POWER CONNECTIONS
Before installing the amplifier, disconnect the
negative (ground) wire from the vehicle's battery.
This will prevent accidental damage to the system,
the vehicle and your person during installation.
The 500/1's
“+12 VDC”
and
“Ground”
connections are designed to accept 8 AWG -
4 AWG power wire.
8 AWG is a minimum
power wire size for this amplifier.
If you are installing the 500/1 with other
amplifiers and wish to use a single main power wire,
use 4 AWG, 2 AWG or 1/0 AWG main power
wire (depending on the overall current demands of
all the amplifiers in the system).This 4 AWG,
2 AWG or 1/0 AWG power wire should terminate
into a distribution block mounted as close to the
amplifiers as possible and should connect to the
500/1 with 8 AWG or 4 AWG power wire.
Please note that smaller AWG numbers mean
bigger wire and vice-versa (1/0 AWG is biggest,
2 AWG is smaller, then 4 AWG, then 8 AWG, etc.).
To connect the power wires to the amplifier,
first back out the set screw on the top of the
amplifier, using the supplied 2.5 mm hex wrench.
Strip 1/2 inch (12 mm) of insulation from the end
of each wire and insert the bare wire into the
receptacle on the front panel of the amplifier,
seating it firmly so that no bare wire is exposed.
While holding the wire in place, tighten the set
screw firmly, taking care not to strip the head
of the screw.
The ground connection should be made using
the same gauge wire as the power connection
and should be kept as short as possible, while
accessing a solid piece of sheet metal in the vehicle.
The surface of the sheet metal should be sanded at
the contact point to create a clean, metal-to-metal
connection between the chassis and the termination
of the ground wire.The use of a star washer to lock
down the connection is advisable.
JL AUDIO
500/1
monoblock subwoofer amplifier
+12VDC
Ground
Remote
Any wires run through metal barriers (such as
firewalls), must be protected with a high quality
rubber grommet to prevent damage to the
insulation of the wire. Failure to do so may result in
a dangerous short circuit.
Many vehicles employ small (10 AWG -
6 AWG) wire to ground the battery to the
vehicle chassis and to connect the alternator's
positive connection to the battery.To prevent
voltage drops, these wires should be upgraded to
4 AWG (or larger) when installing amplifier
systems with total fuse ratings exceeding 60A.
FUSE REQUIREMENTS
It is absolutely vital that the main power
lead to the amplifier(s) in the system be fused
within 18 inches (45 cm) of the positive battery
post connection.The fuse value at each power
wire should be high enough for all of the
equipment being run from that power wire.
If only the 500/1 is being run from that power wire,
we recommend a 50A fuse be used. AGU (big glass
fuse) or MaxiFuse™ (big plastic-body fuse) types
are recommended.
No fuse is required directly before the amplifier
power connection. If one is desired, we recommend
the use of a 50A AGU fuse or MaxiFuse™ type.
I M P O RTA N T
!
JL AUDIO
500/1
5
PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
The JL Audio 500/1 is a monoblock subwoofer
amplifier utilizing proprietary and patented Class D
technology. Its frequency response is limited to the
range below 250 Hz. It is not designed
for driving midrange speakers or tweeters.
Every aspect of its operation has been optimized
for low-frequency amplification. For detailed
specifications, please refer to Appendix E (page 21).
TYPICAL INSTALLATION SEQUENCE
The following represents the sequence for a
typical amplifier installation, using an aftermarket
source unit. Additional steps and different
procedures may be required in some applications.
If you have any questions, please contact your
authorized JL Audio dealer for assistance.
1)
Disconnect the negative battery post
connection and secure the disconnected cable to
prevent accidental re-connection during installation.
This step is not optional!
2)
Run power wire (minimum 8 AWG) from
the battery location to the amplifier mounting
location, taking care to route it in such a way that
it will not be damaged and will not interfere
with vehicle operation. Use 4 AWG, 2 AWG or
1/0 AWG power wire if additional amplifiers are
being installed with the 500/1.
3)
Connect power wire to the positive battery
post. Fuse the wire with an appropriate fuse block
(and connectors) within 18 inches (45 cm) wire
length of the positive battery post.
This fuse is
essential to protect the vehicle. Do not install
the fuse until the power wire has been
connected to the amplifier.
4)
Run signal cables (RCA cables) and remote
turn-on wire from the source unit to the amplifier
mounting location.
5)
Run speaker wire from the speaker system to
the amplifier mounting location.
6)
Find a good, solid metal grounding point close
to the amplifier and connect the negative power
wire to it using appropriate hardware. Use the same
size power wire as the wire connected to the
“+12V”
connection (min. 8 AWG), no longer than
36 inches (90 cm) from the amplifier to the ground
connection point. In some vehicles, it may be
necessary to upgrade the battery ground wire.
(See page 5 for important notice).
7)
Securely mount the amplifier using the
supplied screws.
8)
Connect the positive and negative power
wires to the amplifier. A fuse near the amplifier is
not necessary.
9)
Connect the remote turn-on wire to
the amplifier.
10)
Connect the RCA input cables to
the amplifier.
11)
Connect the speaker wires to the amplifier.
12)
Carefully review the amplifier’s control
settings to make sure that they are set according to
the needs of the system.
13)
Install power wire fuse (50A for a single
500/1) and reconnect the negative battery
post terminal.
14)
Turn on the source unit at a low level
to double-check that the amplifier is configured
correctly. Resist the temptation to crank it up until
you have verified the control settings.
15)
Make necessary adjustments to the input
sensitivity control to obtain the right overall output
and the desired balance between the subwoofer
output and the satellite (mid and high-frequency)
output. See Appendix B (page 14) for the
recommended input sensitivity setting method.
16)
Enjoy the fruits of your labor with your
favorite music.
4
JL AUDIO
500/1
