How to Wire Amps
- 1). Choose the right gauge speaker wire. The output of the amplifier will be at a certain power level, and the speaker wires that are used need to be able to support that level of power. Thinner wires are higher in resistance than thicker wires, which means that with increasing power comes increased heat. Find out from the amplifier's documentation what the recommended speaker wire gauge is, and purchase enough to reach the speakers from where the amplifier will be installed.
- 2). Cut the speaker wires to size. The speakers and the amplifiers must be connected through speaker wires. Determine the final placement of the speakers and the amplifier and, taking into account how the speaker wire will be fed through walls and around obstacles, determine the length of wire needed for each speaker. Trim the wire to size, and, using the wire strippers, strip the casing by about an inch. Take two small pieces of masking tape, and label each side of each wire, to make sure you keep track of the ends in the coming steps.
- 3). Install the power to the amplifier. If the amplifier is a home system, then it's a matter of plugging it in. A car amplifier, however, needs to be wired into the car's electrical system. This will involve running a power line from the radio to the amplifier, as most radios that make use of an amplifier will have a power supply for it. The ground line would be attached to a nearby, exposed piece of the car's metal chassis.
- 4). Install the speaker wires to the amplifier. Once the amplifier is to be installed to its final location, the speaker wires should be attached to the amplifier. Most amps will have special screw terminals or connectors that will take the ends of the speaker wire and secure them through a pinch or screw force. Make sure all connections are solid and that light tugs will not remove the wires.
- 5). Feed the wires to the speakers. Taking each wire and ensuring they are not entangled, feed the wire through the path already determined to where its respective speaker will be installed. This is where it is helpful to employ the labels used before.
- 6). Install the wires to the speakers. Just like with the amp, most speakers will have terminals that make attachment of the wires as simple as screwing on a terminal or pressing a switch. Again, make sure that all connections are solid. Install the speakers to their final locations. Now you can enjoy your newly amplified audio system.
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