QuestionQUESTION: hi, how can i install a fusion 12" bass tube with built-in amp? I have an installed already for my door speakers. I'm running a 4 channel amp for my door speakers. I just want to add the bass tube for more bass. I do not know how to install it with an already existing in my car. I'm only using a factory HU. If you can give me a step by step direction will be much appreciated. thanks
ANSWER: Hi,
The answer to your question depends partly on your 4-channel amp. Many amplifiers include RCA output jacks in addition to the front and rear RCA input jacks. If your amp is equipped with outputs, then this would be ideal for connecting your bass tube. In this case, you'd just run a short pair of RCA cables from the amplifier's RCA outputs to the bass tube's RCA input jacks.
If the amplifier isn't equipped with RCA output jacks, then you still have some other options. You can purchase a pair of 1M-2F RCA splitters, and connect them at the 4-channel amp's input jacks. This will give you another set of RCA jacks to connect to the bass tube's inputs. Alternately, you can use the high-level inputs on the bass tube; use speaker wire to extend these directly to the amplifier's speaker outputs.
Once you've figured out how to get an audio signal to the bass tube, you'll need to decide how to power it. The power connections for your bass tube will be similar to your amplifier: there will be a battery power terminal, a ground terminal, and a "remote" terminal. The remote terminal connection is simple: just run a length of primary wire, any gauge, from the bass tube's remote terminal to the amplifier's remote terminal. Then the bass tube will be activated by the same control voltage that activates the amplifier. For the ground connection, you can connect a ground wire to the same point on the vehicle chassis where the 4-channel amp's ground wire is connected.
This leaves the power wire terminal. You have a couple options here.
If the main power wire for the 4-channel amp is thick enough to support the additional current draw of the bass tube, then you can just run the power wire from the bass tube and connect it directly to the power terminal on the 4-channel amp. A slightly more professional method would be to use a device called a distribution block. This connects to the main power wire coming from the battery, and splits the single wire into two or more outputs, which can be separately connected to the 4-channel amp and the bass tube. An advantage to the distribution block is that you can buy a block with fuses, so that the 4-channel amp and bass tube each has its own power line fuse.
However, if the 4-channel amp's power wire isn't large enough to support the bass tube as well, or if you're not sure, then you should run the bass tube's power wire directly to the battery (with an appropriate fuse on the wire, near the battery terminal).
Hope this helps!
Brian
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: thanks for the reply, i just some things to clarify...if i will get a distribution block do i need to put a fuse going to the battery terminal from the distribution block?IF yes how much ampere should the fuse have?because i think i need a bigger wire, im just running an 8 gauge power wire right now from the battery. Is it ok to ground the bass tube on the same point where my 4-channel amp is connected? I am not sure what appropriate fuse should i get. thanks for the help.
ANSWER: Hi,
Generally, any power wire that's connected to the battery should have a fuse as close as possible to the battery terminal. From there, you really only need a fuse when the wire size decreases. For example, if you have a 4-gauge wire running into a distribution block, with two 8-gauge wires coming out of the block, you'd want a fuse on the 4-gauge wire near the battery terminal, as well as a fuse on each 8-gauge wire. Many distribution blocks include built-in fuse holders for this purpose.
To get an idea whether you need to upgrade your main power wire, add up the fuse values of the amplifier and the bass tube. If the total is around 50 amps or less, then you can probably get away with an 8-gauge wire to supply power for both components. For example, if the amplifier has two 15-amp fuses and the bass tube has a 20-amp fuse, then the total maximum current draw is 50 amps.
Of course, you can always just run the bass tube's power wiring directly to the battery on its own. It's not really necessary to use a single wire with a distribution block; individual wire runs to the battery work just as well. A single wire with a distribution block just makes things a little neater.
You also don't need to worry too much about the fuse sizes. The purpose of the battery fuse, and the distribution block fuses, is to protect the power wire against a short circuit. As long as the fuse is small enough that it will blow before the wire can be damaged, then it's fine. This means you could use a 100-amp fuse at the battery on a 4-gauge wire, and 50-amp fuses on the 8-gauge wires. Of course, smaller fuses would be fine too, as long as you allow enough current for both components to run properly. So, if you decide to use a single wire with a distribution block, and the amplifier has two 20-amp fuses while the bass tube has a single 20-amp fuse, then your main battery fuse (for a 4-gauge wire) could be anything from 60 amps to 100 amps, and your distribution block fuses (for the 8-gauge wires) could be 40-50 amps for the amplifier power, and 20-50 amps for the bass tube.
Finally, yes; you can ground your bass tube and 4-channel amplifier at the same point, as long as the connection is tight and secure.
Hope this helps!
Brian
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: thanks again, i already installed the bass tube, so far everything works great...i just want to know if ever i want to remove the bass tube from my car do i have to remove the power wire from the battery of i can just leave it there still connected. the power, ground and remote wire is in a harness which is connected to the bass tube, can i just remove it from there? One last thing, how can i tune the bass tube, the knobs are level, LPF and bass. thanks again
AnswerHi,
As long as the plug is insulated, so there's no chance of the bare wires coming into contact with anything, then there's no harm in leaving the power wire connected to the battery. If you want to be completely safe, though, you can just remove the power wire's fuse at the battery connection. With the fuse removed, there's no battery connection, and the wire is harmless.
As far as the bass tube settings are concerned: the "LPF" controls how high of a frequency range that the bass tube will play. If there's a numerical guide on the dial, you'd probably want to set it around 100 or 80. (If you have a high-pass filter on your 4-channel amp, then you'll probably want the sub's LPF setting to match the amp's HPF setting. The goal is to have the bass tube start playing where the front and rear speakers leave off).
To set the level, start with it adjusted to the lowest setting. Put in a CD and turn it up as loud as you ever expect to play it. Make sure the front and rear speakers still sound clean and undistorted. Adjust the "level" control on the bass tube until the bass is at as loud as you want it to go, or until it starts to sound distorted--whichever comes first. After that, you can adjust the "bass" knob to your preference; but keep make sure the sub doesn't start to distort or sound strained. You may have to adjust the level back down a bit to compensate for the bass adjustment.
Hope this helps!
Brian
