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Remote wire


Mjlee1985

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Where do I put all the remote wires? I have 3 amps, Zld, and head unit. I do I run the head unit remote into the closest amp then jump from amp to amp to just run all wires into a common port on the distribution block?

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You can do it that way. The signal just needs to get to the amps. it cannot sare any other common b+ with anything else on the block.That will keep the amps on all the time.Some guys will tell you run it to turn on relay,and that works too. The remote wire really doesn't carry much load and is just a "wake up" signal of sorts. I have run up to 4 amps daisy chained like you stated with no issues.

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I have always used a terminal block on the back of the amp board and ran a wire to each amp. I think it is a cleaner alternative to some of the other wats but really they all work. I have always run a relay but I don't think it is absolutely necessary.

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I have always used a terminal block on the back of the amp board and ran a wire to each amp. I think it is a cleaner alternative to some of the other wats but really they all work. I have always run a relay but I don't think it is absolutely necessary.

YES! It's best to use a relay to tun on multiple amps. Just use the blue wire from your head unit to trigger the relay on....then use the +12v switched output from the relay to trigger the amps on. You can daisy chain from there if you like to save wire but use 16 AWG if you do so.

Edited by nuttyskier2002
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It does have a stereo switch but not sure how to incorporate that into it. So I have a remote wire coming from the hu and Zld. What remote do y'all recommend me use to trigger everything and how do I wire the switch to do so? Lots of progress this weekend on the system, got the distro. Block wired and all cables ran and got all speaker wires ran along with rca's. now all that's needed is to cut out all wires running the hu currently and run new and run the power ground and remote to Zld but need to figure this out before I do so!

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It does have a stereo switch but not sure how to incorporate that into it. So I have a remote wire coming from the hu and Zld. What remote do y'all recommend me use to trigger everything and how do I wire the switch to do so? Lots of progress this weekend on the system, got the distro. Block wired and all cables ran and got all speaker wires ran along with rca's. now all that's needed is to cut out all wires running the hu currently and run new and run the power ground and remote to Zld but need to figure this out before I do so!

Sounds we had the exact same project going

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It does have a stereo switch but not sure how to incorporate that into it. So I have a remote wire coming from the hu and Zld. What remote do y'all recommend me use to trigger everything and how do I wire the switch to do so? Lots of progress this weekend on the system, got the distro. Block wired and all cables ran and got all speaker wires ran along with rca's. now all that's needed is to cut out all wires running the hu currently and run new and run the power ground and remote to Zld but need to figure this out before I do so!

If I recall correctly, that EQ has a remote turn-in "IN", not an "OUT", like a head-unit. So it will need to be triggered as it will not do the triggering.

IMO, I would use the head-units blue remote turn-on wire to trigger the amps and EQ in proper sequence when the head-unit turns on. If you want to use the stereo switch on the dash, use it to send the 12V turn-on signal to the head-units via its red IGN turn-on circuit.

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If I recall correctly, that EQ has a remote turn-in "IN", not an "OUT", like a head-unit. So it will need to be triggered as it will not do the triggering.

IMO, I would use the head-units blue remote turn-on wire to trigger the amps and EQ in proper sequence when the head-unit turns on. If you want to use the stereo switch on the dash, use it to send the 12V turn-on signal to the head-units via its red IGN turn-on circuit.

That would work. Most people recomment using a relay to power more than 2 amplifiers so to get out of that here's how I would do it.

Disregard the blue wire coming from the head unit completely. Use the same red wire that powers your head unit (comes off the dash switch) as the trigger wire to all your amps. Just daisy-chain them, very simple.

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That would work. Most people recomment using a relay to power more than 2 amplifiers so to get out of that here's how I would do it.

Disregard the blue wire coming from the head unit completely. Use the same red wire that powers your head unit (comes off the dash switch) as the trigger wire to all your amps. Just daisy-chain them, very simple.

