need some help...

[Rollie396]

I'm installing a new unit (on the cheap) in my 80.The head unit is a new 4x45 cheapo (with aux jack which is the whole reason I'm doing this).I bought a pair of 5" sony speakers to use on the front channels and am using an old Clarion 10" sub and Alpine 160 watt(?) amp that I've had forever.
I wired everything up going by the instructions provided with the deck and stuff I pulled off the net for the amp.I intended to run the fronts off deck power and sub off the amp by bridging the channels.It's just temporary right now as I wanted to make sure things work...which they don't of course.The amp and sub work just fine,but I can't get the front channels to work.I tested the speakers and they seem fine.I hooked up the craptabulous rear speakers to both the front channels and rear but got nothing.I'm pretty sure my ground is good.It's hooked to the ground block on the a pillar on the driver side under the dash.It doesn't matter if I play with the fader,balance,turn the sub on or off,unhook the sub/amp.Unless I turn the sub off,it always plays but nothing through the other speakers.
Oh and I've double and triple checked my wiring of the speakers and I'm sure it's correct.Help/advice/ideas would be great!

[Rollie396]

One other thing,what gauge wire should I use for the power to the amp?

[Riveted1]

Sounds to me like the head unit amp no worky. Can you exchange it for another?

Recommended Cable Size by Power and Distance
Total RMS
Power (watts) Distance
4 feet 8 feet 12 feet 16 feet 20 feet
100 10 gauge 10 gauge 8 gauge 8 gauge 4 gauge
200 10 gauge 8 gauge 8 gauge 4 gauge 4 gauge
400 8 gauge 8 gauge 4 gauge 4 gauge 4 gauge
600 8 gauge 4 gauge 4 gauge 4 gauge 4 gauge
800 4 gauge 4 gauge 4 gauge 2 gauge 2 gauge
1000 4 gauge 4 gauge 2 gauge 2 gauge 2 gauge
1400 4 gauge 2 gauge 2 gauge 2 gauge 2 gauge



Power & Ground Cable Specs
Cable Size
Wire Gauge Current Capacity
Amperage (amps)
1/0 350
2 225
4 150
8 100
10 60
12 40
14 25
16 15

[AceX]

I'm gonna go with the chart is a little off... 2ga speaker wire?

As far as sizing goes, somewhere in the 10-12 range should work nicely. It doesn't have to be some bad ass wire that's been designed by Robert Zeff and blessed by Steve Meade...

[Rollie396]

Thanks fellas.I got the speakers working now.Had one hooked up backwards and didn't notice till the fourth check....not sure how I missed that,but at least it's working.
goin by that chart above,and the fact that Alpine suggests a 35 amp inline fuse,12 awg should be fine no?
Another question.What's the difference between running the power directly from the battery and running it from a live 12 volt slot in the fuse block?

[Riveted1]

Originally Posted by AceX

I'm gonna go with the chart is a little off... 2ga speaker wire?

Uhhh... that's power wire chachi!

Originally Posted by Rollie396

Thanks fellas.I got the speakers working now.Had one hooked up backwards and didn't notice till the fourth check....not sure how I missed that,but at least it's working.
goin by that chart above,and the fact that Alpine suggests a 35 amp inline fuse,12 awg should be fine no?
Another question.What's the difference between running the power directly from the battery and running it from a live 12 volt slot in the fuse block?

Speakers wired backwards? They should have still worked. They would have just moved 'inward' instead of 'outward'. Unless you mean you had both positives going to one speaker and both negatives to another.

And I would bump it up to 10ga. power wire myself for the amp. For the radio, you can just run to the factory fuse block, but the amp should get it's power directly from the battery. Just think about current+resistance=heat=fire=no more truck.

[Rollie396]

Thank you.I did actually end up deciding on 10 awg for the power so all is good.After more playin around with it,I realized that the wiring wasn't the problem (as you suggested),but the spades on one of the speakers was touching the body causing a short.

[Riveted1]

Ya, that sounds more like it. Glad you got it figured out!