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Amp power wire

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Old 03-29-2006, 12:13 PM
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Default Amp power wire

I have read on here that the best place to run the amp power wire is on the passenger side below the PCM, now forgive me if this has been asked to death but where exactly below the PCM is the hole? Do you need to remove the PCM to get access to this area or not? I have looked at this area many times and I cant see squat , If anyone can shed some detailed light on this I would greatly appreciate it
Old 03-29-2006, 12:45 PM
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Take the PCM out. You'll need a 10mm socket for the bolts holding it down, and a 7mm socket to remove the actual harnesses. You'll have to kinda rotate it about 90 degrees to get it out. Once it is out, you'll see a rubber grommet down there. That is what you are looking for.
Old 03-29-2006, 02:48 PM
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Mine is run down the drivers side. The power wire runs to the remote 12V battery terminal near the fuseboxes.
Old 03-29-2006, 02:51 PM
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The rubber grommet is on the firewall, you'll want a flashlight handy to see it easily. It already has a wiring loom poking through it, you'll just shove your fatty amp wire through there as well.

Don't forget to fuse it close to the battery, and check that the wiring doesn't intefere with the hood or rub up against anything sharp.

The PCM is a little finicky to get out of it's hole. If you've never done it before it will take a bit of wiggling, and remember to take a mental snapshot of how it comes out, because you'll have to weasle it back in the same way.

Because it's outside, the fasteners can be pretty stubborn, as well, and they are pretty long.
Old 03-29-2006, 02:54 PM
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Originally Posted by LS1Zedder
Mine is run down the drivers side. The power wire runs to the remote 12V battery terminal near the fuseboxes.
I've done that before too. It's probably ok that way for a very modest amp. Once you get up to a 30-40 amp fuse rating though, you really should run a power wire to the battery.

You don't want to overload that distribution box (fusable links, overheated factory wiring, all sorts of bad things can happen). That wiring isn't designed to support the additional amperage a large amp can pull.
Old 03-29-2006, 02:59 PM
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Originally Posted by todddchi
I've done that before too. It's probably ok that way for a very modest amp. Once you get up to a 30-40 amp fuse rating though, you really should run a power wire to the battery.

You don't want to overload that distribution box (fusable links, overheated factory wiring, all sorts of bad things can happen). That wiring isn't designed to support the additional amperage a large amp can pull.
Really? Im running a 25W X 4 Alpine V12 and a JL 250/1 sub amp now. Just put in the sub at the end of last summer. Is this too much? Maybe I should extend the wire over to the battery instead.
Old 04-02-2006, 12:28 AM
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I wouldn't recommend that setup through the factory distribution block. I guess you are getting away with it, so it's hard to argue against it, but if you overload that distribution box it would be a very bad thing.

I don't think a single person in car audio would recommend running two decent amps like that without a fused line to the battery.




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