1/0 awg and firewall

[G85]

sadly, the ms3s that are available here are only auto trannies.

 

[BlackJack]

Do you mean the regular Mazda3, not the MS3?

 

[Euphorism]

Do you mean the regular Mazda3, not the MS3?

thats what im thinking. i understood that all 5k ms3's were 6 speeds.

 

[mcopare]

Me being an idiot again..just went to eD's site....I do feel comfortable with myself doing the install...did mine on my previous Z. Just don't have time with work these days. The shop has done some pretty good work...looked through their photo album of installs. All very clean.

$300 is pretty cheap actually. if its a reputable place, and you arent comfortable doing it yourself, i would jump on it.

i didnt quite understand what you meant by passing on the eds for the tcsounds to save on trunk space.. the eds take less enclosure volume than the tc's do. ed used the tc9 motors on the flatcone a series subs from about 3 years ago. the current line up is more efficient and requires smaller enclosures.

 

[ecniemann]

Hey guys,
I'm fairly new here, but have gained a lot of information regarding install from these posts. I plan to tackle my project this weekend. I've always hated the dreaded firewall/power wire issue. I briefly looked in the engine compartment which is very tight. If you use the grommet behind the glovebox, what other methods work well to get the wire through/cut the grommet besides a power grommet tool? I'm afraid of nicking the stock harnesses. I don't know if this helps anyone, but if you use a water-soluable lube, it slips through very easy without deteriorating the grommet. I will be running 4 gauge.
Thanks

 

[krimsonviper]

euphor-
i got my 0AWG through a plastic piece thats right behind my pedals. the dude just drilled thought it, but i dont know if it'll be that easy because he told me that thats the same place best buy wired my car alarm through so i dont know if that plastic was there before lol! i'll put up some pics sometime this week, i didnt think elemental designs was popular enough to pop up in forums, i heard about them when they moved to iowa, my brother told me about them when they 1st came out

 

[DeadGeneration]

just make sure you use some kinda rubber grommet around any new holes or whateva

 

[krimsonviper]

o yeah and one more thing, its not really wise to run 0awg inside the car, its better to wire it underneath and using pins to keep it in place and then drilling a hole somewhere around the trunk region, but i figure its too much work therefore i didnt do it, plus i dont see a way around this method w/o having to use a drill

 

[tsunami]

o yeah and one more thing, its not really wise to run 0awg inside the car, its better to wire it underneath and using pins to keep it in place and then drilling a hole somewhere around the trunk region, but i figure its too much work therefore i didnt do it, plus i dont see a way around this method w/o having to use a drill

it is never safe to run power wire outside of your car where the elements and road debris can get to it and short out your wire.... i have never heard of anyone running thier wires outside of the cabin...

 

[Abaddon]

it is never safe to run power wire outside of your car where the elements and road debris can get to it and short out your wire.... i have never heard of anyone running thier wires outside of the cabin...

I have heard of people doing it. I believe we are supposed to refer to them as "special".

 

[krimsonviper]

only pro competitors do it. My understanding is when you compete, the power wire gets extremely hot and it can mess up your carpet. Eh i didnt really go for the idea either, but its just something i read somewhere in a forum i came across while researching for a great deck

 

[tsunami]

i guess if you just compete and dont drive it that much then it makes sense but i don't think most of us are putting enough power out to make a 0awg hot enough to make auto carpet combust... i would think you would have to have a s*** ton of amps and batteries and crap to make that big of a wire combust and i dont' think any of us are doing that...

 

[Abaddon]

Based on an ambient temperature of 30 degrees celcius, a 1/0 cable carrying 225 amps constantly will reach a temperature of 200 degrees (celcius). At 200 amps it's 125 degrees and at 125 amps it's 60 degrees.

at 14.4 volts, that is 3240, 2880, and 1800 watts RMS, respectfully.


Edit: At least, according to the Canadian electrical code. This guide wasn't made for car audio though.

 

[Orgbd]

On the same subject, what is the alternator output in AMPS on the speed3? I ran a quick search and nothing came up. I'll go home tonight and see if I can find a label on the alternator but Id be surprised if it's more than 125. Rather than getting into a pointless physics debate you could NEVER fry an 0/1 gauge cable in a speed3 unless you short the cable. Thats the reason amps have capacitors inside them. I had a disgusting amount of high power Phoenix Gold amps in my last car with 0/1 gauge and I only popped the 150 amp circuit breaker a few times due to current draw. I was running 14 speakers up front as well as 4 12s in the trunk and the cable was the least of my worries.

 

[Euphorism]

o yeah and one more thing, its not really wise to run 0awg inside the car, its better to wire it underneath and using pins to keep it in place and then drilling a hole somewhere around the trunk region, but i figure its too much work therefore i didnt do it, plus i dont see a way around this method w/o having to use a drill

elemental designs has always been in iowa. 1st in north liberty and now in newton.

and you NEVER run wire outside the car.. if the wire is getting warm.. then you are using the wrong size wire.