Hi there could somone please give me some guidance. I have a http://kenwood.vdlabs.ru/power_aplifier/kac-ps500f.html its pretty old but does the job! I been using it to power a Pioneer sub (cant remember the name) for a while now but has come to my attention I maybe using the wrong gauge amp power lead. I have been using an old 10 gauge lead, would buying an 8 gauge or even 4 give me a better sound? Im looking to power some components up front but feel altough its quite a large amp it wouldnt be able to power them better than my Gamma headunit. Any advice would be great, thanks! I've been told it can output 1200RMS?? And can operate as either 4/3/2 channel.
Mark
Wrong amp power gauge?
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david burton
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1200W would be a 2ohm peak power output - i.e. 600W RMS, 300W per channel - but this is at 14.4v and you'll be running 12v which looks like it'll be about 200W into your sub.
I think the 10 gauge is fine, although if you were to use the 600W then you really want at least 8awg, perhaps 4.
I would definitely move to 8awg if you were to add some comps, and if the setup was to show 2 ohms then go to 4 awg.
I think the 10 gauge is fine, although if you were to use the 600W then you really want at least 8awg, perhaps 4.
I would definitely move to 8awg if you were to add some comps, and if the setup was to show 2 ohms then go to 4 awg.
My amp has a Switched Mode PSU to create its own 100V that it uses for the output stage. Thus voltage drop on the input wire doesn't affect sound quality unless the drop becomes very large. In fact, I stuck it on a lab power supply driving a 2Ohm load with a sine wave and proved that the power delivered to the load was the same right down to 7.2 Vin. All the happened is the input current rises to keep the VA the same. Its not an expensive amp, I would have thought that most of then would be the same.
I think that the problem comes when driving a very heavy load like 2Ohm, the whole setup could get into an expensive oscillation.
I think that the problem comes when driving a very heavy load like 2Ohm, the whole setup could get into an expensive oscillation.
More likely, you would fry a small gauge wire.Also, you lose a lot of power to eddy currents in smaller gauge wires, so bigger is always better, at least as far as that is concerned.JWC wrote:My amp has a Switched Mode PSU to create its own 100V that it uses for the output stage. Thus voltage drop on the input wire doesn't affect sound quality unless the drop becomes very large. In fact, I stuck it on a lab power supply driving a 2Ohm load with a sine wave and proved that the power delivered to the load was the same right down to 7.2 Vin. All the happened is the input current rises to keep the VA the same. Its not an expensive amp, I would have thought that most of then would be the same.
I think that the problem comes when driving a very heavy load like 2Ohm, the whole setup could get into an expensive oscillation.
Its unlikely, but it does happen. Usually if you use skinny wire in a 12V application its resistance just means that there is a chronic voltage drop. That said, I think we have all seen the case where the copper has melted itself out of the insulator!
You can convert to 400V at the battery and then back to 13.8 at the amp in the boot. This way you could get away with skinny household wire even at 5KVA, because then the losses become much lower. Saving weight. This works because the voltage drop is only proportional to current and the higher the voltage the less the losses are and the lower the current for a fixed power. It might sound like its too expensive or complicated - but its managable.
In a few years because of the problems with such heavy currents at 12V with ever increasing power hungry systems like ABS, ESP, ICE - cars with be running 36V or 48V battery systems. (50V DC the limit for safety reasons.) This first of which is BMW, not sure what VW have planned.
You can convert to 400V at the battery and then back to 13.8 at the amp in the boot. This way you could get away with skinny household wire even at 5KVA, because then the losses become much lower. Saving weight. This works because the voltage drop is only proportional to current and the higher the voltage the less the losses are and the lower the current for a fixed power. It might sound like its too expensive or complicated - but its managable.
In a few years because of the problems with such heavy currents at 12V with ever increasing power hungry systems like ABS, ESP, ICE - cars with be running 36V or 48V battery systems. (50V DC the limit for safety reasons.) This first of which is BMW, not sure what VW have planned.