Wire colors help

[Mason Fresh]

So I got my brother to take out my Pioneer head unit and get behind there and try to locate my ground to maybe cease all the damn static from my speakers...

not a clue what's what back there - i know i saw a thread a long time ago with all the colors and what they corresponded too, but I can't find it...

help!?


Also (Tim I hope you're out there!), does anyone know how I can run my new speakers off my 4 channel amp when I have an Axxess interface that retains the factory JBL system....(Aka lets me run an after market headunit and keep my center channel and stock sub) and still keep my factory sub (that's all i care about right now, screw the center channel and the pillars).

This interface takes up all of my RCAs behind my deck so I have no place to run my new ones for my new amp... grrr.

I'm in a rut.. help help help!

Thanks all, I hope this is somewhat clear...

 

[Mason Fresh]

If anyones interested this is what I think I'm going to do - please verify for me, whether or not this will work, haha.

I'm gonna get 4 RCA splitters.

I'll be replacing the existing RCA's coming out of the Axxess interface, THEN i'll put the splitters into each one of the inputs, leaving 8 open connections. I'll plug the RCA's from the Interface - one Front end will go into one splitter, and the other Front end will go into the other splitter. Then I will do the same with the Rear ends - leaving 4 open connections on the splitters - that's where I'll connect the new RCA's that run to my new amp.

Since I want to keep my factory sub I'm going to split the factory remote wire and tie it together with a wire nut and run it to my new amp. I'll transfer the stock speaker wire in the stock amp to my new amp, except for the speaker wire powering the stock sub.

That SHOULD work... I think...

I may wan't to think about line drivers too for my RCA's

 

[Barnaby]

From what I can tell, what you want to do will work. It seems like the long way to get where you are going though. Oh, and just a personal choice, I wouldn't use wire nuts if you can avoid it. Use some form of crimp connector instead, they are more resistant to the vibrations in a car.

Since this set up is temporary (until you get another amp and sub), I would do something a bit different so you don't have to redo much work when you get more components. Run the RCA outputs from your deck directly to your Hifonics amp. Tie both your front and rear Alpine together (parallel) and run those off of two channels of your Hifonics. Run the factory sub off of the remaining two channels of the Hifonics in a bridged configuration. This gets rid of the interface as well as the JBL portions of your system. This way when you get another amp or sub you don't have to rewire anything up front, the only work will be done at the amps themselves. Hopefully that makes sense.

 

[Mason Fresh]

From what I can tell, what you want to do will work. It seems like the long way to get where you are going though. Oh, and just a personal choice, I wouldn't use wire nuts if you can avoid it. Use some form of crimp connector instead, they are more resistant to the vibrations in a car.

Since this set up is temporary (until you get another amp and sub), I would do something a bit different so you don't have to redo much work when you get more components. Run the RCA outputs from your deck directly to your Hifonics amp. Tie both your front and rear Alpine together (parallel) and run those off of two channels of your Hifonics. Run the factory sub off of the remaining two channels of the Hifonics in a bridged configuration. This gets rid of the interface as well as the JBL portions of your system. This way when you get another amp or sub you don't have to rewire anything up front, the only work will be done at the amps themselves. Hopefully that makes sense.

It sort of makes sense but you're going to have to dumb it down for me - so I'm running in parallel, does that mean i have two sets of positive wire going into one channel, and two sets of negative going into one channel?

i'm not sure how to bridge my amp... maybe there's a little switch on the back of my amp?

 

[Barnaby]

It sort of makes sense but you're going to have to dumb it down for me - so I'm running in parallel, does that mean i have two sets of positive wire going into one channel, and two sets of negative going into one channel?

Exactly.

i'm not sure how to bridge my amp... maybe there's a little switch on the back of my amp?

I was looking at the instruction manual for the Hifonics amps and it's actually pretty straight forward. It's all in how it's wired for those channels. No switch required.

This set up will allow you to play with your crossover settings for both the Alpines as well as your sub.

Which model of amp do you have again? I'll see if I can whip a quick diagram for you to go by.

Tim

 

[juiceboxer]

You could also run the RCA's to the amp, then (if your amp has these) there should be a third pair of RCA's on the amp those are a passthrough output. You could run RCA's from the passthrough on your amp to the AXCESS Module in your dash. I would start with the splitters though...

 

[Mason Fresh]

So my Hifonics amp is the - ZXI6410

Well, if I split the RCA's it looks I'm definitely going to be needing a line driver because when RCA's are split, you use 50-75 percent of its signal strength - and I'm pretty sure that would result in clipping.

