Advice Plz-Powered Sub-Cannon install

04-silver · April 9, 2004

I bought my wife an amplified sub-cannon for her birthday for me to put into her car. The car has that theft deterrent which I'm a little leary of, I don't want to end up giving my next born for a simple little job.

I have read a view posts and from I understand, tell me if I'm wrong but I think I can hook this sub up the with following method:

1)-speakers should be easy, use a tap connectors(or just pig-tail them, I think thats what it's called) for L+/L- of rear speakers and connect respectively to the L+/L- inputs of the sub. Do the same for the right side.

2)-Power, this is what I think I read. Find an empty socket in the fuse panel/box that only gives juice when car turned on.

3)-Once found, connect the Power-Sub's power wire to the back of the empty socket somehow(haven't looked as of yet) did read something about spade connectors. Scratch paint somewhere and connect ground. Good so far........ yes/no??

4)-Assuming I'm good to this point, what size of fuse would I use for the empty socket 10a, 15a or 20a?? Sub is only Maxium 200w. She needs the trunk........lol.

5)-I'm hoping thats it, anyway due to the cold winters at times -20/-30c, I want to put a toggle switch on the power line so my wife won't crank the sub when she first takes off.

Now this is where I would like some, please and thank you, advice/input and my installtion method.

I know some about electrical, more so houses then autos, too many colours in a cluster for my liking...................lol.

Thanks

John

03Bowtie · April 9, 2004

I would run your power line straight from the battery. Install an in-line fuse right after the connection. This will give you a better power source with more consistent current. Your fuse will depend on your amp. It should tell you what is recommended in the owner's manual for your bazooka tube. Find a good place to run the power wire up alongside the quarter panel and take it through the firewall at a place where other wires are coming through or you can drill your own hole. (be very careful if you go this route) Make sure your power wire from the battery is sleeved all the way up until the firewall. You will run your remote-turn on wire from the fuse panel. THIS is where you need an empty socket. You should only have to connect your speaker wire to either the left rear or the right rear, not both unless you find it absolutely necessary. Most of the bass frequencies are projected to all channels. Hope this helps.

Wingnut · April 9, 2004

^^What he said.

Oh, and there should be two power leads off of the amp. One should go directly to the battery, and the other (usually a very thin) wire is the "switched" power line. This one can be "pigtailed" into any switched source...The ideal place would be the same one that goes into the back of the factory radio (the yellow one, if memory serves). What this wire does, is allow you to have unrestricted power to the amp (The big one going directly to the battery), while slaving the actual power switch to your cars stereo....And thereby it's ignition.

I think that made sense.

Go to Install Dr. (It's a PDF file) for a very basic wiring diagram of your factory harness. It will at least give you a little more info.

Hope that helped out a little.

03Bowtie · April 10, 2004

Wingnut, that "switched" power line is called the "remote-turn on" wire. That's what I was saying. LOL Don't confuse the poor chap!! On all my vehicles, the remote turn on has been blue. But I'll bet a hot pink one would look really sharp. heheh.

Wingnut · April 10, 2004

Yeah, I just saw that in your post.

I guess that what it's called, is kind of up to who you ask.

04-silver · April 10, 2004

Thanks for all the replies.

I ended up doing this myself, the posts didn't come in fast enough.......... But hey, I do appreciate those who took the time to reply and help.

I managed to get it working.

Connected the sub to the rear speakers (both L & R) + and -, beats me but the instructions said so, so I did and yes I always read the manuals......... Scraped the paint off in the trunk and made a hole to screw in the ground.

I hide the red (power) and the blue (rem) wires by the back seat down under the floor moulding to the dash. I found a small hole in the firewall, went thru there, to some fuse box close the the firewall, couldn't use side door fuse panel, at least thats how I figured it, anyway found a tex screw in this fuse box that had steady power, good enough for me, planned on using a toggle switch any way, connected the blue and red wires to this screw.

Did a test, all worked, so I then snipped the blue wire into the toggle switch, mounted it under the steering wheel to the left a bit, everything still works, perfect, I'm outa here!

Dam I hate doing stuff like this . You pretty much have to be a contortionist (sp) to do this, crawling/wiggling around in the trunk, pretzel like under the dash, looking for something, for what I don't know, but its there..........