Ground Connection - JL Audio MHD600/4-24V Owner's Manual

4-channel class-d full-range marine amplifier

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Power and turn-on connections

Before installing the amplifier, disconnect the

negative (ground) wire from the vessel's battery.

This will prevent accidental damage to the system,

the vessel and your body during installation.

+24V battery connection

You will need to connect a power wire to

the vessel's positive battery terminal, using an

appropriate power ring or specialized battery

terminal connector, such as the JL Audio

XB-BTU. This connection must be tight and

corrosion-free to ensure proper connectivity. This

wire MUST be fused appropriately for safety. Any

positive power wires run through metal, wood or

fiberglass barriers, must be protected with a high

quality insulating grommet to prevent damage

to the insulation of the wire. Failure to do so may

result in a dangerous short circuit.

Power wire requirements

The MHD600/4-24V's "+24 VDC" and

"Ground" connections are designed to accept

8 to 4 AWG power wire. 8 AWG pure copper

wire is the minimum recommended wire size

for this amplifier. Use of smaller gauge wire

(including cheap wire that is fraudulently sold

as 8 AWG wire) can create a fire hazard.

If you are installing the MDH600/4-24V with

other amplifiers and wish to use a single main

power wire, use 4 AWG, 2 AWG or 1/0 AWG pure

copper wire as a main power wire. This larger

power wire should terminate into a distribution

block mounted as close to the amplifiers as

possible and should connect to the MDH600/4-

24V with 8 AWG pure copper power wire, with

each smaller wire fused appropriately for each

amplifier or other electronics in the system.

Please note that lower AWG numbers mean

bigger wire and vice-versa (1/0 AWG is the largest,

2 AWG is smaller, then 4 AWG, then 8 AWG, etc.).

6 | JL Audio - MHD600/4-24V Owner's Manual

We do not recommend the use of "copper-clad

aluminum wire" or "CCA" wire because this

wire is significantly less conductive than pure

copper wire. Only use pure copper power wire,

such as JL Audio Premium Power Wire. Tinned

copper wire (silver color) is desirable as the tin-

plating is only a very minor component of the

wire and provides corrosion resistance.

Fuse requirements

The installation of a fuse on the main power

wire, within 18 wire inches (45 cm) of the positive

battery terminal is vital to protect the wire and

the vehicle from fire in the event of a collision

or short-circuit. The fuse value at each power

wire should be just high enough for all of the

equipment being run from that power wire. Do

not use a fuse with a value that far exceeds the

total fuse rating of the electronics connected to

the wire.

If only the MHD600/4-24V is being run

from that power wire, we recommend a

25A fuse be used. AGU (big glass fuse). AFS

(small blade fuse) or MaxiFuse™ (big plastic-

body fuse) types are recommended.

If other amplifiers are also being powered from

a main power wire and exceed 80 amps in total

fuse rating, we recommend the use of an ANL

(large-blade) fuse and holder to protect the main

wire and a fused distribution block to protect the

individual power wires feeding the amplifiers.

Please consult with your JL Audio

dealer to make sure that the wire, fuse

holder and fuse ratings are appropriate

for your system's needs. The safety of

your installation depends on appropriate

power connections and fuse protection.