Where to run power cable for hidden amp

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Batesy

Batesy

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I am wanting to run an amp under the seat of my Swinger to power a pair of 6x9 in the back ( I recently purchased a new package tray with slits for sound). I don't want to interfere with my stock radio in any way.
To power it I know I need to run it up to my battery with a fuseable link. My question is will the amp be off when I don't have a key in the ignition or do I need to interface an on/off switch in the power line? I saw a video on YouTube where a guy ran his power cable to the battery but his amp shut off when he took the key out. Any help is appreciated.
 
your amp install instuctions will show a "signal" wire. I think it is blue...... that is usually hooked up to an aftermarket deck. all it is, is a keyed hot wire that tells the amp when to turn on and off. so you can just hook that wire up to a keyed 12v hot i believe. I would look at your manufacture instructions before you start wiring anything. I would also mount your amp either in the trunk up behind the back seat or on the bottom side of the package tray steel. first place thieves look is under the seats.
 
what young gun said is correct, the signal wire is either blue or yellow. your amp is technically always hot, although the amp won't turn on unless you have your radio on. Now whether or not your radio turns on with your ignition depends on how you wire the radio into the cars electrical system.
 
As I mentioned in my first post, I don't want it to be connected to my stock A.M. radio. I want it to be separate. From what I see online, you need to run the power cable directly to the battery (with a fuse). Amps, including mine, have a remote input and I could put in an on/off switch to that which would tell the amp when to turn on. I was just wondering if you had a way to run the power cable straight to the battery would it in essence be providing juice the whole time or just when the key is turned on.
 
I'm sure there are more than a few guys on here who have hooked up stereos to mopars. I am open to all ideas and suggestions. Many thanks
 
You want the trigger line hooked to FUSED power. Look in the FUSE panel. I will have to post a diagram of the panel, as there are no downloads that late.


You do NOT want the "main" heavy battery cable hooked inside the car. You are going to want to run that to a heavy, dedicated stereo type fuse to the battery stud on the starter relay

You ignored the question? You have no diagram? No service manual?
 
i don't feel like I'm understanding your question. With every amp, there is a main feed, which will be the large power wire, and there is a secondary "control" wire, which is typically a much smaller gauge wire. No matter when or how you want your amp to turn on, the larger "main" feed wire will always be ran directly to your battery with an in line fuse as close to the battery as possible, and sized appropriately so the fuse blows before the wire over heats and causes issues.

That being said, I believe you already understand that. So that takes us to the control wire. The amp will always have power supplied to it via the main power cable, but will not turn on until it gets the command, i.e. voltage, from the control power. That can come from wherever you want it too.

If you would like the amp to turn on with the ignition, there will be a wire that goes from your fuse box to where the radio is located, and this will only be hot when the you turn the key. That is the wire that turns on your radio, and if you tie your control wire into that feed, it will also turn on your amp.

Some people have radio's wired into their car, in my opinion, incorrectly. These radios have power coming only from an "always hot" source, and the radio will not respond to the ignition of the car. If that's the case, you will not be able to control the amp by tapping into that source of power, because it is always energized. If that is the case with your car, or you just want to manually control the amp, Simply run a fused wire from either your battery, or a source of power that is always hot through a toggle switch and on to your amp.
 
Batesy said:
I am wanting to run an amp under the seat of my Swinger to power a pair of 6x9 in the back ( I recently purchased a new package tray with slits for sound). I don't want to interfere with my stock radio in any way.
To power it I know I need to run it up to my battery with a fuseable link. My question is will the amp be off when I don't have a key in the ignition or do I need to interface an on/off switch in the power line? I saw a video on YouTube where a guy ran his power cable to the battery but his amp shut off when he took the key out. Any help is appreciated.
Click to expand...

After re reading your original post. If your radio is the original from the factory, remember that you will need to intercept the signal wires originally heading to the speakers themselves, and splice in an adapter so you can run RCA cables from your deck to your amp.
 
I'd jus go 'head'n mount this on'th dash...

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on account'a we' sur's 'ell not gett'n any'wheawaah heaha
 
That's not a bad idea. Conversation starter anyway.
I appreciate the responses. I think i have my answer. I need to run the remote wire to one of the fuses that turns on with the key. At least, that is what I am going to do rather than make a separate control.
 
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