zapco ST-2X SQ Owner's Manual

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zapco ST-2X SQ Owner's Manual Manual pdf 8 page image

6Some words about Power and GroundNote: The second most common cause of underperforming amplifiers is insufficient powercurrent or a pour power connection. The most common cause of underperforming amplifiers isinsufficient ground current or a bad ground connection.12-volt current: Battery Power works only if it travels in a complete circuit fromthe battery positive terminal to the battery negative terminal. Main powerinput, of course, is attached to the battery positive terminal. Ground current isreturned to the battery through the chassis to the to the point where the batteryis grounded.The current available for your amplifier to use to produce power will berestricted by the smallest gauge of wire in the circuit and by the weakest physicalconnection in the circuit.Wire SizeIt's often surprising how many people will obsess about signal wire but routinelyprovide the amplifier with only a fraction of the current it needs to do its job.The most common wire gauge used in car audio is 10-gauge, and the mostcommon location for amplifiers is in the trunk.Wire Sizing Chart4 ft 7 ft 10 ft 13 ft 16 ft 19 ft 22 ft 28 ft0-20 amps 14 12 12 10 10 8 8 820-35 amps 12 10 8 8 6 6 6 435-50 amps 10 8 8 6 6 4 4 450-60 amps 8 8 6 4 4 4 4 265-85 amps 6 6 4 4 2 2 2 085 -105amps 6 6 4 2 2 2 2 0105-125 amps 4 4 4 2 2 0 0 0125-150 amps 2 2 2 2 0 0 0 0Let's look at a fairly small system. If you use a 50 watt/ch amp (25 amps)for the highs and a 100 watt/ch amp (40 amps) for the woofers, you need atleast a 4-gauge and maybe a 2-Guage wire to provide 65 amps at the trunk.Anything less and your car won't go boom. It'll just go Blap!Length of Run