Polk Audio C400.4 - Manual (Page 4)

W W W . P O L K A U D I O . C O M / A M P S
7 6
P O L K / M O M O : C H A M P I O N S H I P P E R F O R M A N C E
Installing Your New Polk Audio Amplifier
Before installing your new amplifier, carefully choose the location for the installation. The
amplifier should have at least 2" (5cm) of ventilation space on all sides to allow heat to rise and
dissipate away from the amplifier. Be sure that the power and signal cable connections can enter
and leave the amplifier in a straight line to avoid the risk of kinked wires causing a malfunction.
And try to make your ground connections as short as possible.
CAUTION: Remember, your car is filled with hidden stuff: electrical wires, gas lines, vacuum lines,
brake lines and all sorts of other lines. Then there’s that pesky gas tank. You do not want to run
into this stuff while drilling. Make sure you know where all of these dangers are when you’re
installing your amp to avoid puncturing anything.
The amplifier should be protected from exposure to moisture and direct sunlight. The best places
to mount your amplifier are: The floor of the trunk, under the driver’s seat, or on the back of the
rear seat.
Once you decide where to install your amplifier and have made certain that there is ample
ventilation, air circulation and shelter from unusual hazards, mark the mounting surface using
the amplifier itself as a template. A tip: a strip of masking tape on these surfaces will help make
your marks more visible.
Drill holes using a 1/8" (2.5mm) metal bit at the marked locations and mount the amplifier
using the supplied screws and inserts. Take the time to secure the amplifier solidly so that it does
not come loose in the event of a collision or sudden jolt to the vehicle. A flying amp will hurt you.
DO NOT DRILL HOLES WHILE
THE AMPLIFIER IS IN PLACE
AS A “TEMPLATE.” YOU COULD
EASILY DAMAGE THE AMP’S
ANODIZED COATING BY
DOING THIS.
Notes About Electrical Installation
• ALWAYS DISCONNECT YOUR VEHICLE’S BATTERY GROUND BEFORE WORKING WITH YOUR
VEHICLE’S ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.
• This amplifier is designed for use in vehicles with 12-volt, negative-ground electrical systems. Use
of this product in vehicles with positive-ground, or with voltages other than 12 volts, may result in
damage to the product and the system, and will void the warranty. This product is NOT certified or
approved for use in aircraft.
• We recommend that you carefully design your car audio system before you begin a major installa-
tion like this. Draw it all out. Make sure that the cables for power and signal are not on the same
side of the vehicle and that they do not cross each other; this will help reduce any noise that may
radiate from the power cable to the signal cable. If a signal cable is too close to a power cable, it
may pick up the magnetic field generated by the power cable, which could lead to a loss of quality
in your signal.
• Do not run wires under your vehicle or outside your vehicle.
• For best possible performance, give your power the widest possible throughway. Use the largest
gauge power/ground cable available; we recommend at least 8 AWG. Use the largest gauge con-
nectors, as well: barrier spades at the amp and terminal rings to the battery. See your authorized
Polk AutoSound Dealer for power cables and wire connectors.
• Protect your vehicle with a circuit breaker or fuse placed no more than 12" (30cm) from your
battery. This circuit breaker or fuse should be no greater than the fuse(s) of your amplifier for
optimal protection. For example, this Polk Audio Amplifier has two 30A fuses. Your “vehicle
protection” fuse should be rated at 60A. See your authorized Polk AutoSound Dealer for
professional advice on fuses and circuit breakers.
• Make your ground wires as short as possible to avoid Ground Loop engine noise and hum
from interfering with your system. When using multiple components, ground everything at the
same point.
• ALWAYS DISCONNECT YOUR VEHICLE’S BATTERY GROUND BEFORE WORKING WITH YOUR
VEHICLE’S ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.