Yep, first four posts recommended a relay, me included, triggered by the head-units blue wire, so I didnt feel a need to repeat it. Turning the amps on before or at the same time as the head-unit, by having them all tied to the same switched B+, can cause some snaps crackles and pops when turning on or off the system. i much prefer to let the head-unit do it, even if a relay is needed. Just my opinion, others may vary.

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Ok the remote off hu is the plan. What type of relay should I get, have never wired a relay before? How do I do it? Was thinking of getting a cheap distrobution block to clean thing up should the relay be before the block? Thanks guys for the help! Bu crew is awesome I'll post pics. Up when everything is all said and done.

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I think buying/installing a relay before you KNOW you need one is a waste and an opportunity to introduce noise and other issues. do your best to streamline and keep your system simple.

I have never used relays, and I have no power on pops or anything like that.

Put your system together.... and if you need one ...you can add it in later with minimal effort.

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Its called a standard ISO relay. Will have 4 poles . Two are load side and two are control side. The control side will need a ground connection to complete the relay coil. thge other side will be hooked to your head unit "remote" wire. The load side is just your supplied power wire spliced through the relay. With this setup the load is handled by the relay and not the head unit. Just a question? Have any of you guys actually taken the time to check the amperage load that the "remote" circuit actually sees when hooked to 3,4,5 amplifiers. I think you may be surprised. Is a relay a nice way of doing things? Yes, but there's more than one way to skin a cat.

http://www.amazon.com/Absolute-RLS125-12-VCD-Automotive-Relay/dp/B0002KR9GG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1363056917&sr=8-2&keywords=standard+relay

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I think buying/installing a relay before you KNOW you need one is a waste and an opportunity to introduce noise and other issues. do your best to streamline and keep your system simple.

I have never used relays, and I have no power on pops or anything like that.

Put your system together.... and if you need one ...you can add it in later with minimal effort.

LOL, for someone who has never used one, why would you suggest that a relay would introduce noise (through the remote turn on no less)? A relay adds VERY LITTLE complexity if you understand how it works. It's just a switch that you turn on and off with another switch. Easy peasy and it's not in the signal path at all so it shouldn't have any impact on noise unless your amp is jacked.

By the same principle, you don't really need to do a home run to your stereo battery for a red B+ turn on lead for the HU, because that to is just a signal to tell the HU it's OK to power up (yellow B+ = different story).

Ok the remote off hu is the plan. What type of relay should I get, have never wired a relay before? How do I do it? Was thinking of getting a cheap distrobution block to clean thing up should the relay be before the block? Thanks guys for the help! Bu crew is awesome I'll post pics. Up when everything is all said and done.

addremacc.gif

(though I will agree that running three or four amps probably won't cause a problem with the load on the turn on lead, and I'd probably try it that way first).

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OK you are right Shawn always the voice of reason. Lets go buy one, and wire it in ahead of time because I heard online someone else needed it (or think they needed it) for their application.

And check your logic, I don't need to have ever used one to tell you that I've never needed one.

I don't need to test the remote voltage if it turns the amps on and there isn't pop or crackle. I feel no need to "pre-amp" my remote lead to boost and maintain a pure clean steady 12.6v at the amp remote lug.

what I am getting at is in all the areas that require attention, are a PITA, extra $$ and problem solving issues when putting a decent stereo together, this would not get much hang time till after (IF) it presented itself as a problem. Weak remote lead voltage doesn't raise its ugly head on here very often.

Edited by nyryan2001
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Ryan, what I'm saying is if you know what it does you'd know that it doesn't introduce noise because it's not in the signal path. You are suggesting that the solution (relay) will have unintended consequences (noise). That's just not true. It will certainly have the consequence of added complexity, which is a great point.

I totally agree (as stated in my post above) that I'd probably try to turn four accessories on with one turn on lead and see if it worked before adding a relay.

