CCA wire (copper clad aluminum)

[timaishu 10+ year member]

So I went out a bought 50ft of scosche wire. I never really was able to look at the strands, and I didnt notice till just now that the labeling says its CCA wire.

For my components, I will be using 16guage of this stuff sending 50wRMS x4ohms. Will there be much of a difference? Should I try and return it for copper speaker wire?

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[Oneswtredhead 10+ year member]

16 guage is good for upto 1200-1500 watts copper or aluminum you are fine //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

 

[plugitin 5,000+ posts]

16 gauge cca and 16 gauge copper wire will handle the same amount i believe. CCA wire would be a little bigger in diameter, thats all

 

[timaishu 10+ year member]

So even with my amp bridged at 120wRMS I would be okay?

I realized I lost the receipt so Im stuck with this stuff. I just dont want to wire everything and realize there would be a noticeable difference if I switched to copper. And its thickness seems no different than 16g copper that I have laying around.

 

[plugitin 5,000+ posts]

im sure you will be fine, you can even double up on it if you have enough...

 

[pieper88 10+ year member]

you'll be fine. I've run 16 gauge wire to some smaller subs before. You'll be just fine for your speakers.

 

[adio25 10+ year member]

With that little of power you will not notice.

 

[SPL Blazer 10+ year member]

CCA is only 66.6% as efficient as pure copper wire, so there is a difference, like the others have said, you shouldn't notice anything with the power your planning on running. The only thing might be whether or not the wire you bought is really 16ga, some of those cheaper companies label ire as one size, but it's really smaller than that. I just picked up a couple rolls of Metra 0/1 ga CCA wire, but it's more like 4Ga wire wrapped in so much insulation that it looks like real 0/1 wire.

 

[timaishu 10+ year member]

Hmmm 66.6%?

Well, Im going to take a look and see if I can find any 50ft rolls of OFC. I never even knew there was much of a difference till I researched it. I dont want this to bother me forever and have to rewire everything.

Gonna see if my friend who works at wally world can return it for me and Ill look for some ofc. Has to be store bought though as the last part for my build arrives the day after tomorrow. And I want to start immediately haha.

 

[Oneswtredhead 10+ year member]

you are over thinking this

you should just use what you have it is waaaaaaay more than enough.

 

[timaishu 10+ year member]

Yeah, I guess you right. I would of been better off if I never read the label.

My car should be fairly easy to wire. So I can always re do it down the line fairly easily anyways.

 

[SPL Blazer 10+ year member]

Your fine for just speaker wire, your not going to be putting too much power to the speakers. If you were talking power wire then yeah, you might rethink it, but don't bother cause you're fine.

 

[djarmy2004 10+ year member]

you will be fine man.

 

[blazeplacid 10+ year member]

wow people are making a big deal about this

in short runs (usually under 50 feet) CCA is fine

im using it to run my mids and didnt notice a change in voltage or current

 

[seedubs1 10+ year member]

If you're using it for speaker wire, it'll get some skin effect anyways (not dc). So I'd be alright with it. With skin effect, the current will be carried on the outside of the strands, hence the coating of the aluminum with copper.

Skin effect on your power wire is less because it is DC, so it's better to use copper, but if you get thick enough CCA, you won't see any difference. The good companies compensate for the fact that they are using CCA by making the wire thicker so that the CCA works as well at carrying the current, but is just thicker and harder to install, but cheaper.

Plus, with speaker wire, you're going to be at a higher voltage (less current) than the power wire you run from your batts.

So.....You'll be just fine.