Specifications

190
Amplifier Installation
When installing an amplifier in a modern vehicle,
careful consideration needs to be paid to power
wire connections. High power amplifiers can eas-
ily consume significant amounts of current - eas-
ily exceeding 100A+ of current.
Wiring Protection
It is paramount that any power wire run through
the car, be it a large gauge cable to power and
amplifier or a small wire to power an accessory
such as an overhead monitor, be fused.
Imagine the following scenario - a large audio
system is installed in a vehicle - a 2 AWG power
cable is run from the battery to a distribution
block at the rear of the car. The car gets into an
accident - it is T-Boned on the side of the car the
power wire runs down. The impact pinches the
power, shorting it directly to ground. This could
result in the battery exploding or at least, wires
melting and catching fire.
Clarion recommends the use of an ANL or AGU
fuse holder on all power wires. When connecting
any cable to the battery, a fuse must be installed
within 8 inches of the battery terminal. Clarion
does not recommend the use of circuit break-
ers. Their failure mode (what happens when the
device does not operate as intended) does not
guarantee that the circuit will be protected in the
event of a short circuit.
Power Cable Sizing
Proper power wire sizing is paramount in allowing
an amplifier to make its rated power. The chart
below outlines the power cable requirements to
a single amplifier.
Ground Connections
When installing an amplifier, it is paramount that
the ground connection and path back to the
battery and alternator be capable of handling
even more current than the audio system will
utilize. The reason is that the factory electrical
system (lights, fans, computers, sensors, ignition
system, etc) is already using these connections
to operate the vehicle. Any cable you add to
the positive circuitry, will need to be added to
the ground path at the same time. The most
important of which is the cable running from the
negative terminal of the battery to the ground on
the chassis.
On many new vehicles, the body and chassis
panels are not welded together, but instead glued
using high strength epoxies. These connections
will not pass current - making the chassis of the
car unsuitable for grounding an amplifier. Clarion
strongly recommends running a cable of equal
size to that of the power wire to the negative
terminal of the amplifier. You may choose to use
a distribution block at the rear of the car and
connect to the chassis as well.
If you run a 4 AWG power cable to an amplifier,
run a 4 AWG ground cable at the same time.
This will allow for significantly increased current
carrying capacity, result in less voltage drop and
allow your amplifiers to produce more power.
Car Audio Reference Guide
Cable size by Power and Distance
RMS Watts 4 Feet 8 Feet 12 feet 16 Feet 20 Feet
100 10 AWG 10 AWG 8 AWG 8 AWG 4 AWG
200 10 AWG 8 AWG 8 AWG 4 AWG 4 AWG
400 8 AWG 8 AWG 4 AWG 4 AWG 4 AWG
600 8 AWG 4 AWG 4 AWG 4 AWG 4 AWG
800 4 AWG 4 AWG 4 AWG 2 AWG 2 AWG
1000 4 AWG 4 AWG 2 AWG 2 AWG 2 AWG
1500 4 AWG 2 AWG 2 AWG 1/0 AWG 1/0 AWG