DIY: 5 channel amp install

[VegaS10]

Update: This was done back in late December, before the "glitch". I'm not sure if the glitch erased this or not, so, I copied and pasted it back from another forum I posted it on.

I've since switched to a very nice Clarion deck and there is still ZERO noise in the system.


And so:

After selling Whitey, I picked this up from my mother. 2005 EP3, 24K miles, Skunk 2 springs, bronze Circuit 10's, barely legal tint, and Viper alarm.

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j204/vegas10/ep3audioinstall001.jpg

The stock speakers suck and the Sony radio sucked worse. After Christmas, my time will be very short between shifts at work, so I got the hardest part of the system install done first, which is the amp.

This is the amp I'm using.

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j204/vegas10/ep3audioinstall003.jpg

It's a Memphis Belle 5 channel. 85 X 4 for the mids and 1000 X 1 for the subs. Plenty of power and all built in crossovers. FANTASTIC amp. I love this thing.

I install amps from the trunk forward, and it gives a better and cleaner look. First I prepped the speaker and power wires.

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j204/vegas10/ep3audioinstall004.jpg

Then the RCA's

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j204/vegas10/ep3audioinstall005.jpg

I gutted the car so it will be easier to work in and to avoid any damage.

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j204/vegas10/ep3audioinstall006.jpg

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j204/vegas10/ep3audioinstall007.jpg

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j204/vegas10/ep3audioinstall008.jpg

I flipped the amp over and tied all the wires to it underneath.

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j204/vegas10/ep3audioinstall009.jpg

I put the amp where I wanted it and tested for fitment.

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j204/vegas10/ep3audioinstall010.jpg

I made a small slice in the middle of the back seat and at the bottom under the seat.

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j204/vegas10/ep3audioinstall011.jpg

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j204/vegas10/ep3audioinstall012.jpg

I ran the wires through the holes.

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j204/vegas10/ep3audioinstall013.jpg

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j204/vegas10/ep3audioinstall014.jpg

Mounted the amp and put the seat up to make sure all is level.

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j204/vegas10/ep3audioinstall015.jpg

Lay the wires smooth and tuck them.

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j204/vegas10/ep3audioinstall016.jpg

Put the trunk carpet back in and check it out. Looks good.

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j204/vegas10/ep3audioinstall017.jpg

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j204/vegas10/ep3audioinstall018.jpg

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j204/vegas10/ep3audioinstall019.jpg

The 10 mm bolt that held the back seat in is going to be used as the amp ground. I scraped the paint off underneath it and ran my ground connection there and tightened it down. Thanks Honda!

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j204/vegas10/ep3audioinstall020.jpg

Pulled the carpet up and ran the wires forward through the crossmembers. This helps to avoid lumps on the side by the running board.

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j204/vegas10/ep3audioinstall021.jpg

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j204/vegas10/ep3audioinstall022.jpg

While everything was out, I figured now would be a great time to do a good vacuuming.

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j204/vegas10/ep3audioinstall023.jpg

This is where I drilled the hole for the 4 gauge wire. I pulled it back out and put a grommet there, so, don't jump my case. I just took this pic as I was test fitting the wire.

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j204/vegas10/ep3audioinstall024.jpg

Here is where the 4 gauge is loomed and tied and fused at the battery. Nothing too special here.

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j204/vegas10/ep3audioinstall025.jpg

Wires coming out the dash and being wired in, once again, nothing special.

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j204/vegas10/ep3audioinstall026.jpg

End result with the radio back in.

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j204/vegas10/ep3audioinstall027.jpg

My other radio will be in later on in the week and I will be putting that in to replace the Sony. I did'nt bother showing the sub box, as I have to paint it and possibly re-do it, as it's my old box from Whitey. I'll also be replacing the factory speakers with the Polks and MB Quarts. Once all that is done I'll show the final results.

Enjoy...

[player757]

nice job seems like you know your way around your cars. i have a similar setup but i have seperate amps. im actually thinking about gutting the trunk got any ideas for an amp relocation.

[Chad]

One thing I would like to add, well two maybe. Notice where he ran his wiring thru the passenger side? That's WHERE YOU WANT TO BE, it's the electrically quietest area. In around the 20th pic with the carpet pulled back you can see a factory loom going down the center, stay away from this! It's a noise generator, both RF and AF, it carries Fuel pump power (which is inherently noisy in our cars) and everything to the hatch like tail lights. If you have a whine that does not sound like alt whine or a pop when you tap your brakes, or a alt whine when the brakes are on chances are you are getting inductive noise from this harness. Voice of experience ;) It IS there and HAS been measured with both a gauss meter and an RF Field strength meter, so I'm not bullshitting you :mwink:

Second tip, please upgrade your stock Batt (-) to chassis :mangel: It IS a complete circuit, Every time I see a monster wire going to the positive and a stock grounding harness I die a little inside :meek:

[RON]

looks good! I love that amp! I am trying to find a good 5 channel as we speak!

[VegaS10]

Second tip, please upgrade your stock Batt (-) to chassis :mangel: It IS a complete circuit, Every time I see a monster wire going to the positive and a stock grounding harness I die a little inside :meek:

Agreed, and it's since been done. This is an older write up from January, I did the upgrade right after I did the speaker installs.

Thanks for looking out though, I should have mentioned it in the thread.

[1fast03ep]

Nice write up, I'm still a little iffy about mounting my amps to the back seat though.

[Teejay]

Looks good but i recomend you not running the rca wires with the amp power wire.

[Chad]

Looks good but i recomend you not running the rca wires with the amp power wire.

Because?

[RON]

Because?

Because he said so damn it! :mwink:

[Chad]

Because he said so damn it! :mwink:

You are catching on to my game :meek:

[RON]

You are catching on to my game :meek:

:mredface:

[Chad]

:mredface:

Some people have a hard time understanding that if you are going to run with power wiring, that lead is the electrically quietest one to run next to in terms of noise floor and that it, in itself, is not invincible to inductive noise pickup (the POWER wire can pick up noise too folks). I have no problems running system wiring together.

In order for you to have induced noise the magnetic lines of flux on the power delivery wire have to expand out and encompass the signal carrying wire, by the time these lines of flux are expanding the system is making enough output that you will NEVER hear it, you MAY, MAY, MAY encounter some intermodulation distortion and it MAY be measureable, but you will never hear it.

[RON]

Some people have a hard time understanding that if you are going to run with power wiring, that lead is the electrically quietest one to run next to in terms of noise floor and that it, in itself, is not invincible to inductive noise pickup (the POWER wire can pick up noise too folks). I have no problems running system wiring together.

In order for you to have induced noise the magnetic lines of flux on the power delivery wire have to expand out and encompass the signal carrying wire, by the time these lines of flux are expanding the system is making enough output that you will NEVER hear it, you MAY, MAY, MAY encounter some intermodulation distortion and it MAY be measureable, but you will never hear it.

Preach on brother man!

[Chad]

"Garage talk" moved here:

http://www.ephatch.com/forum/showthread.php?t=46993

Because it was fun, and did not do justice in this thread.

[RON]

Thanks good call! No reason to screw with an already good thread!

RON

[RON]

VEGAS what is your sub and enclosure?

[VegaS10]

I have 1 Digital Designs 9910 subwoofer in a ported enclosure in the ep3.

[jenuyin]

Nice write up, I'm still a little iffy about mounting my amps to the back seat though.

I agree. Nice amp tho. I actually got some 1/4 inch fiberboard, cut it out to fit the dimensions behind the rear seat. Carpeted and mounted my amps there and was able to run all my wires behind the board instead of cutting into the seat. still trying to figure out the noise issue tho