i do agree with MRL. i didnt remove my front seat to run my wire. but going through the firewall is very easy. plus there is no way a ANL fuse holder will fit in that slot in the fender

 

X2 on everything.

pretty sure the fuse holder doesn't have a water tight seal (at least the one i've got that's that style doesn't) which i can only imagine would cause problems being in the water run-off/fender channel. Also wouldn't you end up using more wire having it snake around the car rather than through it? I understand it's easy, but also seems risky --also, wouldn't run power wire off the fuse box.

I really don't wanna sound like a downer, but if water in the channel shorts the in-line fuse connected to the power wire which is connected to the fuse box, isn't there major potential of electrical damage to the entire fuse box that it's mounted to, let alone the whole sound system that's installed?

 

Yeah I don't understand that either. I put the fuse block on top of the battery and I got a new battery post with an extension so I could hook the power directly up. Much better connection.

 

Its really not hard to go through the firewall in these cars as its easily accessible.

In my new Chrysler 300 the battery is in the trunk so I don't got to worry about how to route my 0awg wire

 

ha! well isn't life simple IMO that's the way it should be with any FWD vehicle. There really aren't any ill effects from not having the battery under the hood other than running a little more wire . . .

 

the 300 is RWD lol there are actually some cars out now that run 2 batteries stock. 1 in the front for starting and one in the trunk for all accessories. But I think its a good idea to be in the trunk because the battery is less likely to have corrosion since its not as exposed.

 

thats what i did on my 02 LS

LUCKY! i never knew they had them in the trunk lol

 

sorry . . didn't mean to make it sound like your 300 was FWD, i just meant that in any FWD application, it would be easier to have the battery set up the way it is in your 300 (in the trunk . . . or even under the rear seat).

 

ha its fine lol. I just wanted to clarify just incase. But ya I understand what you mean

 

WTF - No fuse in the back (or did I not see it?) and the possibility of pinching the wire in the trunk pass-through. I'd be ascared. Back in the days of old, I did lots of #4 wire to inverters in cable TV vans. Went under the truck with zip ties along the frame, fused at the 12v terminal, the entry point and the inverter itself. Never had a van burn down.

For the accessories in the MC I did the fender route too but followed the wire harness all the way back. I've had alternator whine in the right speakers ever since - that power lead is inducing noise to audio from the amp. Going to rip it out and route it down the middle tunnel and through the firewall, plus add a filter.

Whole write up: barovelli.com - Monte Carlo Ham Radio Install

Seats - I have front seats with side air bags. Makes me nervous to mess with. Anything to assure me that I won't deploy the bag or create an air bag service light? Otherwise I was just going to fish the wire with a glow-rod (Link).