i just recently bought 3 10" MTX woofers from a friend, 200 watt RMS each with an amp that has 600 RMS 1200 max..... and i was curious if i could hook it up this way:

1. get a 2 channel line converter running from the 2 rear speakers
2. wire the amp to the line converter with RCA's
3. wire amp to fuse box and then fuse box to battery
4. wire the amp to the ground off of some bolt in the trunk
5. wire the subwoofer box to the amp

the subwoofers are all wired up in the box... so a nice easy set up

this is all in an 08 LT so im pretty sure there are no RCAs on the head unit and this way would be easier so i dont have to tear apart the dash

 

yep, but just wire it directly to the battery since its right there in the trunk and will save you from running to the front.

 

i dont have a battery in my trunk.......

and i kinda want it to turn off with the car so i figured the fuse box would be a must and the battery up front would be a must

 

For the remote wire, i would recommend running it to the cold side of some fuse in your fuse box. What you may want to do as well is put a toggle switch on that wire in between, and mount it somewhere in your cab so you can turn it off manually if you ever have to have the car turned on but not running and don't need the stereo. That will save your battery.

 

Oh I have the 08 sport and mine is in the trunk, I thought all cobalts were in the trunk?

 

so could i just run it to the current fuse box... and then from the fuse box to the battery?

i dont think i need the switch, cuz im always listening to music lol so as long as it turns off with the car, im good

EDIT EDIT EDIT:::::: the battery is in the trunk, i am in luck lol

 

I wouldn't recommend wiring it to the fuse box... Most, if not all the wire is too small for all the current you need. Thats why amps usually have 3 main wires to turn it on. The remote wire turns it on and off.

 

ok well we have a change of plans, he wants way to much money for those subs and amp and i found a better deal....

these subs: http://www.circuitcity.com/ccd/productDetail.do?oid=192803&WT.mc_n=4&WT.mc_t=U&cm _ven=COMPARISON%20SHOPPING&cm_cat=GOOGLE&cm_pla=DA TAFEED->PRODUCTS&cm_ite=1%20PRODUCT&cm_keycode=4

now i have an amp question, if i have (2) 2 ohm subs, do i need a 4 ohm amp or a 2 ohm amp?

im lookin at this amp its a 4 ohm: http://sonicelectronix.com/item_7123...ik+V318XT.html

 

Don't get that amp! The subs are decent, but your not going to run them with a $100.00 amp. Notice how there are amps out there that are 3 times the price but don't put out half the power? Thats cuz the amp your looking at won't produce the numbers it claims. Every amp company has a different way of caculating the amprage they claim there products put out so good rule of thumb is if it seems like its to good to be true, then it is. Bottom line, that amp running those subs just aint going to sound like you want it to. Since it seems like your working on a budget I'd say spend at least twice that, and make sure the amp is a "Class D" amp. Heres an example of something you should be looking for. Now I'm not saying run out and buy this now, but for the price its a decent amp
http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_...Xi+1206D.html#

Look at it this way, your going to have a bitch of a time fitting those 12's in that box in your trunk, the cobalt have the smallest god damn trunk openings I have ever seen, both openings are smaller than most to say the least, fitting that box in there would mean probably having to take the back seats out.
Go with 10's, the same sub/box combo in the 10" version would fit just nice and then you could take the $$$ you save and put it into an amp

One more thing, 4 Gauge power and ground wire, nothing smaller than that

 

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa i cant read this thread.

Wire power and ground direct to the battery. LOC off the rear speakers for rcas, remote wire to the wiper fuse

 

Haha. No love for the Jackhammers?

 

ok so can some on tell me how to hook it up so it will turn off with the car tho?

and what about ohms some one break it all down for me just incase i decide to get 4 ohm subs instead of 2ohm, i am getting 2 subs for sure just not sure what ohm

EDIT: and with the amp spun posted, i wouldnt need to turn it off correct, i jsut turn down the amp to 0db when i get out?

 

Just fyi... turning the amp.. down... to 0db... when your car isn't on... would drain your battery.

An amp, comes with three wires to get it to turn on. The POWER wire, the TURN-ON wire, and the GROUND wire. Anything with electricity needs to be grounded. So.... The POWER wire would be hooked directly to the POSITIVE side of the battery. It's usually the red part. That will allow it to get power. And then you connect the GROUND to anywhere that it can touch metal. Usually people just ground it back to the NEGATIVE side of the battery.

*EDIT: I can't even believe I forgot this! ALWAYS FUSE YOUR POWER WIRE! NO IF ANDS OR BUTS! ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS*

NOW with all that said... To make it turn on and off with the car, would be the job of the TURN-ON wire. When the TURN-ON wire sees a 12+ volt source, it tells the amp to turn on. When there is no volts, tells the amp to turn off. So many people usually just do a fuse tap on the sunroof fuse, or the wiper fuse in the fuse box in the passenger foot well.

Clear as mud?

As for the ohms, it would depend on the amp you want. The amp Spun suggested and with the MTX Jackhammers you want, it would most likely blow your subs. The subs are wired to be 2 ohms. And the Amp is rated at 900 watts at 2 ohms.

Whatever Ohms the subs are wired for, will make the amp the same ohms.

Hope that at least gives you an idea.

 

so i have the wiring straight

ohms... since those subs are 2 ohms, even thought there are 2 of them i still want an amp that has 500 watts at 2 ohms?

or do i want an amp that has 500 at 4 ohm since there are 2 2ohm subs

 

Funny about the battery in our trunk:

All these years of building systems I find that now that I have a battery in the trunk, I have no desired to use it for sound systems lol

 

500 at 2 ohms. The 2 subs final ohm load is 2 ohms.


Its soo much easier with the battery in the trunk tho lol

 

are the subs single 2 ohm (SVC) or dual 2 ohm (DVC)? If you have 2 2ohm SVC woofers then you can only wire them at either 1 ohm or 4 ohm, with 2 2ohm DVC woofers then you can wire them 8ohm, 2 ohm, .5 ohm

 

idk it comes as 2 subs in a box and said 2 ohm so im guessing both together are 2 idk

 

ya then get a amp that produces that power at 2 ohms

 

agreed. You will want to run a minimum of 8 guage wire. 8 guage is usually rated to handle 600 watts of power

 

sounds good, i will probably get a capacitor that comes with all the sht to wire it, it comes with 8 gauge and some other stuff for wiring an amp

 

sure whatever.... just make sure to get a quality kit

 

I recently installed a 1000 watt amp in my balt, and noticed when the car is idling it idles around .5000 rpm. Don't they usually run around 1200?

 

When you first start the car up they sometimes idle high (1200) moreso when its cold.
Once the car warms up it shoud idle around 750rpm

 

if your goingt to install in a balt with preium stereo
i ran into a prob cause the rear speakers stock got an amp therefor to much power for the input on the amp i would turn the stereo about quarter way and protect would come on