How to Run an Amp Hot Wire
A key component to a quality car stereo is the amplifier. When installing an amplifier, you need to locate a suitable path for laying the main power wire (or hot wire), from the battery to the amplifier. You can choose to have the hot wire run by a technician at an aftermarket retailer, or you can perform the installation yourself and save the cost of labor.
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Instructions
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1
Disconnect the negative cable (or grounding cable) from the vehicle's battery. The grounding cable is black and connects the battery to the frame, or chassis, of the vehicle. Use a 10 mm wrench or Phillips head screwdriver to loosen the bolt that holds the grounding cable clamp around the negative battery lead.
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2
Attach the amplifier terminal ring to the positive lead of the vehicle's battery. Take the fuse out of its socket on the terminal ring.
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3
Remove the panels securing the carpeting on the floor of the vehicle at the door openings using a trim pry tool. This will allow you to run the hot wire under the carpeting to amplifier. Lay the hot wire from the engine compartment, beneath the carpeting, to the amp.
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4
Connect the hot wire to the amplifier at the power input point.
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5
Connect the other end of the hot wire to the amplifier terminal ring.
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6
Replace the trim that secures the carpeting to the floor of the vehicle at the door openings. The panels can be replaced by hand using a moderate amount of pressure.
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7
Connect the grounding wire to the vehicle's battery. Place the clamp around the negative lead. Tighten the bolt to the clamp around the lead using a 10 mm wrench or Phillips head screwdriver. The clamp needs to be tight enough to prevent the clamp from being moved about the lead by hand.
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8
Place the fuse into the ring terminal.
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Tips & Warnings
The signal cable to the amplifier should be routed along the opposite side of the vehicle. Routing the signal cable and the hot wire along the same path will cause audible interference.
