Need power without draining the battery

[20ducks]

I've hooked up a mono Alpine sub amp to a separate sub w/enclosure. I ran a power wire to a battery connection in the power distribution box in the engine compartment. this connection I used is unnumbered but it is next to the #5 and #10 fuse location. The problem is that I am getting a battery draw enough to require a jump start (over a few days of inactivity). I was understanding that this battery connection stopped sending any power from the battery. I need help please with powering up this amp.

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[luca1290]

Hello,
if you are drawing power from the nut that is at the left (or right if you are watching them) of fuses 5 and 10, afraid to tell you that this is the positive from the battery and it is always hot.

That is the always hot from the battery that goes to the power steering and the alternator by the other two leads. The other two leads seat higher because there is a very big fuse underneath. You can actually read the amperage, it's stamped on the contacts.

Guess you need to find another place to draw power from.
And be careful connecting/disconnecting because if you short something from that lead you are going to see big fireworks!

 

[20ducks]

I am standing on the passenger side looking down on the fuse box, the #10 and #5 fuse would be to the left. (Damn owners manual shows the fuse box upside down. so it is the lower stem that I had it connected to.

Any idea what/where I should consider to hook up this amp? Surely someone on this forum has installed an amp without tapping into OEM loom for power.

Buon Natale

 

[2020Tang]

I am confused on how you are trying to power the amp. Are you tapping into the fuse box for the main power for the amplifier instead of connecting to the battery with a fuse? Or are you looking for power to use as the remote turn on for the amp?

 

[Skye]

I was understanding that this battery connection stopped sending any power from the battery.

I have some general information which might be of help...and I'll preface everything I'm about to say with, "Every installation may be different." LOL.

BTW, does the manufacturer offer support, call-in or e-mail? They might have some reference insight which could be handy.

And, does the amp or subwoofer assembly offer a standby state (described below)?

There's a high-amperage source at the battery, for the components in the trunk. But there should be a trigger, to turn the unit on/off, which is what you're looking for.

There's a possible electrical trigger, position #23 of the interior fuse panel, for the "amplifier". But the subwoofer might also be triggered by an incoming audio signal, as described below.

My home system works like the following: when the receiver is turned on, incoming audio signals wake-up the subwoofer, powered by the wall outlet. Fifteen minutes after the receiver is powered-off, the subwoofer shuts-down, due to no incoming audio. The standby state.

Hope that helps.

 

[jayhoogs]

When I had an amp in the trunk I just had the power cable connected directly to the battery with an in line fuse. I had that for several years and never had any battery issues. The amp only seemed to be active when general accessories would be, such as how opening a door turns lights on. I never really thought about it constantly drawing power, but don’t think it was an issue as, again I never had any issues with the original battery after 6 years.

 

[WItoTX]

You installed a remote wire, correct?

My car was set up similar to what you are trying to do (Before I removed all that stereo stuff). I just had a remote wire, and never had an issue with the battery going dead.

You are in Chicago. You sure it's not just that your battery has gone bad? I mean it's a 2020, but crazier things have happened.

 

[Evolvd]

Do you have a remote switched +12v going into the amp? Secondly, tapping off the stock fuse box isn’t a good idea. Run an independent power wire from your battery to the amp and fuse it properly for the amperage draw.

 

[20ducks]

"There's a possible electrical trigger, position #23 of the interior fuse panel, for the "amplifier". But the subwoofer might also be triggered by an incoming audio signal, as described below. "

For reasons of insanity I didn't consider connecting the power cable to the "Interior" fuse box. #23 ...I will give that one a try.

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