Amp Installation

[eag182]

I'm aiming to install an amp in the Alero soon but need to know if anyone whose done this has had to put a new hole in their firewall to connect it to the battery.

[bigd6983]

there are already grommets in the firewall for you to go through......if you want you can always drill another hole and install a grommet but thats up to you.......

[Screamin eagle]

Just poke a small hole through one of the ones that is there and squeeze the wire through that way it is still waterproof.

[eag182]

thanks!

[mikegett]

be sure to add about a extra three feet of cable. I needed 17 feet to reach the far end of the trunk. I still would have liked to have another foot of play.

[xsavyor1]

I have 2 runs of 1/0 to the rear of the car. Just go through one of the gromits that is already there.

[eag182]

Sub box is completed (sans carpet for now). Amp is hooked up. Works Great.

The boomage is fantastic.

The only thing i would like to change is the Head unit. The stock one lacks a ton of controls and this ninja wont stand for it. Also might need a capacitor, but the dimming is quite minor.

Thanks to everyone who help!

[mike2002]

fyi cap wont really help with dimming, spent the money on a H.O. alternator if you have a good battery, or if you have the stock POS battery, get a gel cell

[eag182]

Its friggin cold outside, thank God for basements. I (finally) got some carpet adhesive + auto carpet so I'm off to finish carpeting my box:

Here's what it looked like before:

[eag182]

Carpeting arrives:

[eag182]

Cutout from Carpet. Enough lengths given on sides to overlap corners (you'll see later):
This is to cover all sides + top, sans bottom:

[eag182]

And the top and side glued. Will finish rest whenever possible.

[Vtolds]

That wood looks a little thin, I hope it stays together for you.

[eag182]

Its .5", I thought it would be alright.

[mikegett]

Originally posted by mike2002@Jan 29 2005, 05:46 PM
fyi cap wont really help with dimming, spent the money on a H.O. alternator if you have a good battery, or if you have the stock POS battery, get a gel cell
How do you like the gel cells. I have been curious about those. I have had to replace the battery twice (under waranty) and wandered if the gels would be worth going to.

[Vtolds]

Originally posted by eag182@Feb 1 2005, 10:39 PM
Its .5", I thought it would be alright.
Most people go with .75 inch but isnce it is one sub you will probably be alright.

[eag182]

too late now B)

[mike2002]

ive never really had a "system" in a car, not one to warrant upgrading the charging system. but my brother does competitions in his trucks (he's been through a few trucks by now) his biggest one was in his older expedition. he took out the 3rd row seating and put a huge ported box in for 4 12's, atomic audio ELE's. he had 4 american bass amps, 1200 (real) rms watts to each one. then his 4 channel running the front and rear components. god... i think we ran 2 0 gauge wires, i cant even remember. all i remember is first he put in a ohio generator alternator, and he was having tons of dimming problems still, so bad that at night the dash would get so dim you couldn't read it. then he threw in 2 more gell cells (scosche ones) and it made it much much better, it still dimmed, but not as bad

they dont usually have as much cranking amps, but you can run them way down, and then charge them and there perfectly fine, unlike a convental battery which doesn't like that


but in smaller systems they eliminated alot if not all of the dimming

he just started stocking somthing called a "batt cap" im not sure exactly what it is, bu its supposed to be a mix between a battery and capacitor, there not very big either....dont know alot about them

[eag182]

Competition levels would give me a headache!

Update on carpeting: Here's the back of the box, upside down. I fudged on the overlapping, so perhaps I will get those rubber corner things. Its not completely done, obviously.

[eag182]

I actually finished a few days ago, just forgot to post this:

[wrightie]

Looks good Eag. Very proffesional. I bet that sub pounds. Is it a 12 or a 15? How many RMS watts can it push?

Enjoy the boomins
Wrightie

[eag182]

Yeah, the downside is the power. Its a 12"er and can handle 150 rms, 300 pk. Unfortunately it overpowers my stock speakers so I have to save up some money to get replacements. (Im on a students budget)

[eag182]

Here it is in the car, wires not finished completely:

[wrightie]

you should turn it around and it will sound better. When it faces forward it cancels out the sound waves coming from the back of the box. I promise you will get better sounding bass if you turn it in to the trunk.


Trust me on this one
Wrightie

[Mr_White]

Yes what he^^ said

[mikegett]

You can get the same results by switching the subs phase. This will allow you to place the sub in any direction without cancellation. The other thing to remember is that low sound waves cancel easier than high or mid sound waves. If he only has one sub in the car there will be very little chance that its frequencies will be the same as the rear or fronts. EXAMPLE: A 30 htz sound wave will only cancel out another 30 htz sound wave of the same phaze.

[eag182]

ok...