Asimo's Audio Build (short circuit ??? )

[Asim]

Should I have installed the fuse BEFORE putting the -ve cable back on?

[timot_one]

Yes.  Here's what I usually do.  I disconnect the negative battery terminal from the battery (you can disconnect the positive battery terminal if you'd like), then make all my connections and install all fuses, after that I reconnect the positive and then the negative battery terminal.  If you have any current draw (like an interior light on), there will be a spark when connecting the ground terminal.

[Asim]

I will try that out tomorrow morning and see how it goes.

[Asim]

I owe you a beer Tim... your tip worked.

Its all finished!

[timot_one]

Thanks for the offer.  I'm glad things worked out for you.  I knew it would work.

[Asim]

I get a pop noise everytime I turn on/off the system or change tracks (from the subwoofer), any ideas?

[timot_one]

You should use a relay for your remote turn on for your amps.  You're getting turn on/off thump because the output your remote turn on wire is probably too low to trigger both amps.  The fact that you're getting a pop when you change tracks may be something that has been generated by your head unit's audio output.  Take care of the turn on/of thump first and then we'll worry about the fact that you're getting a pop when you change tracks.

Here's what you do for the relay.  Get a SPST or SPDT Bosch or P&B/Siemens relay.  Wire terminal 85 to ground, terminal 86 to the remote turn on from your receiver, terminal 78 to 12 volts, and terminal 30 to your amps.  That will fix your turn on/off thump.

[Asim]

I wasn't too explicit:

The turn on pop is fairly mute and negligible.

The turn off pop is the same as the 0-1, 1-0 volume pops and track changes, quite loud distinct thump as you describe.

The turn on wire was a single one to the first amp then a second small wire going from the first amp to the second.

For the relay, can I simply tap to the 12V and ground on a given amp or take it from the distribution blocks?

[timot_one]

Take power and ground from your distribution blocks.  If you planned your audio system properly, you should have an extra terminal on both for power and ground.  The way you have it wired may work, but is by no means the proper way of doing it.  If your head unit remote turn on wire has an output of 150 mA, and both of your amps require 100 mA each, you will have a problem.  Using a relay will also give you a few millisecond delay from when you turn your head unit on to when your amps turn on, getting rid of that annoying pop.  As far as the tracks changing, that's something else.  What kind of head unit are you running?

[Asim]

Alpine 9886 is the HU

[timot_one]

Unfortunately, the owners manual for your amps do not list what the required current draw is for the remote turn on.  Call Infinity tomorrow and ask them.  Most head units only put out about 200 mA on the remote turn on wire, which is enough to turn on one amp (usually made by the same manufacturer) or trigger a relay.  Either way, I still stand by my recommendation for you to add a relay to your remote turn on set up.  If you need a wiring diagram, I can whip one up for you in a little while.

[Asim]

Do you have any specific model numbers for the relays?

Is the E5100 or E5000 the right kind?

[timot_one]

As long as it's a Bosch type relay, you're going to be okay.  I believe Metra makes them.  Crutchfield has them here,

[Asim]

I am going to check locally for one. If not I will buy it off crutchfieldcanada since they carry it

Does the relay draw power even when the car is off? Or does it only draw power when the turn on signal has been achieved from the deck?

[timot_one]

A relay is an electromechanical switch that will complete a circuit only when your head unit is on.  Think of it as just a regular swtich, but instead of pushing a button or flipping a switch, you apply current to it to switch it on or off.

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