The wiring that you use really does make a difference, even on a stock sound system. Just for the hell of it, I replaced the stock 20 gauge power and ground wires that go to my stock radio with 14 gauge wire, and I also replaced the 22 gauge stock speaker wires going to all 4 speakers with 16 gauge wire. Even though the sound system is otherwise stock, there was a large improvement in the performance of the system, especially at higher volumes.
@@quintocreations5091 The difference in voltage supply was measurable. With the stock wiring, I measured a total of about a 1.5 volt drop at the radio compared to at the battery at higher volumes. My wiring only loses about 0.1 volts total. An extra 1+ volts and cleaner power certainly could make a difference. The difference in speaker wiring isn't something that's easily measurable like voltage drop, but basic electrical theory suggests that thicker wiring run directly from the radio to the speakers eliminating several factory connectors would have to be at least marginally better.
@@averyalexander2303 awesome, I agree. Especially if also replacing door speakers as I did. Wire plays a big role, most aren't smart enough to test for accurate difference. Only relying on their abused eardrums. LoL. Funny how one RUclips video claims you can't notice a difference, and so many believe it. (I'm referring to Sonic YT channel on same topic of replacing factory speaker wires with bigger & better but not increasing power.) To anyone who says wire makes no noticable difference I say this 🍳 is your 🧠 on 💉 💊
I've been working in the IT field for over 13 years installing copper and fiber Ethernet, and for some reason audio cabling completely escapes me!!! Thank you for this video.
Thanks Bruh, your explanation of Amperes really cleared up my problem...I moved up from 4 gauge to 1/0 and my system sounds great and does not overheat. The overheating resulted shut offs...not anymore...I can drive all day with my sounds blasting with awesome quality.
Eli Hembree Just run 4g OFC wire and be done with it. Not wore the potential problems of being on the edge. Only use OFC wire. Copper clad aluminum is cheaper but has far higher resistance which is never a good thing. Plus it will run hotter than the same gauge of copper.
So I have a question in the system I’m going to be installing is calling for a 150 amp fuse on the wire from battery to amp when my alternator puts out 100 which I’m going to be upgrading to a 130, but what would a 150 amp fuse protect if my electrical system doesn’t even put out 150
So I've been feeling some type of way about feeding my 1500 watt amplifier through an 8 gauge power wire. But my battery is 3 ft from my amplifier. I plan on upgrading to zero gauge, but this at least gives me some peace of mind. Great video!.
I just bought 100 feet of 14 gauge oxgen free copper wire for my speakers and I will be running it 25 feet to my surround speakers from my Yamaha HTR-5935 receiver. Did I get the right wire for this? If not I only have today left to return it.
3:20 but my amperage number is 1,796 amps!! That's nowhere on this chart!! Now what?? I will divide it by 6 and buy 6 of whatever wire gauge it recommends, sound right? (no guessing)
4:00 don't forget to include length of grounds combined with power wires. 20' SUV = 40' just for one power and one ground ran from back to front battery. My length is over 100' 2/0 XL OFC Sky High Car Audio wire. At $1,000 worth of wire between my entire 155+dB build. ($10,000 total in products alone)
So I just bought a Soundstream t5 2500dl amp. It's a 5channel amp with 75wx4 plus 325wx1 into 4 ohms which is how I will be running it. So by your calculation my 1/0 awg power wire will be a little over kill, but better bigger than smaller. The amp itself is fused with a 100A fuse. So I guess the amp has the potential of pulling a lot more current if it was run at 2 Ohms the power almost doubles.
Someone really ought to make a bigger chart with higher amperages, like up to 1,000 amps (or 2,000 in my case) by using 2/0 and 4/0 wire. Sky High Car Audio now sells 4/0 XL wire (which is more like 5/0 or 6/0). I use multiple runs of SHCA OFC 2/0 XL (size of 3/0) wire which each can endure 600 amps at 20 feet which is why I need 6 runs (3 powers and 3 grounds)
Wow I can't believe that chart recommends 10 gauge wire for up to 85 amps! Although the voltage drop may not be problematic for 4 feet or less, that wire would get ridiculously hot very quickly and likely start a fire. There's a reason we protect 10 gauge wire with no larger than 30 amp circuit breakers in houses.
Houses and cars is comparing apples to oranges. Car Audio wire is much better quality. Plus not to mention AC vs DC and in car audio that max amp number is rarely ever seen unless competing in SPL and even so, still may not draw that much because SPL is in one frequency whereas to draw from sub amps and mids and highs would require more than one frequency at once which we don't do when competing and drawing max amp numbers.
@@lowhertzhighspl I agree that there are differences, but physics doesn't care about whether the wire is in a house or a car or the "quality" of it since the conductivity of the copper is the same assuming the same thickness (gauge). Since car audio wire isn't made to an actual standard like house wiring, it's important to get "true spec" wire (meaning it conforms to actual American Wire Gauge standards) from a reputable brand. A constant load vs an intermittent load is certainly a factor and you will likely get away with overloading the wiring intermittently, I assume that these ratings are for a continuous load since we don't know what someone will use the chart for. For all we know, someone may be looking to wire a winch, alternator, fans, etc and assumes that the wire sizing would be the same for a given load. Suggesting that someone can safely run 85 amps through a 10 gauge wire is just a bad idea.
It's quite possible that I'm missing something, but shouldn't the efficiency be multiplied by the result of the calculation of RMS Wattage/DC Voltage? For example, if the amp has a 75 percent efficiency then wouldn't the output effectively be lower? Or does the RMS of the amp already take the reduction in output due to efficiency loss meaning that the the efficiency would indeed need to be divided by the original RMS/DC V calculation? Just a 3rd yr electrical engineering major trying to understand exactly why it is being calculated this way. Thanks in advance for a reply.
RMS is already taking in account the loss in efficiency. Although this mostly applies to good name brands that are honest about their ratings. If u use this formula for overrated amplifiers then u will end up w oversized write every time. Which won't hurt either way.
Hey man I’m pretty new to the car audio world and I bought the Skar skv 1500 amp and I just realized that the power and ground terminal is 1/0, that’s 0 gauge right? And if so I bought a 4 gauge wiring kit from KnuKnconcepts and didn’t realize I needed the 0 gauge so would I be able to use everything else from that wiring kit and just buy the 0 gauge power and ground wires by themselves or have to buy a whole new kit?
