Clarion A404.2, A600.2, A300.2, A1200.2, A100.2, A204.2, A200.2 owner manual Mounting, Power and Ground

Tools / Parts Needed for Installation (not supplied):

Small flat blade screwdriver	Phillips screwdriver
Wire cutters	Wire strippers
Soldering iron	Solder
Flux cleaner	5 washers, 4 #6 and 1 #8 sheet metal screws
2 - ring connectors	In-line fuse holder and fuse
Speaker wire - 16 gauge or larger	Power and Ground wire - 12 gauge or larger
Heatshrink	Grommets
Silicone or similar material

Mounting

To prevent damage to the amplifier while driving, mount it in a secure place. Choosing the appropriate location will depend upon your vehicle and the complexity of your system design. It may be mounted in any compatible space that is convenient to your needs and provides sufficient airflow. Adequate ventilation allows the amplifier to dissipate the heat that develops during operation. Inadequate ventilation may result in overheating. The thermal protection circuit will engage when the heatsink temperature reaches 75 degrees Celsius. The amplifier will automatically return to normal operation once the heatsinkcools.

Typical mounting locations include: trunk and passenger compartment (floor or under seat). Never mount the amplifier in a location, which would subject it to immersion or exposure to water.

The Art Series' uniquely shaped heatsink is designed for high-efficiency cooling but improper mounting may compromise its ability to cool. When mounting the amplifier in a confined space (i.e. under), care must be taken to ensure that at least two inches of clearance is provided around the amplifier. If the amplifier is located in an area which has restricted air-flow or is totally enclosed, a fan may be used to improve air circulation.

Power and Ground

Before beginning, disconnect the negative (-) terminal of the battery before working on the positive terminal to prevent a short to ground. Reconnect the negative terminal only after all connections have been made.

The Art Series amplifiers are designed to operate from a car's (+) positive 12 volt, negative ground electrical system. PPI recommends that the power and ground cables be a minimum of 6 gauge for the A1200, 10 gauge for the A300 & A600 and 12 gauge for the A100 & A200. Depending upon the complexity of your system, larger gauge wire may be needed. PPI's Exclusive Wire Connection System will accept up to 6 gauge cable.

The main power cable should run from the amplifier location, through the vehicle to the battery, avoiding sharp corners, creases, and sharp body parts. When passing through any metal wall (i.e. firewall, etc), a grommet must be used to prevent the wire from chaffing and shorting to ground.

For safety reasons, PPI recommends that the power cable ve fused at the positive terminal of the battery. If this fuse is not installed, and the power wire shorts to ground (between the battery and the amplifier), a fire can result. The fuse at the bat- tery should be of the same value as the chassis fuse located on the right-hand end panel of the amplifier. Consult your Authorized PPI dealer for an appropriate in-line fuse holder that meets the needs of your installation. We suggest crimping and sol- dering all wire connections. Insulate the connection with heat shrink to prevent a short to ground

The ground wire should be of teh same gauge as the power wire. In systems with over 800 watts of total output power, the ground and power cables should run paral- lel to each other to avoid unwanted system noise. As a "rule of thumb", use as short a length of wire as possible. Locate an area near the amplifier that is metal (the floor is ideal) and clean an area about the size of a quarter to bare metal. Drill a pilot hole in the middle of this area. Be Careful!! Inspect the area underneath to be sure you aren't drilling into wires, brake or fuel lines, etc. Terminate the wire with a ring connector and attach it to the bare metal using a #8 sheet metal screw and washer (not sup- plied). We suggest crimping and soldering this connection. Insulate the connection with heat shrink. It is important that this connection be solid. After the conenction is complete, coat the area with silicone or some similar material to prevent rust from developing.

Once you have run both the power and ground wires, it's time to connect the cable to the amplifier. Be sure that you have not reconnected the ground cable to the nega- tive post of the battery. Cut off excess wire and, using wire strippers, strip the power and ground cables 1/4 inch. Locate the power and ground connector (supplied). On the under side of the connector are two slotted screws. With a small flat bladed screw driver, loosen these screws before attempting to insert the cables. After you have inserted the bared end of each cable into the connector, secure it by tightening the associated screw. If inserting larger gauge wire presents a problem, tinning the wire with solder may help. Be sure each connection is tight. Once the wires are secure, the connetor may be plugged into the amplifier. Please Note: the power / ground connector is keyed to a slot in the end panel and can only be inserted one way - with the head of the fastening screws pointing down. (Refer to Figure C.)