Stereo head unit remote wire question
 

I have four amplifiers I plan on using in my Ranger. I only have one remote wire from the back of my head unit to power them all. Will I need a booster to run all four or can I connect them all to the wire with terminal blocks or a relay box? I made up a relay card that will accept the remote wire and up to six amps (future expansion). Now the voltage coming from the head unit is steady, correct? Its only function is to supply power to keep the amps running, right? This is a small guage wire and I am a bit concerned with overloading it. Should I remove the wire and replace it with something of a larger guage? I am at a stopping point with my stereo refit until I can get an answer... or until I just 'wait and see'...

Thank you all for your help.

OK. I am back since I had not received an answer, I went ahead and installed my rig with what I originally had. I figured the best way to get an answer was to try and see what happens. With no modifications to my wiring, I went in and connected all four amplifiers to the small 18/20 gauge remote wire from the head. That done, I started up my system. Everything seemed to run great. I daisy-chained the remote wire from one amp to another to power everything. Worked great for, oh, about 3 days. Then, one by one, my amps burned that wire. I am now cruising around the neighbourhood with no sound and a funny smell in the cab. I return to my home and commence pulling out the burnt wiring. Nothing big, just removing the seats and pulling the floor covering up... A fun weekend I must say! Luckily, my head's remote wire had not burned with the carriers. I didn't have a chance to measure the current across the amps' remote wire, but I am going to assume each amp has a load of 1.5-2 amps. At 18 gauge, that wire is rated for only 3 amps steady, perhaps 5 with an inrush which was what probably killed it. So I ended up extending my remote wire to reach under the dash to attach an automotive relay rated at 10 amps steady, 30 peak. I then ran an additional power wire, a new 14 gauge red, from my battery to the relay's line side. I attached a 14 gauge blue from the load side of the relay to a 10-amp fuse, then ran it to a small 2-block, 3-position terminal assembly at the back of my vehicle. From there I ran the necessary wiring to all my amps. I was able to cover/hide this new feature very easily behind the rear panel plate. The wiring was sent through the channel behind the coverings/panels and connected to each amp. A nice neat wiring job if I do say so meself! Now, I have four amplifiers running at a nice steady pace with no danger of overloading or overheating/burning, AND I have an extra position for an ADDITIONAL amp for a set of tweeters I have my eye on! So now, if you are thinking of running more than two amps off that puny wire, you will now have the knowledge that it won't work for very long. The relay? $7.00 from radio shack. Wire? Got it from work. Time? Took me no more than3 hours. Then again, I have vinyl flooring which pulled up very easily once the seats were removed. Why 14 gauge? Future expansion, of course! I am looking at neon tubes and some LEDs for the amplifier compartments. Just for a bit of show, mind you!

i would run a separate power line to the amps as a power source to activate and shut them off. that way you can control which amps are on and have them wired separate. i would make a contol panel or something with power source to toggles and toggle the power going to the individual amps.