@@aiden06876 just use the 1/0 to a distribution block then 04AWG out to the amp. Or if it was me in the situation. (If I had enough length of wire the. 1/0 that is, Cause I'm not sure exactly how much you got. But anyway just do the same exact thing I said in the start with the 1/0 to distro block then 04Ga except don't run the 04 but run the 1/0 both ends b4 and after the block. Also I don't know if you're running one mono block amp for a sub or a 04/05/06 channel for your door speakers. But yeah the point it run the 1/0 all the way everywhere for your power wire and ground leads... You won't regret it not a bit. 👌👍🤘
3:20 my answer is 1,600 amps. I need a bigger chart! LoL So far I've been getting away with 4 runs of SHCA 2/0 (2 pwr 2 gnd) from hood to LTO and 1500f Super Cap (3 XS Power batts as you'll soon see on my YT channel by clicking on my channel picture and viewing my videos as they are released). $10,000 system, 12,000-16,000W build, 155+dB so far. MECA STREET class, only 2 • 15s (Fi ftw) in Ford SUV. Charge up to 16V, 390a JS alt, XS Power Titan 8 S6 14V & 45ah Yinlongs, and SB1500-75, AudioControl LC7i, 2 Taramps Bass 8Ks, Stetsom DSP BT, 3 SMD fuse blocks, SHCA 2/0 XL & 4g spkr wire, Rockford Fosgate 6.5s, Fi Car Audio Neo 4.11s (killer $1,000 ea subs). 34.6Hz tuning, 8.5ft enclosure, 130in port, subs up port back driver's side, below window line, hair tricks, towel tricks, and more! Northeast Ohio. Bass head Brandon Low - Hertz High SPL. Wish the above YT channel offered install suggestions on big 10kW+ builds.
You should do a video on when you have more than one amp. On how you measure how thick of a wire you need as they recommend running a large wire into the car with a power distribution block that you run wires from to both of your amps. i.e. how do you determine how big of a wire you need to run into the car?
now someone is going to run 16gauge to power the amp. and 4 gauge to the speakers!! I like to run ground from front to rear also. and chassis connection at front and rear! to bare metal. make connection then coat with conductive primer. and then paint. to prevent corrosion. I know that's going a bit far. but never a issue with power! and run additional body to engine / alternator. and chassis ground. also. a larger power from alternator. to battery. especially if it has been upgraded.. most alternators have 10 gauge at best. I always add 4 gauge with factory alt . to battery. power and ground. and 2ga. with HO. alts. great info...
I’m moving up (graduating) from budget builds. I have been running a Lanzar Heritage 2 channel amp (2000w is a lie, more like 2-300) for my subs since 2015 and I have a Hifonics Brutus 1100 that I want to put in. I’m concerned about keeping my 8awg power and ground but I hear that it’ll be fine. What do you guys think? That heritage amp SLAMS every sub I throw at it, but it doesn’t have that much powe and you can tell if you’ve been doing several installations and are a bass head like me.
Just found this video. is there a wiring chart higher than this? Power wire needs for 3 amps. Monoblock 10k watt amp. and 2 - 4 channel 3k watt amps. So 16,000 watts. 16000 divided by 12.8 = 1250 amperes. 1250 divided by 0.78 = 1602 amps of current. I have 2 mechman 400's so lithium batteries will make up the shortage... but what wire would be safe to run back to the back? 2 runs of 2/0? Thanks for the space.
Very well narrated. I will keep you posted on my new 6000 amp battery capable pack we have been designing. I will only be using around 1200 amps current draw, but the cable I will be using is the first ive ever seen in the industry. It’s a cable that is capable of thousands of volts and amps. Dc power cable that changed my life, I absolutely love this wire. Individually tinned 22 gauge copper strands and thousands of them. Amazing 🤩
My cheap $30 10 gage wire melted at the fuse. So I just now installed a 4 gage wire that I bought from bestbuy. So far its working good sounds better to. I guess I'll see if I made the right choice in a couple months if my truck doesn't catch on fire
On the extreme side of things, there is no need to go extreme on cable or terminal size, on one end the bigger wire flows current better but too big and it will actually add resistance. When people have 0 gauge going to their amp with those block copper terminals, those terminals would have a lot of resistance from 1 side to the other. But if your pushing your systems hard you need that so the connection doesnt get hot.
@@mikethompson3026 yea my bad I was still an apprentice when I wrote that, I once asked why earth wires in a switchboard are smaller and I was told it's because they need to have less resistance for the fault to go to earth but this is not true and they are only thinner to save money because they are not under constant load. Bigger wires do have less resistance
hi, how come my amp burnt without burning power line fuse (60A) and 2 fuses on Amp (30a each), i thought, fuses are there to save amp, burn themselves before burning the amp? Those fuses should be lower amperes?
2:48 Taramps Bass series (Class D) amps are 87% efficient (at least according to their manual) I have TWO 1-ohm Taramps Bass 8Ks both running at 0.7 ohm = 20kW (20,000 RMS watts)
Far havnt seen a lightning audiio amp for around 10 years good amps back in the day had a coupple of mates with same amp power as yours and I had a 75x2 rms lightning audio cranking my mids
So I have a soundstream rubicon class D 3000 watt single channel. Manufacturer specs for RMS are 600w x1 @4ohm, 900w x1 @2ohm and 1500w x1 @4ohm. I'm planning on pairing it with Dual Electronics (2) 12" subs in a single enclosure listed as being 600w RMS @4ohms and 1100w peak. So I believe I'd be safe in assuming that because the single channel RMS for each at 4ohms is 600w then that's what I would base my selection in power wire gauge off of? Based on 600w RMS I've done the equation exactly as you've shown and come up with 46.87 amperes or 62.49 running at 75% efficiency. According to your diagram I'd be needing something between 4 and 6 gauge wire. That being said if I do the same equation with the 1500w max RMS for bridged single channel at 4ohms I come up with 156.24 amperes at 75% efficiency and the diagram then calls for something between 0 and 2 gauge. Seeing as I'll be running between 10 and 13 feet of course. I'm just confused as to which applies to my setup. Could I run 0 gauge and call it a day even though the single channel output that I'd be actively using is approximately 600w RMS?
Look for the specs / properties or description of your amplifier (in the user's manual, Internet, etc.). It will either be an 'AB' ... or ... a 'D' type. Then review the video at 2:46 for the approx. efficiency.
I have a 1200WX1@2ohm RMS and an 80WX4@4ohm RMS amps. I will only be running the 1200W amp at 500W@ 4ohms and the 4 channel at 30W@4ohms. Would I use the numbers from the spec's or what I am actually going to be running at(with a little extra margin) for the calculations?
I bought a Sound Storm EVO5000.1 EVO Amp. 3750x1 @ 1 Ohm. I plan to wire it to my Orion HCCA152 which has dual 2 Ohm voice coils. I will wire it in parallel, which would give me the 1 Ohm. O gauge from the battery is a given and I plan to use 8 gauge for speaker wire. This is powered by a stock battery and alternator on a 2017 Sonata Limited in the trunk. OK, it is just about the entire trunk and I probably need new shocks/springs. I also bought an Boss-Audio CAP8 capacitor(8 Farad) . I am unsure what to do with the power though.... Will my battery and alternator be able to handle the power I am consuming? Will I have enough power when I hook the capacitor up? OR... Do I need an additional another full battery in the trunk and another alternator? IDK.... Please help!
I have a question about speaker wire, Does it really matter if it's OFC or CCA? Because I got some decent 14 AWG CCA speaker wire. But then again I hear OFC is way better! I do have OFC main power cables but from what I heard it really does not matter for speaker wire,Is this correct?
