Ok so I'm about to install an 800 watt power inverter under my drivers seat. I currently have a 850 watt amp for bass under my passenger seat, the power lead from the battery is either an 8 gauge or 6 gauge wire with a 60 amp inline fuse protecting it.

So what I'm thinking of doing is rather than running 2 leads from the battery is either jumping of the + at the bass amp or splicing into the line somewhere close to that point and hooking that into the + on the inverter. Can any one see a problem with this? I'm never going to be bumping earth shattering Drum and Bass while trying to run a drill and a plasma TV at the same time. At most probably a few things will be charging while running the stereo at modest volumes.

I also plan on wiring a switch into the dashboard so I can turn the power inverter on and off easily.

Thoughts?

 

It just arrived in the mail right now, looks to be well made and the cables it comes with are neat although I won't be using them. It's only 4 screws to get to the on/off switch so extending it to the dash will be a snap!

 

I'm not sure, but I don't think it would be a good idea to run them at the same time, regardless how loud the stereo is turned up. That just seems to me to be a lot of power coming through one wire. You could run one or the other, but I would not run them both at the same time. Just my $.02 worth, HTH!!

 

It would be really nice to do both. I would think that an 8-6 gauge cable would be enough for both, worst case I guess the fuse blows.

I really don't know for sure though.

 

No, worst case, your Jeep burns to the ground!! If the wire gets hot before the fuse blows, and it can happen, that will be the result.

 

Personally, I wouldn't run much lighter than a 2 guage for the Inverter alone, but i've been known to overkill sometimes. The Amp and Inverter are going to put enough strain on the battery/charging system alone (provided its still stock). The Amp/Inverter definitely need to be on their own circuit, and neither 8 or 6 guage is big enough, IMO.

 

Yeah I guess that's a bit more accurate.

OK so a 2 gauge dedicated. That seems a bit much to me but it beats a fried wire.

 

Typically for Inverters between 500 and 1500, as long as the inverter is within 4' of the battery, a 4 gauge will work just fine. From 4-6' 2 gauge is recommended, and anything more than 6' 0 gauge. Mine is a thousand watts, and Is under my passenger seat, so I chose 2 gauge. For the record, i'm no electrician or anything, but i've installed several electrical accesories in vehicles and have researched quite a bit.

 

You could always run a single 2AWG cable and put a power distribution block on it. Run the amp and inverter off that. Put a switch on both the amp and inverter so that you are only running one at a time.

Personally I would mount it to the headliner, just in case you get a sudden urge to pretend your jeep is a submarine and get it a little too wet. That's what I am going to do when I get my inverter. That's what I did with my amp/capacitor.

 

800Watts/12V = 66 Amps

An 8 gage wire is only good for 50 amps. You will need a 6 gage minimum. Put a circuit breaker in it that is dedicated to it alone. Keep your amp separate from it so if you have any problems you will only have problems with one, not both.