the Head. Consult yer manual :-) If using the stock head unit, and don't want to go thru the hassle of find a remote on wire in the stock loom, hooking this lead to a spare line in the fuse box that only goes hot when the key is in the accessory position is better than nothing.

I have seen amps that don't use a remote turn on line. They sense when the unit is getting input from either the line level or high level inputs, depending which one you are using, and them switch themselves on.

A Bad ground on the amp will not kill the battery, It will simply cause the amp not to work.

That's all I got for ya with the info you gave.

Better info would be Brand and Model Number of the tube, how it is getting input <High level input drug down from the rear speakers, or separate patch cords from the head>, and the type of head unit, stock radio or Brand/model number of the after market unit.

i wired my remote straight to the radio fuse, havent had a single prob with it, been doing it that way for the better part of 16 years now.

Originally Posted by Skeeve

i wired my remote straight to the radio fuse, havent had a single prob with it, been doing it that way for the better part of 16 years now.

Which is fine. Kinda. It's simply a +12v source accessory switched. Unless you leave the key in, radio off. The amp is still on that way. But who does that?? Well, My nephew does, all the time. I've had to jump his pot-head ass twice cause of it.