Also, Tim, if the stock sub is run to my new amp, then my other amp will be entirely useless, right? That makes sense because I'm running the new RCA's from the back of the deck - got it! I think!

 

[Barnaby]

So my Hifonics amp is the - ZXI6410

Well, if I split the RCA's it looks I'm definitely going to be needing a line driver because when RCA's are split, you use 50-75 percent of its signal strength - and I'm pretty sure that would result in clipping.

Also, Tim, if the stock sub is run to my new amp, then my other amp will be entirely useless, right? That makes sense because I'm running the new RCA's from the back of the deck - got it! I think!

You are correct. The stock amp and the interface module can be removed completely.

I looked at the amp you have and it does have line output. So if you wanted to keep the factory amp and the interface you could do so without having to use a line driver. Personally I wouldn't, but it's not my truck. I like things simple and having all that extra stuff just adds to the complexity if there are any issues (noise, etc).

 

[Mason Fresh]

You are correct. The stock amp and the interface module can be removed completely.

I looked at the amp you have and it does have line output. So if you wanted to keep the factory amp and the interface you could do so without having to use a line driver. Personally I wouldn't, but it's not my truck. I like things simple and having all that extra stuff just adds to the complexity if there are any issues (noise, etc).

Okay, so I'm going to lose about five speakers. But that's okay.

Can you write out the specs for me?

I.E. If I'm running all speakers in parallel into two channels, does that mean I'm pushing 42.5 watts at each speaker?

How come the amp has to be bridged, doesn't that turn the amp into a 2 channel amp? Or it does, and then what would be 170watts x 2 is now 42.5 x 4... is that correct?


Thanks for all your help, I really appreciate it.

 

[Barnaby]

You're only bridging 2 of the channels, the other two are still running in stereo. So it'll be a 3 channel amp in this config. Page 4 of your manual.

Which other speakers are not going to be used? I am thinking that the Alpines in the front doors and rear doors will be run off two channels and the factory sub will be run off of the other two.

Here's a quick diagram (please excuse my mad MSPaint skills).
http://home.comcast.net/~tbarnaby/pwpimages/stereo.JPG

 

[Mason Fresh]

You're only bridging 2 of the channels, the other two are still running in stereo. So it'll be a 3 channel amp in this config. Page 4 of your manual.

Which other speakers are not going to be used? I am thinking that the Alpines in the front doors and rear doors will be run off two channels and the factory sub will be run off of the other two.

Here's a quick diagram (please excuse my mad MSPaint skills).
http://home.comcast.net/~tbarnaby/pwpimages/stereo.JPG

The speakers not being used will be: center channel dash speaker, front door tweeters, and rear pillar speakers.

Got it!
This is a great diagram, sorta, haha, but it makes sense. So LF and LR refer to left front and left rear? is there any reason i have to wire the left speakers together, and the right speakers together? I guess that does make sense....

 

[Mason Fresh]

The speakers not being used will be: center channel dash speaker, front door tweeters, and rear pillar speakers.

Got it!
This is a great diagram, sorta, haha, but it makes sense.

Also, my friend has an amp he's giving me and I'll be running another friends Type R off of it.

Will I not need to run RCA's for the rear speakers? I guess not since they are all going into those two channels...

ALSO, when I said all speakers, I was just referring to the Alpines - and it looks like if I'm wiring in Parallel that's going to double the RMS...

 

[Barnaby]

When you run the RCAs to your amp in the back, run three sets. That way when you get your other amp you'll just need to plug it in and won't have to run any more wires. Plug them into the HU, but tape the connectors at the other end to avoid grounding them on anything.

 

[Mason Fresh]

When you run the RCAs to your amp in the back, run three sets. That way when you get your other amp you'll just need to plug it in and won't have to run any more wires. Plug them into the HU, but tape the connectors at the other end to avoid grounding them on anything.

Okay, this is happening tonight, wish me luck, well, wish my brother luck.

Thanks for all your help, Tim, I really appreciate it!

 

[Barnaby]

Cool, I'm sure it will go fine. I'm heading out for the evening but will check here when I get back to see if you need anything.

 

[Barnaby]

How did it go???

 

[Mason Fresh]

How did it go???

All speakers in, all tweets mounted in doors, power wire run. i didnt do the rca's yet because i wanted to keep all my speaks ti; this weekend - it took me for freakin' ever to do the tweeters - since i only had one arm and my brother is basically inept.

but amp hopefully soon.