JL Audio RD500/1, Owner'S Manual

5

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 body during installation.

Remote

Level

Control

(RBC-1)

Mono Subwoofer Output

INPUT SEC

TION

(L)

(R)

(L)

(R)

PREOUT

S

+12 VDC

Ground

Remote

The RD500/1’s “+12 VDC” and “Ground” 

connections are designed to accept 4 AWG  
copper power wire. 4 AWG is the minimum 

copper wire size for this amplifier. 

If you are installing the RD500/1 with other 

amplifiers and wish to use a single main power 
wire, use 2 AWG or 1/0 AWG main power wire 
(depending on the overall current demands of all 
the amplifiers in the system). This 2 AWG or  
1/0 AWG copper power wire should terminate 
into a fused distribution block mounted as 
close to the amplifiers as possible (within 12 
inches / 30 cm of wire length). The fused output 
of the distribution block will connect to the 
RD500/1 with 4 AWG power wire. JL Audio 
ECS fused distribution blocks are recommended 
(XD-FDBU–2 and XD-FDBU–4).

Note: Smaller AWG numbers mean bigger wire 
and vice-versa (1/0 AWG is the largest, 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 
terminal block, 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 terminal block, 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 

4 AWG copper wire 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. For optimal grounding, we recommend 
the use of a JL Audio ECS master ground lug 
(XB-MGLU). Alternatively, a sheet metal screw or 
bolt can be used with a star washer.

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.

Only use oxygen-free copper (OFC) wire or 

tinned copper wire for your amplifier’s  

Power/Ground connections. Copper-clad 

aluminum (CCA) wire is not recommended. 

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 when installing amplifier systems 

with main fuse ratings above 60A.

FUSE REQUIREMENTS

It is absolutely vital that the main power 

wire(s) 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 RD500/1 is being run from that power 
wire, use a 50A fuse.

If fusing the amplifier near its power 

connections (when more than one amp is being 
run from the main power wire), use a 50A fuse 
(MAXI™ big plastic-body fuse is recommended).