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well for the OP, for what its worth, I have 4: 3 amps and an Exile EQ that my daisy chained "weak stream" lol remote work just fine. Prob runs somewhere 15-20ft after the run back across the bow to the dash for the EQ. Never felt the need to run a relay to a relay (the remote lug on the amp is a relay isn't it? pulls about as much power as it takes to activate a LED circuit?).

would be interesting though for David to chime in to see how often their installs required one... either for remote lead voltage drops or to prevent the turn on pops/crackle.

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And FWIW, I did install a relay on my current install. It's a piece of cake. I'm running four amps, an eq, two USB charging ports, and a 30 pin-to-audio-out cable.

The remote out goes to a relay, and the relay power goes to a blue sea fuse/ground block. Makes it really easy to add/remove/switch out accessories that turn on and off with the stereo.

41MGo5DsF3L.jpg

Edited by shawndoggy
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Usually the 12 volt remote turn-on output is driven by a very small transistor driver, much like that of a contemporary alarm output. It's only large enough for a prescribed draw. Long gone are the days of internal relays and switches. It's never a matter of the voltage dropping from too much draw that would render the function inoperative. It's a matter of burning the less-than-paper-thin-trace or damaging the transistor, neither of which are intended for any degree of current. We error on the side of caution with three or more devices. There is no doubt you can do more without issue at your own risk.

My larger concern is when someone doesn't understand the intention of this circuit and uses it to power the workload line of an EQ or fans. Then a failure becomes very likely. And, it's an inordinately expensive repair.

Relays do have a reputation for causing switching noise when used on high current pumps (plates, trim, etc.), halogen lamps, etc. A manual switch could create the identical noise in the same application. And relays used in the audio path without a shunt diode can create small switching transients. But no fear in the circuit of this discussion.

David

well for the OP, for what its worth, I have 4: 3 amps and an Exile EQ that my daisy chained "weak stream" lol remote work just fine. Prob runs somewhere 15-20ft after the run back across the bow to the dash for the EQ. Never felt the need to run a relay to a relay (the remote lug on the amp is a relay isn't it? pulls about as much power as it takes to activate a LED circuit?).

would be interesting though for David to chime in to see how often their installs required one... either for remote lead voltage drops or to prevent the turn on pops/crackle.

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every remote lead I've ever seen has a 1 amp fuse. not sure how you could overload or ever damage anything with that. And the only time I've popped a fuse on a remote lead all the way back to bass wars in Daytona Beach when I was 16 was a stray strand of the copper wire at the amp lugs.

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The owner's manual of my last HU specifically cautions that the blue remote on wire is not to be used for anything that draws more than .5 (1/2) amps. Sure you might be able to run several amps or other accessories and get away with it for a while.....but you are putting a strain on that circuit. I am in the microprocessor manufacturing industry. Electronics is moving more and more towards lowering power consumption and less heat dissipation. That means smaller discrete components that not only require less power to operate..........they can't handle very much power either. Like David says.....error on the side of caution. The drawing that Shawndoggy included in his post is great to follow for wiring the unit. It's what I used....with no issues. This relay is available at Autozone for about 6 bucks. I use it in conjunction with the blue wire. I also use an accessory switch but not to turn the relay on. I disconnected the power on wire from my ign switch to HU and use the accessory switch to turn on the HU instead. No POPS!

Edited by nuttyskier2002
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Okay, so HUs are rated for .3 to .5 amps maximum on the remote lead.

Each individual amplifier draws up to .05 amps at the most, which will vary with the amplifier brand and model. Strictly by the numbers that would mean you can safely run six amplifiers in any case. Maybe more in some cases.

All it takes is one stray tiny strand from an 18 gauge remote wire to ground and you could smoke the HU circuit.

Fusing isn't instantanious at any given fuse size but the damage can be instant.

By the numbers it appears to be okay.

We're going to keep on using relays with multiple draws. Most pros are on the same page with this.

David

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