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.
The e1200's “+12 VDC” and “Ground”
connections are designed to accept 8 AWG -
4 AWG power wire. 8 AWG is a minimum
power wire size for this amplifier.
If you are installing the e1200 with other
amplifiers and wish to use a single main power
wire, use 4 AWG or larger main power wire
(depending on the overall current demands of all
the amplifiers in the system).This 4 AWG or
larger power wire should terminate into a
distribution block mounted as close to the
amplifiers as possible and should connect to the
e1200 with 8 AWG - 4 AWG power wire.
Please note that 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
the same gauge wire as the power connection
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.The use of a star washer to lock
down the connection is advisable.
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.
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
e1200 is being run from that power wire, we
recommend a 25A fuse be used. AGU (big glass
fuse) or MaxiFuse™ (big plastic-body fuse) types
are recommended.
No fuse is required or recommended directly
before the amplifier power connection. If one is
desired, we recommend the use of a 25A AGU fuse
or MaxiFuse™ type.
JL AUDIO e1200 5
PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
The JL Audio e1200 is a monoblock,
full-range amplifier utilizing patented Absolute
Symmetry™ Class AB technology.
The e1200 can be operated with a wide variety
of source units and system configurations.
TYPICAL INSTALLATION SEQUENCE
The following represents the sequence for a
typical amplifier installation, using an aftermarket
source unit. Additional steps and different
procedures may be required in some applications. If
you have any questions, please contact your
authorized JL Audio dealer for assistance.
1) Disconnect the negative battery post
connection and secure the disconnected cable to
prevent accidental re-connection during installation.
This step is not optional!
2) Run power wire (minimum 8 AWG) from
from the battery location to the amplifier
mounting location, taking care to route it in such a
way that it will not be damaged and will not
interfere with vehicle operation. Use 4 AWG or
larger power wire and a power distribution block
if additional amplifiers are being installed with the
e1200.
3) Connect power wire to the positive battery
post. Fuse the wire with an appropriate fuse block
(and connectors) within 18 inches (45 cm) wire
length of the positive battery post. This fuse is
essential to protect the vehicle. Do not install the
fuse until the power wire has been connected to
the amplifier.
4) Run signal cables and remote turn-on wire
from the source unit to the amplifier
mounting location.
5) Run speaker wire from the speaker system to
the amplifier mounting location.
6) Find a good, solid metal grounding point
close to the amplifier and connect the negative
power wire to it using appropriate hardware. Use
the same size power wire as the wire connected to
the “+12V” connection (min. 8 AWG), no longer
than 36 inches
(90 cm) from the amplifier to the ground
connection point. In some vehicles, it may be
necessary to upgrade the battery ground wire.
(See page 5 for important notice).
7) Securely mount the amplifier using the
supplied screws.
8) Connect the positive and negative power
wires to the amplifier. A fuse near the amplifier is
not necessary.
9) Connect the remote turn-on wire
to the amplifier.
10) Connect the input cables to the amplifier.
11) Connect the speaker wires to the amplifier.
12) Carefully review the amplifier’s control
settings to make sure that they are set according to
the needs of the system.
13) Install power wire fuse (25A for a
single e1200) and reconnect the negative
battery post terminal.
14) Turn on the source unit at a low level
to double-check that the amplifier is configured
correctly. Resist the temptation to crank it up until
you have verified the control settings.
15) Make necessary adjustments to the input
sensitivity controls to obtain the right overall output
and the desired balance in the system. See
Appendix A (page 10) for the recommended input
sensitivity setting method.
16) Enjoy the fruits of your labor with your
favorite music.
4 JL AUDIO e1200