No need to go down to 2, 4 will be perfect! Here are some links to kits I recommend! Kicker PK4 www.qualitymobilevideo.com/pk4.html?RUclips&Video&Power-Ground-Speaker-Wires Rockford Fosgate RFK4X www.qualitymobilevideo.com/rfk4x.html?RUclips&Video&Power-Ground-Speaker-Wires Rockford Fosgate RFK4 www.qualitymobilevideo.com/rfk4.html?RUclips&Video&Power-Ground-Speaker-Wires T-Spec by Metra V8-4RAK www.qualitymobilevideo.com/v8-4rak.html?RUclips&Video&Power-Ground-Speaker-Wires Metra AK4 www.qualitymobilevideo.com/ak4.html?RUclips&Video&Power-Ground-Speaker-Wires
I had a jl audio 400/4 rd series for mids and it had 4gauge wire but I added a pioneer gm-d8601 class d amp with 2 pioneer 10in Tsswx2502 but the powerwire is reduced to 8gauge from distribution block will my audio system sound better if I get a different distribution block 4gauge in & out for both amps???
Sir kindly correct me. Im using focal auditor and focal expert 165fx. I connected the speakers at bridge mode which the amp capacity at bridge is 170 watts. Does it means that the require power by my amp will be 42.19 amp? Thank you
Do I calculate the amps according to the RMS rating I’ll be using depending on whether the subwoofers are 1, 2, 4, or 8 ohms? The greater the ohms the lower the watts in the amp right?
slatebeard For only 100 x 4 and assuming you are not running a .5 ohm load to your subs, 8 gauge is fine for power and ground. 12 gauge is fine for the speakers.
Is it ok if I replace my amp ground wire with 10 gauge? The wire that came with my kit looks to be 8 gauge, maybe even thicker, but it’s only 3 feet and not long enough for my set up. Would I be able to use the 10 just for the ground? The amp is mono 500w rms and id be using about 6-8 feet. If it isn’t, could I use two of them together (side by side)? :)
Great knowledge thank you I have a hippo 122 r 5000 watt 2000 rms now I have it at 4 ohms but I wanna switch to 2 ohms I have 4 gauge power wire as speaker wire that’s 4 to plus 4 to neg should I switch to 2 gauge ofc cause I will be capin off that 2000 ohms RMS
So if I have more power then what’s mentioned in the video like say a 7,000 watt class d amp for my subs and a 2,400 watt class d amp for my kids and highs roughly about 25 feet wired with a fuse under the hood and then one before the amp would a zero gauge wire be fine? And I also have a 10 fared power capacitor all of which is ran through a distribution block what would be the best wire for my power wire
hello There. I do planing use 4 channel 720W amps but using 4ohm speakers so its 4x60w - 240W not 720W at 2ohm do i have to use 720w or 240W to calculate what wire to use? same think for my mono 320w amp for sub 320W or 150W bridged at 4ohm Thanks!!
If I'm doing all the work to properly run a power wire, I'm never using smaller than 0 gauge. Leaves room for update and no stress about choosing between different gauges.
Pentti Jakonen That is thick wire. Not very easy to hide. With high efficiency amps today you won't need it unless you're having multi batteries and many high power amps.
Would 14 gauge work for the amp to sub run for two dvc4 sa12’s wired down to 1 ohm? The amp is a taramps md1800.1 and the subs can take about 1000 watts rms on the daily
Sweet! I'd recommend using 4 gauge power/ground, and 10-12 gauge is more than sufficient for the subs. Here are some kits we have that have all the accessories you need: www.qualitymobilevideo.com/car-audio/car-amplifiers/car-amplifier-installation-kits/shopby/amp_kit_wire_guage-4_guage.html
I have a question I'm wanting to build a BOOMBOX using my old Pioneer DEH P5900IB head unit my power supply is 18 V. Is that to much? Will that cause a problem?
So I have 2 active subs with built in amps. 1500w peak and 750watt RMS each. Total 3000w peak 1500 watt RMS. Want to run from battery to Capacitor then to a distribution block and to the amps/subs. Wire from battery to Capacitor would be around 5- 6 feet. From capacitor to distribution block around 1-2 feet. and from distribution block to anmps/subs 1 foot. The Capacitor is a 5000watt capacitor. What gauge wire do I need from the battery to the capacitor and capacitor yo distribution block, and also what gauge from block to amps/subs? The fuse sizes for both the main power cable and distribution block I'm also unsure of.
any recommendations for onkyo rz 830 high current avr...... speaker wire gauge size for polk rti a7 8 ohm speakers?? and power inputs for avr.....will home suppy ll work fine or i ve to add online ups?
Soooo, I have a 4-channel Amp that's 400 rms (100 rms x 4). Will there be an issue running 10 AWG OFC speaker wire (amp to speakers) or should I keep the 16 AWG in there?
Don't think of which will provide more power, that's really dependent on your gear. There are really no benefits or side effects to using a lower gauge wire than necessary
If budget is no issue, then just to be on the safer side is it simpler to just go with let's say 12 gauge wire instead of 16 gauge (calculated using charts)?
You'll be good with 10 gauge! 8 gauge if you're running over 8 feet. This is how I got it using the instructions in the video. 400W divided by 12.8 = 31.25. Them, 31.25 divided by 0.78 = 40 amperes. Then using the chart you determine your gauge.
Hello I know this was posted 3 years ago but I need help with a system I am putting in my 1995 Toyota Camry, it’s gonna have 2 6.5 dB drive s65p speakers , 2 dB drive 6x9 s69 speakers, 1 400 watt 4 channel taramp amplifier, 1 3000 watt 1-2 ohm smart taramp amplifier, and 3 sundown 8s or 2 sundown 10s, what gauge wire should I get?
I would like to connect 2 speakers of 90 rms with 3 ohm impedence to my car audio directly which mentions 60wattsx4..can u recommend the wire guage as i am not using an amplifier ..i am putting my speakers innfront 2 doors ..even if i hav to connect 2 extra speakers at rear will the same guage is sufficient
I have a 600 watt amp in my trunk (battery is in the trunk too, stock.) and I have 4 gauge wire right now but I have some larger wire would it hurt anything to go bigger?
Should I be able to feel a kick or bass drum with Alpine 600 Watt subs with 300 RMS watt amp? Or do I just need more power? Also is 8 AWG wiring okay or should it be 4 AWG? Thank you in advanced. It plays long bass notes great, but short kicks are weak asf
I'm at a lost. Please hear me out. I purchased a Pioneer TS-WX1210A. A powered subwoofer. 1300 W max, NOM 350 W. The suplied wire harness has a 12 gauge wire set. I'm hooking it up to the Pioneer AVIC W 8500 head unit. I called Best Buy and Crutchfield and they both told me I need at least an 8 gauge wire, but to me that makes no sense if the supplied wire harness has 12 gauge wires for power, ground, RCA's and remote. Please help steer me in the right direction. It also has a 20 amp fuse that goes with it. I'm thinking that 20 amp fuse can hook into the fuse box instead of the battery.
