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Note: The second most common cause of underperforming amplifiers is insufficient power
current or a pour power connection. The most common cause of underperforming amplifiers is
insufficient ground current or a bad ground connection.
12-volt current: Battery Power works only if it travels in a complete circuit from
the battery positive terminal to the battery negative terminal. Main power
input, of course, is attached to the battery positive terminal. Ground current is
returned to the battery through the chassis to the point where the battery is
grounded.
The current available for your amplifier to use to produce power will be
restricted by the smallest gauge of wire in the circuit and by the weakest physical
connection in the circuit.
It's often surprising how many people will obsess about signal wire but routinely
provide 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 most
common location for amplifiers is in the trunk.
0-20 amps
20-35 amps
35-50 amps
50-60 amps
65-85 amps
85 -105amps
105-125 amps
125-150 amps
Let'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 at
least 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!
Some words about Power and Ground
Wire Size
Wire Sizing Chart
4 ft
7 ft 10 ft 13 ft 16 ft 19 ft 22 ft 28 ft
14
12
12
10
10
8
8
8
6
6
6
6
4
4
2
2
Length of Run
12
10
10
8
8
6
8
6
6
6
4
4
4
4
2
4
2
2
4
2
2
2
2
0
8
8
8
6
6
4
4
4
4
4
4
2
2
2
0
2
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
7
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