Can I wire an amp to the internal power block under the dash?

speedsix

Leon Cupra R 225
Oct 30, 2004
825
0
..instead of routing through the bulkhead to the battery?

I know there is an ICE forum but it's quiet as hell in there and I really need to know today.

powerblock.jpg

Red 12v connector



Cheers

Dom
 

RobM

Back from the dead...
Sep 27, 2006
4,982
3
Southampton
Not ideally, no. It's physically possible, but not recommended as the power drain might be too much for it, even if it is only a 50w amp.

The last thing you want is overheating electrical supplies and cables behind your dash!
 

andycupra

status subject to change
id say no.

and is that 50watt max? if so whats the point!?
perhaps its 50watt rms?

i presume you dont have the power feed in the boot already. ( ithink the LCRs dont have it)

id not recommend connecting it there. and its not much mroe hassle to connect the the battery.
 

speedsix

Leon Cupra R 225
Oct 30, 2004
825
0
I see, cheers.

Is there a better way through the bulkhead than the grommet under the scuttle panel on the drivers side and is routing down either side easier than the other?


Cheers
 

speedsix

Leon Cupra R 225
Oct 30, 2004
825
0
No no no no no no no no no no NO!

:lol:

Take it from the battery direct. The cable between that distribution box and the battery can't cope with big loads.
I wasn't paying much attention during the electronics talks at school obviously:whistle:


Cheers for the link.

Is it still considered wrong to route rca leads down the same side as power cables?
 

RobM

Back from the dead...
Sep 27, 2006
4,982
3
Southampton
Yes it is. RCA's are likely to pick up interference if you do that, which will leave yuo with a dirty great amount of alternator whine.
 

Icecavern

Active Member
Jun 12, 2001
6,214
4
Berkshire, UK
www.icecavern.com
keep them apart

shouldnt really be running signal wires next to power wires as it can cause a low hum or an interfernce

also make sure you've got a good grounding point!

Actually it's the bad earths that cause the interference. You can wind the RCA cable round the power wire all the way down the car and still not get any noise... But it's just safer to keep them apart anyway.
 

RobM

Back from the dead...
Sep 27, 2006
4,982
3
Southampton
That's quite different to what I found. I was asked to check over a car because it had terrible whining through the speakers, which were amped. The first thing I noticed was the power, remote and RCA leads were all running down one side of the car. I changed this so the power and remote lead ran down one side and the RCA's ran down the other and the noise went away. Nothing else was changed.

In my own car, well an older car of mine (Focus) I had a bad earth that caused the whining too, so I'm not in any way disputing that! It's seriously annoying when you've spent all day installing your kit and on the first test drive... whining :censored:
 

SteveaB

Guest
If the insulation on the cable's is good enough then no interferance can be caused but as power cable's are insulated diffrently from signal cable's it is possible for it to effect if there next to each other! Also as the power cable is run down with out a netrual run down next to it theres also the chance of magnetic interferance from the power cable as well (i think)!!!

Last install i did i removed the glove box and drilled a new hole and fit a new grommet! just don't drill into anything!
 

Scamps

Guest
Got me slightly worried now. I wired my active sub to the power block under the dash on somebodies recommendation.:blink:

On the positive side, i've been using it like this for 2 years with no problems........

Might just look into this further:think:
 

RobM

Back from the dead...
Sep 27, 2006
4,982
3
Southampton
Got me slightly worried now. I wired my active sub to the power block under the dash on somebodies recommendation.:blink:

On the positive side, i've been using it like this for 2 years with no problems........

Might just look into this further:think:

It's one of those things that really shouldn't be done, but some people do get away with without trouble. But if there is a problem - and to be honest it's quite likely for most cases - then the first you know of it is when it's too late and you have overheating electrical cables behind the dashboard on your car. Not a great deal you can do about that!
 

Scamps

Guest
Now disconnected until further notice. Not worth the risk by the looks of it.:(

Keep seeing images from that video in which a black golf is totalled by a fire that started behind the dash........

Cheers for the heads up people
 
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