Im getting ready to install my new system, nothing big just a new head unit, a sub and amp, just curious if anyone has advice on running the power line, rca's? Most curious about the firewall, battery connection, and which side of the car would make this the easiest? I have a 03 Monte Ls.

 

passenger side through the grommit in the firewall, its in the how-to section, you should run your rcas on the drivers side, that way there wont be any interference.

 

you only need a couple inches to avoid any EMI from the power lines, they are low voltage.

anyways, the BEST place to run them, as far as i'm concearned is both through the center console, rca's on one side, power line on the other. bam done, now it can be a bitch to figuire out how to get the center console off, but once you do its pretty much a "duh" moment.

anyways, through that grommit, and you'll need to take your one coolant res. out , its pretty easy, 2 screwsx, it picks up and you can set it to the side, and that alows you to reach down and pull, there will be a little rubber you'll need to break through, but with 4 gauge you should be way good, i put some 1\0 through mine and it took some fighting but i got it.

 

I still dont understand the theory of running the wire through the center console. Its more than 10x easier to run it along the side of the car. Just remove the side plastic trim piece (it pulls right up) and walla easy access to under the carpet.

I have ZERO interference and noise. Power on passenger side. RCAs, remote, speaker wire ect... all ran on drivers side

 

agreed with you, the center counsel is pointless, just run it both sides. i have all of my rca wires on the drivers side with the speaker wires and my power wire on the passenger side and that helped clean up my interference.

 

High quality RCA do wonders. I upgraded to Rockford Fosgate Premium (RFIT is the model) help noise allot. Also try to AVOID running power cable and RCAs/Speaker wire parallel to each other especially when there close to each other.

^^^ thats why I ran my speaker wire for my passenger side door(although its hooked in series to the drivers side) on the drivers side to the front than across and over to the passenger door speaker, because than there not parallel to each other so since they cross it cancels noise interference

 

I also agree with jaws on this one... I have no problems with the power going down one side and the RCA's on the other side, just dont cheap out on the RCA's, thats the only advice I can give. But for ease of work, def run it down the sides

 

I can't speak for everyone but since I ran my power down the center console I'll explain.

When I wired up my doors I used 16ga Karma series speaker wire. The stuff is nice, but the strand for each speaker is about the size of an 8ga wire and I have two strands going to each door. And we all know that you aren't supposed to run power wire along with speaker wire, so I don't understand what you don't understand

 

But I didnt run speaker wire along with power wire. As explained in a previous post. The only time it even comes close is by the passenger door. But it runs perpendicular to it at just one point which is ok because then it doesn't pick up noise. That one spot is the only spot my power wire comes in contact with any other wire.

Also running along the sides of the car does also allow for maximum difference between the power wire and all other wire.

IDK just my theory of input and suggestion/simplicity...

 

really? high quality rca's make no difference i have had 80$ rca's and i've had 15$ rca's, whitch i have right now. copper is copper my friend, the only difference in those high quality rca's is they have EMI sheilding...if EMI isn't a problem. than why are you buying it? its like buying underground rated wire to run in walls...its better wire but the power is sitll the same.


and i just prefer the center console, he can feel free to run them under the carpet, i just don't like things floating around down there, plus god forbid you get any rust throughs down there, should you live in a state like PA, with such ****ty car conditions, you likly will see in a cars life span, you're talking about watter, rust, and sharp edges potentially touching that wire, center of the car is more reinforced and less likly to rust. that is my logic, but that's your call it's really not that hard, 1 screw for the main part, than 4 bolts and 1 screw hold down the rest.