6
POWER / GROUND
Warning!
To prevent a short to ground, disconnect the negative (-) terminal
of the system battery before you begin. If the power cable shorts
to ground, current will continue to flow until the short is opened,
the main fuses blow, the battery explodes or the wire melts apart.
Reconnect the negative terminal only after you make ALL
connections.
Your Tube Driver BLUE is designed to operate from a typical
automobile 12 Volt, negative ground electrical system. The
ground wire should be the same gauge as the power wire
indicated in the previous gauge chart.
The main power cable should run from the amplifier location,
through or under the vehicle, to the battery. You must use a
grommet wherever the cable passes through a steel panel to
prevent an eventual short to ground.
The power and ground connections are the most important
part of any installation. If the connections are poor and/or
the resistance is high, the resulting voltage drops will rob
you of amplifier power and may allow noise to enter your
system. Your new Tube Driver BLUE features a regulated
power supply. However it is designed to produce maximum
power only when adequate voltage and current is supplied.
High resistance caused either by poor connections or
inadequate wiring will degrade performance overall. Using a
digital multimeter (DMM), try to get cable resistance as low as
possible. If resistance is too high, use a larger gauge wire.
Try to ground your system to a single point in the vehicle to
reduce the potential of noise induced by "ground loops." In
larger systems, use distribution blocks and run both power
and ground cables directly to the system battery.
