Running Wire Underneath the car

[JoshH]

I have a question regarding running wire underneath the car. I'm running 0 gauge to the trunk and want to run it outside the car. There are relatively few places to zip tie it to to keep it held up. I was thinking of either running it right above the metal around the exhaust (probably there as a heat guard) or running it all the way to the side of the car and in the side splash guards. Which way would be the best?

The only problem with being near the exhaust would be the heat emitted from the thing. But if the heat guard doesn't get too hot, it shouldn't be a problem with the wire there. The other option of the side splash guards would work, but it would be harder to wire as you have to navigate past the suspension and axle to the edge of the car and then back to the trunk afterwards.

[Ever Victorious]

what, exactly, are you doing that REQURES the wire to be on the outside of the car? I'm hoping it's not stereo equipment, because it makes far more sense to run the wire through the firewall and under the carpet...

I wouldn't go through the splash guards. if you get a pinch or fray in your insulation, it could quite possibly get wet. Bad news.

And I wouldn't go anywhere near the exhaust, either, unles you specifically have high-temperature shielding for the wire. I've vaporized a couple hoses that got too close to the exhaust system on a couple cars, and they were heater hoses... designed for higher temperatures than your typical wire sheathing.

[2K Marketing]

Have you pulled the carpet back yet? It is almost like Nissan made the Versa for 0 Gauge! You really should run all you wires in the car, there is plenty of room.

[JoshH]

Do I need to cut a new hole into the firewall and install my own grommet or is there enough room in the existing grommet to get the wire inside?

[XterraVersa]

I just installed my sub.

There is a grommet on the drivers side near the pedals.



I took a wire clothes hanger & pushed it through to the engine bay. The them taped the wire to it & pulled it through.

Here is where it ended up in the enginge bay.



You can not see the grommet in the enginge bay. It is behind the air filter box & the large wire harness going into the cab.

[kcourtad]

i hope that is atleast 8awg wire u ran in your car... if its anything higher then that you will burn up your amp... i got 4awg in mine and the wire still gets a little warm at times but the amp does not burn...

[JoshH]

Any recommendations on getting 0 gauge wire through that grommet? I have already been able to put 3 18 gauge wires and 2 12 gauge wires through the grommet, but I am having trouble getting 0 gauge through the thing. I used the hangar method but I pulled to a point that I was actually pulling the grommet through the hole. Should I make an incision through the rubber to help get that wire through the grommet and how would I do that?

I have an AEM CAI system installed in the car so the intake system is not in the way (I can pretty much get my hand back to where the grommet comes through into the engine compartment.

[XterraVersa]

Do you need it that big? This is what the required wire size for DC power. Anything larger is a waste. Take peak watts divided by 12 to get amps.

[JoshH]

Together, both of my amps will have 1800W RMS (1200w RMS amp for sub and 2 x 300w RMS amp for component speakers). 1800 / 12 = 150 amps. Obviously, I will be more conservative on the gains (alternator doesn't put out that much), but 4 gauge would be too small and 2 gauge kits are very rare.

I'm going to be running an audioque 1200D amp: http://www.audioque.com/aq/AQamps.htmWith a Fi Q 15" in ~ 2.5cuft sealed (currently building the box): https://ssl.perfora.net/www.fi...cript

For the components, I am running a Cadence TXA-3004 for the amp: http://www.cadencestore.com/Pr...t=383With rainbow component speakers. I have not made up my mind yet about which component set but am looking between the SLC, power CMX, and SAC line (probably going to go with SLC 265.25 NG): http://car.rainbow-audio.de/pr...31143

EDIT: Anything larger is not a waste. If you ever wanted to upgrade your system, you would have to run more wire. Also, larger wire has less resistance.

[kcourtad]

the bigger the wire the more power it can get to the amp... and 4awg was the biggest wire i could get with out spending too much but my next set up will be 0/1 awg