I would contact Pioneer. I just watched their video on it and all they say is you connect yellow to battery and black to metal/chassis. ruclips.net/video/lbLvvzvvLro/видео.html
Hello friend i am new to this hobby. i have a 2 Speakers of 200 Watts per channel and a 250 Watts Amplifier so what wire guage do you suggest and what is the efficieny? Cheers Thanks for sharing. mate.
Yea 8 gauge is perfect! Minimum 10 gauge. Here are some 8AWG kits: www.qualitymobilevideo.com/rfk8i.html www.qualitymobilevideo.com/rfk8.html www.qualitymobilevideo.com/pk8.html www.qualitymobilevideo.com/v12-8rak.html www.qualitymobilevideo.com/v10-8rak.html www.qualitymobilevideo.com/ck8.html
I had someone set up my amp and sub. But im afraid my gauge is too high. Is there a noticable improvement in sound capability if i would upgrade the gauge?
No there's no side effect or benefit to upping the gauge. Just make sure it's the required gauge and there's no need to go lower except for more peace of mind
Yeah I was thinking to get 1/0 OFC wire to front to back and uze a RF digital cap from there to use 4 gauge ofc for the amp..12 OFC wire to a P3d2-15 5ch. and a 14 OFC wire to power P1675-S fronts and P1675 rear!!
I have a pretty high quality setup, and I'm really close to buying ofc power cables. But the shit is expensive as hell. Does it even make a (notable) difference from normal cables?
I always recommend OFC over CCA. Oxygen Free Copper wiring provides a superior electrical conductor to aluminum because it does not expand or contract with heat and can carry a higher current load. The improved efficiency of OFC wiring will also reduce the strain on your vehicle tremendously and allows your sound system to run at its maximum efficiency. While OFC wiring is more costly upfront, it provides much improved corrosion resistance and greatly reduces your long term maintenance costs. CCA wiring often times will degrade to the point that it needs replacing much sooner than OFC wiring.
So how do I wire my 2000 wrms sub in parallel with 8 gauge if it doesn't even fit in the push terminals? take them off and solder it to the leads? I can fit two 12 gauge wires in one terminal (because you need two wires on two of the four terminals), but not two 8 gauge wires.
i have a sundown x15 d4 and i have 8 gauge speaker wire is that okay? and have a 2500D shark amp gonna wire down to 2 ohms which is 1420 watts. My power wire and ground are 1/0 but isnt ofc i plan on upgrading to ofc soon.
OFC is ideal so upgrade that. I can't find a manual online for that amp! So I can' give you an answer on the gauge wire for the amp, but I'm sure 8 AWG will be fine!
I have an amplifier which according to this calculation needs an 8 gauge wire but i have bought a 4 gauge would that also have a negative impact on the output or a lower gauge is better?
Wire is wire bro! Color really only matters for determining positive/negative visually as a reference for wiring speakers/subs, inside they're all the same.
@@Qualitymobilevideo I understand that. I was just making sure there's no difference between primary and speaker wire since they're labeled differently. Thanks for the quick reply!
lol that milk shake straw analogy was an excellent way to explain that.
:)
The wiring that you use really does make a difference, even on a stock sound system. Just for the hell of it, I replaced the stock 20 gauge power and ground wires that go to my stock radio with 14 gauge wire, and I also replaced the 22 gauge stock speaker wires going to all 4 speakers with 16 gauge wire. Even though the sound system is otherwise stock, there was a large improvement in the performance of the system, especially at higher volumes.
Placebo
@@quintocreations5091 The difference in voltage supply was measurable. With the stock wiring, I measured a total of about a 1.5 volt drop at the radio compared to at the battery at higher volumes. My wiring only loses about 0.1 volts total. An extra 1+ volts and cleaner power certainly could make a difference. The difference in speaker wiring isn't something that's easily measurable like voltage drop, but basic electrical theory suggests that thicker wiring run directly from the radio to the speakers eliminating several factory connectors would have to be at least marginally better.
@@quintocreations5091 🙄
@@averyalexander2303 awesome, I agree. Especially if also replacing door speakers as I did. Wire plays a big role, most aren't smart enough to test for accurate difference. Only relying on their abused eardrums. LoL. Funny how one RUclips video claims you can't notice a difference, and so many believe it. (I'm referring to Sonic YT channel on same topic of replacing factory speaker wires with bigger & better but not increasing power.) To anyone who says wire makes no noticable difference I say this 🍳 is your 🧠 on 💉 💊
I've been working in the IT field for over 13 years installing copper and fiber Ethernet, and for some reason audio cabling completely escapes me!!! Thank you for this video.
Glad it helped Ken!
Thanks Bruh, your explanation of Amperes really cleared up my problem...I moved up from 4 gauge to 1/0 and my system sounds great and does not overheat. The overheating resulted shut offs...not anymore...I can drive all day with my sounds blasting with awesome quality.
To be safe just run 2/0 on everything and 8 gauge for speaker wire
Legendary504 just run solid copper rods everywhere 😂
Legendary504 if I ran 8 gauge wire for my 1000 watt amp will that cause the protection light to come on
JOSH WILDE Official Something went wrong with your install or your amp sucked.
Eli Hembree Just run 4g OFC wire and be done with it. Not wore the potential problems of being on the edge. Only use OFC wire. Copper clad aluminum is cheaper but has far higher resistance which is never a good thing. Plus it will run hotter than the same gauge of copper.
So I have a question in the system I’m going to be installing is calling for a 150 amp fuse on the wire from battery to amp when my alternator puts out 100 which I’m going to be upgrading to a 130, but what would a 150 amp fuse protect if my electrical system doesn’t even put out 150
So I've been feeling some type of way about feeding my 1500 watt amplifier through an 8 gauge power wire. But my battery is 3 ft from my amplifier. I plan on upgrading to zero gauge, but this at least gives me some peace of mind. Great video!.
I am not installing anything, this guy is just entertaining. "seven gawd damn batteries! " Ha!
matt mead I lost it when he said that
Even though your guys customer service is trash I can't even argue that you guys have the best car audio content on RUclips.
Sorry about that bud! We're a pretty small operation so we do our best. Thanks for watching though!
I like the truth and rawness
Amazing video dude - I been dreaming of this - Thank you for explaining everything for a newb to understand. Have a good weekend super star .
Woo! Glad it helped!
I just bought 100 feet of 14 gauge oxgen free copper wire for my speakers and I will be running it 25 feet to my surround speakers from my Yamaha HTR-5935 receiver. Did I get the right wire for this? If not I only have today left to return it.
You should be fine with 12-14 gauge for speakers :)
@@Qualitymobilevideo Thank you so much!!!!
4 gauge power wire for 3000 watt Orion amp with 10 gauge speaker wire on a 2000 watt sub works perfectly
I hope that orion is a ztreet or cobalt not an xtr or hcca. Hcca 3000 puts a real 3000w and will heat up 4 awg
3:20 but my amperage number is 1,796 amps!! That's nowhere on this chart!! Now what?? I will divide it by 6 and buy 6 of whatever wire gauge it recommends, sound right? (no guessing)
4:00 don't forget to include length of grounds combined with power wires. 20' SUV = 40' just for one power and one ground ran from back to front battery. My length is over 100' 2/0 XL OFC Sky High Car Audio wire. At $1,000 worth of wire between my entire 155+dB build. ($10,000 total in products alone)
I got the all details and specific specs of all my material for my car sound system. Thank you
Great to hear!
