WellesleyScion

power, ground, remote turn on and rca's... Remote turns on the amp when the car is started, so a light that turns on with the car would work, just like you said, but you can also use the power outlet, or run a switch in it so you can turn the amp on and off...

JJGeneral1

that's actually not a bad idea, in case you need to quick cut it out.

Swbari00

Don't know if there is a remote output on the unit but I know that almost every car has a switched 12v source (that turns the radio on and off) you can tap into. As you may have picked up the remote wire is what shuts the amp on and off. Otherwise it would stay on constantly as it is hooked directly to the battery.

I wouldn't use anything in the fuse box as the power supply for an amp, you will damage something doing it that way. Take the time to run a power wire from the battery. There are bolts underneath the center console around the parking break area that work very well for a ground, check that area.

JJGeneral1

i ran my power straight from battery, grounded to the "tire strap" on the back door lower left side under the tail light access, and remote was off a fuse behind the driver's side "glove box". i forget which i tapped into, but it was one that was on/off with the car.

it worked well, and i ran the wires through the door jams to the rear. getting it under the b pillar was the hardest part, but it is possible.

good luck!!!

Swbari00

Ya remote wire from the fuse box will work well. I ran my power wire through the grommet in the firewall underneath the wipers. Was a bit of a task to do it but it works well.

asurjc

I'm leaning towards buying the Boss BASS600. The unit is built complete; it's already amped, boxed, and speakered. It's pretty small and seems like it will fit perfectly under the passenger seat. It appears that it might not draw all that much either. There's a 15A fuse built into it too.

What would be the difference if I just put an add a circuit into the open spot on the fuse block and protected it with another 15A fuse? I'm sort of afraid to try and go through the firewall. You sound like you speak from experience though. I guess if I allow enough head scratching time and go slow, I could probably do it. I just want all of the mods I do to be completely reversible.

As far as the remote power goes, I'll probably just replace the radio fuse with the same value piggyback fuse if there's no remote space on the head unit itself.

JJGeneral1

asurjc, just so you know, that speaker won't give you the BOOM BOOM bass. it will just provide a nice easy reproduction of the lower freq's in songs. it won't rattle your car or impress at shows if that's what you want.

asurjc

Yeah, I'm really not looking to thump the guy 2 lanes over. Just me would be fine. I actually listen to all kinds of music from top 40 to classical. I listen to classical (a bad side effect of being a music major in college) the majority of the time and there seems to be just a little something missing. I really notice it when it switches to HD. I get plenty of highs, and the 6.5's do fine on the low end too but the 'all around' feel seems lacking still.

Swbari00

You might be able to get away with using a blank spot in the fuse box if it won't pull over 15A. Just be sure to use a blank if you do that, though I would still recommend going from the battery.

JJGeneral1

yeah, the 6.5's do ok, but the low's are lacking a bit.

the HD radio blows. where i live/drive, it's constantly changing between HD and analog. so the song "skips" a ton. it sucks to the point where i just shut HD radio off. it's not worth it living in this type of terrain.

asurjc

xDTool,

I was taking a closer look at the 8 gauge kit you posted. Specifically I was wondering about the somewhat specialized RCA cables they include. In the kit contents it mentions:

One 5 Meter eKo InterKonnect Blue OFC RCA Cable with Built in Turn On lead

Does this mean that on the head unit end there are just the 2 RCA plugs, and on the amplifier end there are the 2 jacks plus an offshoot where I can use the current transmitted through the RCA cables to connect to the remote (turn on) terminal of the powered subwoofer? I seem to have learned from previous posts in this thread that for the remote part of the amplifier, you don't need much current at all so maybe the just the small amount transmitted by the radio through the RCA cables is enough? If so that would save me from having to piggyback from an accessory/key-on linked fuse. Plus if I turn the radio off from the head unit, the subwoofer's amp would then power down too right? It seems like a clean idea to make it so the subwoofer unit powers on and off right along with the radio.

Thanks everyone for the continued replies. I know I have kind of hijacked my own thread here but I'm really learning a lot about this stuff.

xDTool

It means that the RCA is inclusive of the Remote wire, it will have a small offshoot on each side, on the amp side you will hook the remote wire into theamplifier's remote terminal, on the radio side, you will either tap into the remote lead from the head unit (blue/white wire), or another power source that is only active while the radio/car is running. the reason you dont run remote from the RCA/speaker current, is because its always varying, it will make the amp pulse on and off, and you really dont want that.

The gear in the smaller kits is a bit different than the gear in the bigger kits, and im running the 4Gauge kit. If you feel the desire to run your remote seperate from the RCA's 16-18gauge wire can be had for fairly cheap.

asurjc

OK I have done some more research and it seems that all of these add-a-circuit things are only rated to 10A. So....it would appear that I once I break down and purchase a subwoofer, I will be running a fused wire through the firewall for the main power source.

Now this grommet you speak of.....Can I get to it when I have the whole center pedestal out (radio, center console etc.) or do I need to tear into the whole dash? Also can I shoehorn an 8AWG wire in there without too much trouble, or does it need some modification?

Swbari00

Pretty sure you need to take the dash off (top half) which is really WAY easier than it sounds. And taking the whole wiper/cowl assembly thing off under the hood as well. Believe me when I say it is WAY easier than it sounds. The 8AWG wire will fit just fine through the grommet, but I would recommend running 4AWG just to give you some headroom for later on.
The 4AWG fits without any modification although it is a bit tough to do.

edit: There is always the option to create a hole through the fire well if you so desire.

Here is a dash removal guide that will help you if you decide to go that route.
https://www.scionlife.com/forums/sho...d+dash+removal

asurjc

Wow you read my mind! I was going to ask if someone had a dashboard removal thread. I searched for one briefly and had no luck. I have the harbor freight trim panel tool set he mentions too. Doesn't look too hard, just maybe a little time consuming if you move at my pace, but certainly do-able. Thanks.