The Stereo "Power" Button Idea

Adventurewagen · Post by **Adventurewagen** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 2:10 pm

I have an idea, but I'm not sure if its really possible. I'd like a big stereo in the bus which I could run off my 90A alternator and yellow top optima battery. However, I'd like to wire in a button to power off the two amps and run off just the head unit to the main speakers.

The overall design would include a 4-channel amp for 5.25's in the front and probably 6x9's in the back then a mono-channel amp for two 8" sub-woofers under the seat. While driving I could hit the power button and kick on the two amps to power the subs and speakers, but then kick it off and draw only the power needed by the head unit to run the 4 speakers minus the subs.

I'm wondering if I could run a single set of speaker wires to each speaker and use a relay or two and terminals 87/87a on it to toggle where the power goes to, amps or head unit.

Ideas, thoughts?

vdubyah73 · Post by **vdubyah73** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 6:40 pm

I have two 6.5'' tri-axials up front, two 6x9's under the rear bed and one 10'' sub in a box. The regular speakers run off the head unit, the sub runs off a 200 watt bridged amp. The amp turns on with the head unit through the power antenna wire, blue or purple, I can't remember. I just put the power antenna wire to a toggle switch to turn off the amp when it's not needed. It works great, and I don't need an amp for the regular speakers. My rear view mirrors vibrate with the music.

Bill

Adventurewagen · Post by **Adventurewagen** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 8:43 am

Thanks! That sounds like a good starting plan anyway. I've got a cheap head unit, like a once 150 dollar pioneer from a few years ago I picked up for say 50 bucks. It says 200W but I think its like 17W RMS per channel.

So for your amp, you don't need it connected directly to the battery, or do you have a line from your battery to the amp and then the amp is connected and controlled from the head unit? I could definitely start with that and add another amp if necessary.

What size woofers have people fit under a standard bench seat? I know a z-bed has tons of room, but my seat is stock. I'm thinking I might need to do a little cutting and fab work to fit two 8's or a 10 or something.

vdubyah73 · Post by **vdubyah73** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 4:33 pm

I used 8 gauge wire directly to the positive post on the battery with an inline blade fuse of 25 amps. Mounted the amp under the z-bed and with the shortest 8 gauge wire possible, I grounded it to a seat belt bolt. The power antenna wire goes to a terminal on the amp to turn it on or off with the head unit. the toggle switch is inline on that wire so I can turn the amp off and still listen to the stereo. The head unit is powered by an always on source so I don't need the keys. One 10'' with 200 watt amp bridged is plenty enough. That's what I have and it makes my rear view mirrors bump.

Bill

chitwnvw · Post by **chitwnvw** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 11:57 am

vdubyah73 wrote:it makes my rear view mirrors bump.

Can you hear it clearly at highway speeds?

vdubyah73 · Post by **vdubyah73** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 5:54 pm

chitwnvw wrote:
vdubyah73 wrote:it makes my rear view mirrors bump.
Can you hear it clearly at highway speeds?

Yes, I can. Even over the bilge blower heater assist, the groaning tranny and the gnome that has taken up residence in my engine. Did I mention he has a hammer?
Brand new AMC heads completely redone with new seats, valves and hardware arrived today!

Gotta finish moving and order my 40 IDF's, so I can rebuild this puppy and evict that pesky gnome.

Bill

DjEep · Post by **DjEep** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 11:44 am

chitwnvw wrote:
vdubyah73 wrote:it makes my rear view mirrors bump.
Can you hear it clearly at highway speeds?

I can't hear the highway at highway speeds with my rig at 150watts. Don't use it much while driving.

But the trade-off is the two floor speakers required to turn that small amount of power into BIG sound take up the whole back 2' of the bus.

vdubyah73 · Post by **vdubyah73** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 5:19 pm

DjEep wrote:I can't hear the highway at highway speeds with my rig at 150watts. Don't use it much while driving. But the trade-off is the two floor speakers required to turn that small amount of power into BIG sound take up the whole back 2' of the bus.

I did that too, until I got the amp and 10'' sub. It sounds a whole lot better with the sub and amp.

Bill

DjEep · Post by **DjEep** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 9:47 am

Since I mainly use it while parked it is fine, and it doesn't drain the battery in ten minutes. I can bump it for an hour or so and have no problem firing up.

Since my "face" looks like this:

I have no problem tuning the sound.

germansupplyscott · Post by **germansupplyscott** » Fri Feb 16, 2007 8:32 am

A-wagen,

I have something similar, but not nearly as complicated. I have a head unit with speakers attached which are in the front doors. I have a remote amp and sub in my rear bed. The amp powers 6 speakers (plus the sub) elsewhere in the bus. Power amps have a remote switch terminal, and all decent head units do also. You connect the yellow wire from the head to the remote-on terminal of the amplifier. Then, when you turn on the head, the amp is powered on. What I did was interrupt this wire with a switch. Pulling on the switch allows me to hear the boomin' system. Push the switch in and all I get are the speakers attached directly to the head unit. Usually I just leave the switch in the "on" position, but if I don't want big sound, like if my kids are playing the Playstation in the back, I just push the switch and get just the front speakers. It is very simple and works perfectly. The switch is a stock VW one so it looks completely stock.

Itinerant Air-Cooled

Itinerant Air-Cooled

The Stereo "Power" Button Idea

The Stereo "Power" Button Idea