Is 0/0 wire thicker than 1/0 or is it invisible?
Tugg Speedman I go. poppa. amp. what. gauge. I. meed
No, no, no... -1/0 is invisible.. pfft... Newbs, am I right!?
Idk
you always need to run tinned MCM 750 for your tweeters
So I just bought a Soundstream t5 2500dl amp. It's a 5channel amp with 75wx4 plus 325wx1 into 4 ohms which is how I will be running it. So by your calculation my 1/0 awg power wire will be a little over kill, but better bigger than smaller. The amp itself is fused with a 100A fuse. So I guess the amp has the potential of pulling a lot more current if it was run at 2 Ohms the power almost doubles.
Someone really ought to make a bigger chart with higher amperages, like up to 1,000 amps (or 2,000 in my case) by using 2/0 and 4/0 wire. Sky High Car Audio now sells 4/0 XL wire (which is more like 5/0 or 6/0). I use multiple runs of SHCA OFC 2/0 XL (size of 3/0) wire which each can endure 600 amps at 20 feet which is why I need 6 runs (3 powers and 3 grounds)
Wow I can't believe that chart recommends 10 gauge wire for up to 85 amps! Although the voltage drop may not be problematic for 4 feet or less, that wire would get ridiculously hot very quickly and likely start a fire. There's a reason we protect 10 gauge wire with no larger than 30 amp circuit breakers in houses.
We have a video on this very subject coming, same amps different power wires. Stay tuned.
Houses and cars is comparing apples to oranges. Car Audio wire is much better quality. Plus not to mention AC vs DC and in car audio that max amp number is rarely ever seen unless competing in SPL and even so, still may not draw that much because SPL is in one frequency whereas to draw from sub amps and mids and highs would require more than one frequency at once which we don't do when competing and drawing max amp numbers.
@@lowhertzhighspl I agree that there are differences, but physics doesn't care about whether the wire is in a house or a car or the "quality" of it since the conductivity of the copper is the same assuming the same thickness (gauge). Since car audio wire isn't made to an actual standard like house wiring, it's important to get "true spec" wire (meaning it conforms to actual American Wire Gauge standards) from a reputable brand. A constant load vs an intermittent load is certainly a factor and you will likely get away with overloading the wiring intermittently, I assume that these ratings are for a continuous load since we don't know what someone will use the chart for. For all we know, someone may be looking to wire a winch, alternator, fans, etc and assumes that the wire sizing would be the same for a given load. Suggesting that someone can safely run 85 amps through a 10 gauge wire is just a bad idea.
It's quite possible that I'm missing something, but shouldn't the efficiency be multiplied by the result of the calculation of RMS Wattage/DC Voltage? For example, if the amp has a 75 percent efficiency then wouldn't the output effectively be lower? Or does the RMS of the amp already take the reduction in output due to efficiency loss meaning that the the efficiency would indeed need to be divided by the original RMS/DC V calculation?
Just a 3rd yr electrical engineering major trying to understand exactly why it is being calculated this way.
Thanks in advance for a reply.
Cornstock99 I thought so too..
RMS is already taking in account the loss in efficiency. Although this mostly applies to good name brands that are honest about their ratings. If u use this formula for overrated amplifiers then u will end up w oversized write every time. Which won't hurt either way.
its output rms values so input will be higher with less effeciency
I used 4 g from my battery and 8g to the subs. Kicker 10s comp vr with kicker 700 watt amp.
I run mine on 0 gauge wire. You wouldn't believe how clean and loud it sounds.
Upgrading to good 0 gauge wire & adding a second battery what's the best thing I've ever done for lmy system
Hey man I’m pretty new to the car audio world and I bought the Skar skv 1500 amp and I just realized that the power and ground terminal is 1/0, that’s 0 gauge right? And if so I bought a 4 gauge wiring kit from KnuKnconcepts and didn’t realize I needed the 0 gauge so would I be able to use everything else from that wiring kit and just buy the 0 gauge power and ground wires by themselves or have to buy a whole new kit?
@@aiden06876 just use the 1/0 to a distribution block then 04AWG out to the amp. Or if it was me in the situation. (If I had enough length of wire the. 1/0 that is, Cause I'm not sure exactly how much you got. But anyway just do the same exact thing I said in the start with the 1/0 to distro block then 04Ga except don't run the 04 but run the 1/0 both ends b4 and after the block. Also I don't know if you're running one mono block amp for a sub or a 04/05/06 channel for your door speakers. But yeah the point it run the 1/0 all the way everywhere for your power wire and ground leads... You won't regret it not a bit. 👌👍🤘
3:20 my answer is 1,600 amps. I need a bigger chart! LoL So far I've been getting away with 4 runs of SHCA 2/0 (2 pwr 2 gnd) from hood to LTO and 1500f Super Cap (3 XS Power batts as you'll soon see on my YT channel by clicking on my channel picture and viewing my videos as they are released). $10,000 system, 12,000-16,000W build, 155+dB so far. MECA STREET class, only 2 • 15s (Fi ftw) in Ford SUV. Charge up to 16V, 390a JS alt, XS Power Titan 8 S6 14V & 45ah Yinlongs, and SB1500-75, AudioControl LC7i, 2 Taramps Bass 8Ks, Stetsom DSP BT, 3 SMD fuse blocks, SHCA 2/0 XL & 4g spkr wire, Rockford Fosgate 6.5s, Fi Car Audio Neo 4.11s (killer $1,000 ea subs). 34.6Hz tuning, 8.5ft enclosure, 130in port, subs up port back driver's side, below window line, hair tricks, towel tricks, and more! Northeast Ohio. Bass head Brandon Low - Hertz High SPL. Wish the above YT channel offered install suggestions on big 10kW+ builds.
You should do a video on when you have more than one amp. On how you measure how thick of a wire you need as they recommend running a large wire into the car with a power distribution block that you run wires from to both of your amps. i.e. how do you determine how big of a wire you need to run into the car?
If you use 4 awg OFC and not copper clad you'll be fine with that but if otherwise you should at least double up on your wire
now someone is going to run 16gauge to power the amp. and 4 gauge to the speakers!! I like to run ground from front to rear also. and chassis connection at front and rear! to bare metal. make connection then coat with conductive primer. and then paint. to prevent corrosion. I know that's going a bit far. but never a issue with power! and run additional body to engine / alternator. and chassis ground. also. a larger power from alternator. to battery. especially if it has been upgraded.. most alternators have 10 gauge at best. I always add 4 gauge with factory alt . to battery. power and ground. and 2ga. with HO. alts. great info...
Measure three times cut twice
I cut my power wire like two feet too short last week. Now looking at coupling solution/dist block
boxed fenders .
I cut the wire 3 times and its still too short, FUCK!
