plexi glass boxes

[Domsz06]

Anyone ever done this? I want to make a split MDF plexiglass box and was wondering if anyone has done this and give me some advice before I dive in. I want to make the box myself, but just thinking about having someone do it, but that gets $$ I wanna make it myself, so I can also add some led's/neon to bling factor it, since I'm thinking about doing some sound comps.

Thanks in advance.

Plexi-how do you cut it, or is it something to just have someone cut?

[Domsz06]

hope someone has some help for me tonight otherwise i'll dive in head first

[Razzman]

Dom i don't know if i sent you this before but here's Grant West's pictorial of his box builds, he makes some killer stuff! Make sure to check all the links at the bottom of the page.

http://svtsupercharged.com/gallery/stereo?page=1

[lee]

Will it be all plexi or some wood? On the plexi you will need a sharp bit and go slow or the plexi will start to melt.

[spharis]

Cutting plexi sucks. Is there a reason you want plexi?

[Domsz06]

Lee and Spharis,

I was going to make a mdf and plexi. The reason being some plexi is I want a bit of bling, aka some led and neon lights in it to show it off. I'm toying with the idea of entering some sound offs, so figured a little bling never hurt. It won't be nearly as big as grants, but just a bit. I think What I may just do it measure it really good, and just have lowes/homedepot cut it. Then I'll make a lip in the mdf and have it countersunk in, make sense?

[Domsz06]

Razz,

Thanks for that link. It gave me some more ideas, and some info. I'll keep referencing it!

[Domsz06]

SPharris,

Talk to me about porting, as well as what size fuses should I use for my amps?

pcx-1500
pcx-4125
pcx-280?

Have 3 1500's, 1 4125 and 2 280's, going to run individual power wire to each of them, have a zer0 gauge coming in, split to 4 gauge. Having each one fused, what do you recommend?

Thanks.

[spharis]

I'll paste some links with info on porting later. Much more useful than me trying to type it out......has calculators too!

Use whatever fuse the manufacturer recommends in the install manual. For the main cable use the sum of the other fuses, or fuse to the wire size and length. Fusing to the wire is a much better option, but remember in marine, fusing is not as critical as in an auto where the whole chassis is ground. You could probably get away with just the fuses internal to the amps after the split. I wouldn't run any fuses, but that's just me. I figure why waste the money....I am not passing through a firewall, I am not passing through a metal floor tied to the ground.....no need to fuse. IF and that's a big IF....a wire chaffs or gets cut (although how would it unless you did it) it isn't going to short out to chassis ground. I am pretty sure you have a ginormous lack of fusing in your boat right now. Maybe some breakers on your dash for unfused items (bilge blowers, pumps, etc), but the power cables themselves probably are not fused previous to those breakers. The fuse for your amp would be doing the same thing as the breaker on your dash. Simple circuit protection to protect the unit itself, not the wiring. Fusing in an auto is to protect the wiring from shorting out and melting/fire/etc.

[Domsz06]

thanks!! You rock!! Let me know those links and I'll check them out. no fuses saves me a ton of $$ as well as headache!!

[Domsz06]

so what size fuse would you recommend then for the 6 amps I'm running? just add up what each one is recommended individually and use that one big one?

[spharis]

I wouldn't do a fuse, but if I did, I would add the sum, or use the rating for the length of wire/size.

[Domsz06]

so your saying you wouldn't use a fuse at all, not even one? Just wondering.

[spharis]

I wouldn't. You don't have to worry about grounding the power line, and each amp will be protected by an integrated fuse.

Fusing is important in an auto because the entire metal chassis is ground. If a cable chafes or gets cut, you will have unregulated power dump to that short, maybe even starting a fire. In a boat, there is no chassis ground, or a firewall for a cable to chafe through. Fusing the wire isn't a necessity. Sure it offers some level of protection, say if a cable came undone, and touched ground; but that is a very unlikely scenarion, and one that can easily identified/stopped. You have component wires in your boat wired the same way right now.

Of course this is my logic, but I haven't seen any reason to do it otherwise. I don't think Lee's shop fuses any ballast pumps or other components they install.

[Razzman]

And here i've got two of the darn things inline. Ya know maybe we should start a another folder in this category for information. I know if somebody would have asked this question sooner and we had a stereo / systems FAQ respository I woudn't have spent money on a fused dist block Or the damned polyfill that's shoved into my sub enclosure, which is shoved into the bow, which requires me to play houdini to get to it after i pull the steering wheel to get past the dash!