@@willie9397 cut it one more time
I’m moving up (graduating) from budget builds. I have been running a Lanzar Heritage 2 channel amp (2000w is a lie, more like 2-300) for my subs since 2015 and I have a Hifonics Brutus 1100 that I want to put in. I’m concerned about keeping my 8awg power and ground but I hear that it’ll be fine. What do you guys think? That heritage amp SLAMS every sub I throw at it, but it doesn’t have that much powe and you can tell if you’ve been doing several installations and are a bass head like me.
Holy crap! A video that actually answers questions, gives reasons, and makes sense. Fabtastic! (Man, do the stores ever over-sell this shit.)
THANKS!
Just found this video. is there a wiring chart higher than this? Power wire needs for 3 amps. Monoblock 10k watt amp. and 2 - 4 channel 3k watt amps. So 16,000 watts. 16000 divided by 12.8 = 1250 amperes. 1250 divided by 0.78 = 1602 amps of current. I have 2 mechman 400's so lithium batteries will make up the shortage... but what wire would be safe to run back to the back? 2 runs of 2/0? Thanks for the space.
Quick question do you go based on the 2 ohms or the 4ohms rms? Because on my amp to that math for 2ohms is 2 gauge wire and 4 ohms is 4 gauge wire
Err on the side of max, go with the 2 gauge.
Very well narrated. I will keep you posted on my new 6000 amp battery capable pack we have been designing. I will only be using around 1200 amps current draw, but the cable I will be using is the first ive ever seen in the industry. It’s a cable that is capable of thousands of volts and amps. Dc power cable that changed my life, I absolutely love this wire. Individually tinned 22 gauge copper strands and thousands of them. Amazing 🤩
My cheap $30 10 gage wire melted at the fuse. So I just now installed a 4 gage wire that I bought from bestbuy. So far its working good sounds better to. I guess I'll see if I made the right choice in a couple months if my truck doesn't catch on fire
Thanks got everything installed correct with the correct wires now I’m looking at adding a second battery !
how do you measure the fuse to use from Battery to the Amplifier?
On the extreme side of things, there is no need to go extreme on cable or terminal size, on one end the bigger wire flows current better but too big and it will actually add resistance. When people have 0 gauge going to their amp with those block copper terminals, those terminals would have a lot of resistance from 1 side to the other. But if your pushing your systems hard you need that so the connection doesnt get hot.
Totally not true. Oversized wires and terminals will not add resistance.
@@mikethompson3026 yea my bad I was still an apprentice when I wrote that, I once asked why earth wires in a switchboard are smaller and I was told it's because they need to have less resistance for the fault to go to earth but this is not true and they are only thinner to save money because they are not under constant load. Bigger wires do have less resistance
hi, how come my amp burnt without burning power line fuse (60A) and 2 fuses on Amp (30a each), i thought, fuses are there to save amp, burn themselves before burning the amp?
Those fuses should be lower amperes?
2:48 Taramps Bass series (Class D) amps are 87% efficient (at least according to their manual) I have TWO 1-ohm Taramps Bass 8Ks both running at 0.7 ohm = 20kW (20,000 RMS watts)
is there a simple way to figure out our amps actual efficiency? (without having to buy an amp dyno but with several DMMs and running our system)???
Is this applicable to a 5 check amp at 150 RMS x 2 (4 ohm) and 300 RMS x 1 (2 ohm). The amp is a Lightning Audio, L 5600 with an 8 awg RF amp kit.
Far havnt seen a lightning audiio amp for around 10 years good amps back in the day had a coupple of mates with same amp power as yours and I had a 75x2 rms lightning audio cranking my mids
timing of this video is perfect. I was just searching to bone up on this topic and boom.
Woo!
I'm running a 4g w/ 120a fuse to a Fosgate prime 500 to a Alpine Type R
overkill but now you have room to upgrade to a 1000w amp which is perfect.
So I have a soundstream rubicon class D 3000 watt single channel. Manufacturer specs for RMS are 600w x1 @4ohm, 900w x1 @2ohm and 1500w x1 @4ohm. I'm planning on pairing it with Dual Electronics (2) 12" subs in a single enclosure listed as being 600w RMS @4ohms and 1100w peak. So I believe I'd be safe in assuming that because the single channel RMS for each at 4ohms is 600w then that's what I would base my selection in power wire gauge off of? Based on 600w RMS I've done the equation exactly as you've shown and come up with 46.87 amperes or 62.49 running at 75% efficiency. According to your diagram I'd be needing something between 4 and 6 gauge wire. That being said if I do the same equation with the 1500w max RMS for bridged single channel at 4ohms I come up with 156.24 amperes at 75% efficiency and the diagram then calls for something between 0 and 2 gauge. Seeing as I'll be running between 10 and 13 feet of course. I'm just confused as to which applies to my setup. Could I run 0 gauge and call it a day even though the single channel output that I'd be actively using is approximately 600w RMS?
If I’m using 2 amps, should I run 2 different power ccables, or can I bridge one amp to the other?
Great video and explanation thanks !
Thanks man, it was helpful.
But how can get the efficient?
Look for the specs / properties or description of your amplifier (in the user's manual, Internet, etc.). It will either be an 'AB' ... or ... a 'D' type. Then review the video at 2:46 for the approx. efficiency.
I have a 1200WX1@2ohm RMS and an 80WX4@4ohm RMS amps. I will only be running the 1200W amp at 500W@ 4ohms and the 4 channel at 30W@4ohms. Would I use the numbers from the spec's or what I am actually going to be running at(with a little extra margin) for the calculations?
I bought a Sound Storm EVO5000.1 EVO Amp. 3750x1 @ 1 Ohm. I plan to wire it to my Orion HCCA152 which has dual 2 Ohm voice coils. I will wire it in parallel, which would give me the 1 Ohm. O gauge from the battery is a given and I plan to use 8 gauge for speaker wire. This is powered by a stock battery and alternator on a 2017 Sonata Limited in the trunk. OK, it is just about the entire trunk and I probably need new shocks/springs. I also bought an Boss-Audio CAP8 capacitor(8 Farad) . I am unsure what to do with the power though.... Will my battery and alternator be able to handle the power I am consuming? Will I have enough power when I hook the capacitor up? OR... Do I need an additional another full battery in the trunk and another alternator? IDK.... Please help!
I have a question about speaker wire, Does it really matter if it's OFC or CCA? Because I got some decent 14 AWG CCA speaker wire. But then again I hear OFC is way better! I do have OFC main power cables but from what I heard it really does not matter for speaker wire,Is this correct?
You always want to use OFC for both! It really does make a difference
Ok cool Thanks!
I have 2 Kicker 10" CVRs and a Boss AR1500M 1500W mono amp, should I use a 2 or 4 gauge wiring kit? And could you recommend a kit?
No need to go down to 2, 4 will be perfect! Here are some links to kits I recommend!
Kicker PK4
www.qualitymobilevideo.com/pk4.html?RUclips&Video&Power-Ground-Speaker-Wires
Rockford Fosgate RFK4X
www.qualitymobilevideo.com/rfk4x.html?RUclips&Video&Power-Ground-Speaker-Wires
Rockford Fosgate RFK4
www.qualitymobilevideo.com/rfk4.html?RUclips&Video&Power-Ground-Speaker-Wires
T-Spec by Metra V8-4RAK
www.qualitymobilevideo.com/v8-4rak.html?RUclips&Video&Power-Ground-Speaker-Wires
Metra AK4
www.qualitymobilevideo.com/ak4.html?RUclips&Video&Power-Ground-Speaker-Wires
Thanks much!
Anytime! Good luck with the install!
Great video, easy to understand..thanks
I had a jl audio 400/4 rd series for mids and it had 4gauge wire but I added a pioneer gm-d8601 class d amp with 2 pioneer 10in Tsswx2502 but the powerwire is reduced to 8gauge from distribution block will my audio system sound better if I get a different distribution block 4gauge in & out for both amps???
Sir kindly correct me. Im using focal auditor and focal expert 165fx. I connected the speakers at bridge mode which the amp capacity at bridge is 170 watts. Does it means that the require power by my amp will be 42.19 amp? Thank you
Nice breakdown 🙌🏽
Appreciate it!
Is it bad running o Guage wire to my sundowns 18s from a Orion hcca 17k from 90 amp hour c max
I needed to know this, thanks bro.
Anytime ;)
Do I calculate the amps according to the RMS rating I’ll be using depending on whether the subwoofers are 1, 2, 4, or 8 ohms? The greater the ohms the lower the watts in the amp right?
Can I run 12 gauge for everything? (Speakers amp and subwoofer?) My amp kicks 100w x4 channel @ 4 ohms.
slatebeard For only 100 x 4 and assuming you are not running a .5 ohm load to your subs, 8 gauge is fine for power and ground. 12 gauge is fine for the speakers.
Is it ok if I replace my amp ground wire with 10 gauge? The wire that came with my kit looks to be 8 gauge, maybe even thicker, but it’s only 3 feet and not long enough for my set up. Would I be able to use the 10 just for the ground? The amp is mono 500w rms and id be using about 6-8 feet. If it isn’t, could I use two of them together (side by side)? :)
I like this video man, Keep it up!
Appreciate it!
@@Qualitymobilevideo Hey can you give Intel on the SQ of the kicker L7s ?
Great knowledge thank you I have a hippo 122 r 5000 watt 2000 rms now I have it at 4 ohms but I wanna switch to 2 ohms I have 4 gauge power wire as speaker wire that’s 4 to plus 4 to neg should I switch to 2 gauge ofc cause I will be capin off that 2000 ohms RMS
Is your amplifier stable at 2 ohms? What are the exact models of your gear
Thumbs up for "seven gawd damn batteries!" XD lmao
LOL
So if I have more power then what’s mentioned in the video like say a 7,000 watt class d amp for my subs and a 2,400 watt class d amp for my kids and highs roughly about 25 feet wired with a fuse under the hood and then one before the amp would a zero gauge wire be fine? And I also have a 10 fared power capacitor all of which is ran through a distribution block what would be the best wire for my power wire
hello There. I do planing use 4 channel 720W amps but using 4ohm speakers so its 4x60w - 240W not 720W at 2ohm do i have to use 720w or 240W to calculate what wire to use? same think for my mono 320w amp for sub 320W or 150W bridged at 4ohm Thanks!!
If I'm doing all the work to properly run a power wire, I'm never using smaller than 0 gauge. Leaves room for update and no stress about choosing between different gauges.
Pentti Jakonen That is thick wire. Not very easy to hide. With high efficiency amps today you won't need it unless you're having multi batteries and many high power amps.
Would 14 gauge work for the amp to sub run for two dvc4 sa12’s wired down to 1 ohm? The amp is a taramps md1800.1 and the subs can take about 1000 watts rms on the daily
Im installing two 10in kickers with a 600w soundstream amp. What wires should i use? Would a kit from the store work?
Yea kit would be great! What model is the soundstream amp?
It is a stealth series STL.600D
Sweet! I'd recommend using 4 gauge power/ground, and 10-12 gauge is more than sufficient for the subs. Here are some kits we have that have all the accessories you need:
www.qualitymobilevideo.com/car-audio/car-amplifiers/car-amplifier-installation-kits/shopby/amp_kit_wire_guage-4_guage.html
Thank you so much
I have a question I'm wanting to build a BOOMBOX using my old Pioneer DEH P5900IB head unit my power supply is 18 V. Is that to much? Will that cause a problem?
So I have 2 active subs with built in amps. 1500w peak and 750watt RMS each. Total 3000w peak 1500 watt RMS. Want to run from battery to Capacitor then to a distribution block and to the amps/subs. Wire from battery to Capacitor would be around 5- 6 feet. From capacitor to distribution block around 1-2 feet. and from distribution block to anmps/subs 1 foot. The Capacitor is a 5000watt capacitor. What gauge wire do I need from the battery to the capacitor and capacitor yo distribution block, and also what gauge from block to amps/subs? The fuse sizes for both the main power cable and distribution block I'm also unsure of.
any recommendations for onkyo rz 830 high current avr...... speaker wire gauge size for polk rti a7 8 ohm speakers?? and power inputs for avr.....will home suppy ll work fine or i ve to add online ups?
Soooo, I have a 4-channel Amp that's 400 rms (100 rms x 4). Will there be an issue running 10 AWG OFC speaker wire (amp to speakers) or should I keep the 16 AWG in there?
OFC is better, but the 16 gauge should be fine and there's no need really to go to 10 gauge for speakers
I'm not an aluminum wire fanboy and generally a nerd just curious. Is aluminum inferior for another reason other than you need to use thicker wires?
Generally speaking, which will provide more power at 12 feet? 8 gauge OFC wire or 4 gauge AWG copper coated aluminum??
Don't think of which will provide more power, that's really dependent on your gear. There are really no benefits or side effects to using a lower gauge wire than necessary
If budget is no issue, then just to be on the safer side is it simpler to just go with let's say 12 gauge wire instead of 16 gauge (calculated using charts)?
Yea sure, there are no downsides than using a lower gauge wire!
Got a 400rms, 1200 peak all in one active sub, what gauge power wire would you reccomend as bit of a new guy... !
You'll be good with 10 gauge! 8 gauge if you're running over 8 feet. This is how I got it using the instructions in the video. 400W divided by 12.8 = 31.25. Them, 31.25 divided by 0.78 = 40 amperes. Then using the chart you determine your gauge.
www.qualitymobilevideo.com/power-ground-wiring-gauge
Its going in to rear of a van so be around 15 feet, big big thank you!
Sweet! Go 8 gauge! Anything loner than 15 feet go with 6 gauge to be safe
Excellent! "sound" advice! 😃
Which wire gauge suitable for car head unit to speaker?
Hello I know this was posted 3 years ago but I need help with a system I am putting in my 1995 Toyota Camry, it’s gonna have 2 6.5 dB drive s65p speakers , 2 dB drive 6x9 s69 speakers, 1 400 watt 4 channel taramp amplifier, 1 3000 watt 1-2 ohm smart taramp amplifier, and 3 sundown 8s or 2 sundown 10s, what gauge wire should I get?
I would like to connect 2 speakers of 90 rms with 3 ohm impedence to my car audio directly which mentions 60wattsx4..can u recommend the wire guage as i am not using an amplifier ..i am putting my speakers innfront 2 doors ..even if i hav to connect 2 extra speakers at rear will the same guage is sufficient
So the wire cage for just speaker connections? 12AWG is totally fine!
wire gauge*
Hey, I just got the SONY XAV-AX7000 with the high output. would it be necessary to rewire my speakers?
From experience I would run the separate amp instead of using the Sony built in one, it's still good but it's worth going thr extra little mile
I have a 600 watt amp in my trunk (battery is in the trunk too, stock.) and I have 4 gauge wire right now but I have some larger wire would it hurt anything to go bigger?
Going larger than necessary has no side effects on your system :)
With your formula, I got around 360 amperes for my amp. Where in running the wiring it's about 10 feet long. Should I go with 1/0 or 2 gauge wire?
I would use 1/0
For remote wire what’s best gauge?
should i run an amp at 0.5 of its stable at 1 ?
Should I be able to feel a kick or bass drum with Alpine 600 Watt subs with 300 RMS watt amp? Or do I just need more power? Also is 8 AWG wiring okay or should it be 4 AWG? Thank you in advanced. It plays long bass notes great, but short kicks are weak asf
So you have two subwoofers? Are they both 600W RMS?
Check lpf setting may be too low
No they are I believe 340 rms each I figured it out they were blown haha switched them out and now it is good
I'm at a lost. Please hear me out. I purchased a Pioneer TS-WX1210A. A powered subwoofer. 1300 W max, NOM 350 W. The suplied wire harness has a 12 gauge wire set. I'm hooking it up to the Pioneer AVIC W 8500 head unit. I called Best Buy and Crutchfield and they both told me I need at least an 8 gauge wire, but to me that makes no sense if the supplied wire harness has 12 gauge wires for power, ground, RCA's and remote. Please help steer me in the right direction. It also has a 20 amp fuse that goes with it. I'm thinking that 20 amp fuse can hook into the fuse box instead of the battery.
I would contact Pioneer. I just watched their video on it and all they say is you connect yellow to battery and black to metal/chassis. ruclips.net/video/lbLvvzvvLro/видео.html
Awesome information dude
Hello friend i am new to this hobby.
i have a 2 Speakers of 200 Watts per channel and a 250 Watts Amplifier so what wire guage do you suggest and what is the efficieny?
Cheers Thanks for sharing. mate.
14 gauge would be fine.
I have a XM-N1004 (It's rated at 70rms x 4) - Will an 8 gauge be fine with this? - Be running fronts and a sub.
Yea 8 gauge is perfect! Minimum 10 gauge. Here are some 8AWG kits:
www.qualitymobilevideo.com/rfk8i.html
www.qualitymobilevideo.com/rfk8.html
www.qualitymobilevideo.com/pk8.html
www.qualitymobilevideo.com/v12-8rak.html
www.qualitymobilevideo.com/v10-8rak.html
www.qualitymobilevideo.com/ck8.html
I had someone set up my amp and sub. But im afraid my gauge is too high. Is there a noticable improvement in sound capability if i would upgrade the gauge?
No there's no side effect or benefit to upping the gauge. Just make sure it's the required gauge and there's no need to go lower except for more peace of mind
Is there a difference in wire with a power cable and ground cable? Eg. Can I ground my amp using a normal power cable?
Wire is wire. You are looking at color dye in wire jacket
How do u find the amplifier efficiency I hav a BE35 1200.1D Brutus Elite Amplifier which is a super D class
4 gauge OFC should fit and be the safer bet for most of the basic installs, unless pairing multiple amps...
What about a 5ch Amp?? thinking to get the RF P1000x5 and thanks for the details great to know guys!!
That's a great amp! For power wire you'd want to use 4 gauge or lower for that, 12 gauge for speaker wire
Yeah I was thinking to get 1/0 OFC wire to front to back and uze a RF digital cap from there to use 4 gauge ofc for the amp..12 OFC wire to a P3d2-15 5ch. and a 14 OFC wire to power P1675-S fronts and P1675 rear!!
Sounds legit! Jealous of that system lol
I have a pretty high quality setup, and I'm really close to buying ofc power cables. But the shit is expensive as hell. Does it even make a (notable) difference from normal cables?
I always recommend OFC over CCA. Oxygen Free Copper wiring provides a superior electrical conductor to aluminum because it does not expand or contract with heat and can carry a higher current load. The improved efficiency of OFC wiring will also reduce the strain on your vehicle tremendously and allows your sound system to run at its maximum efficiency. While OFC wiring is more costly upfront, it provides much improved corrosion resistance and greatly reduces your long term maintenance costs. CCA wiring often times will degrade to the point that it needs replacing much sooner than OFC wiring.
@@Qualitymobilevideo i bought ofc wires today... Couldn't help it oops 😜
@@nitrodreng nice!
So u you could run 12 awg for speaker and power line with a fuse to the the battery?
What size ground from lc2i to amp? Same size as remote wire?? Can i use remote wire for my ground too?
So how do I wire my 2000 wrms sub in parallel with 8 gauge if it doesn't even fit in the push terminals? take them off and solder it to the leads?
I can fit two 12 gauge wires in one terminal (because you need two wires on two of the four terminals), but not two 8 gauge wires.
When making speaker cables. If it's on solid wire, how or should you ground that? What happens if you don't?
i have a sundown x15 d4 and i have 8 gauge speaker wire is that okay? and have a 2500D shark amp gonna wire down to 2 ohms which is 1420 watts. My power wire and ground are 1/0 but isnt ofc i plan on upgrading to ofc soon.
OFC is ideal so upgrade that. I can't find a manual online for that amp! So I can' give you an answer on the gauge wire for the amp, but I'm sure 8 AWG will be fine!
I have an amplifier which according to this calculation needs an 8 gauge wire but i have bought a 4 gauge would that also have a negative impact on the output or a lower gauge is better?
Nope! There are absolutely no side effects to using lower gauge wire than required
Thanks a lot sir
hey quick question my local audio store is out of black 8 gauge wire for my ground can i also use red 8 gauge wire as my ground ?
Wire is wire bro! Color really only matters for determining positive/negative visually as a reference for wiring speakers/subs, inside they're all the same.
nice, thank you so ill just wrap some black electrical tape around it to identify it as ground
Can I use 8 gauge Sky High OFC primary wire for speaker wire for my subs? I have a lot of it and figured I could save money if so.
Sure Kent, there are no side effects to using lower gauge than necessary. Wire is wire :)
@@Qualitymobilevideo I understand that. I was just making sure there's no difference between primary and speaker wire since they're labeled differently. Thanks for the quick reply!
Yea it's a comment question! You're good :D