Running 2.5mm^2 wire to two amps (400wrms and 1000wrms)

[Phatmat 10+ year member]

Hey guys, the only wire I had available was household electrical wire (2.5mm I believe, or 10 gauge I think). I'm fairly sure the cable will be able to withstand the current, but everyone recommended that I run 0 or 1 gauge wire. Is this to make sure that the wire doesn't overheat and melt, or to prevent volt drop, or both?

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[misfit138 5,000+ posts]

:facepalm:

 

[Phatmat 10+ year member]

That's what I thought lol -.-..

But help me out, is the problem the wire burning out/overheating or volt drop?

I've got a 25A fuse on the wire, and haven't run both amps simultaneously yet so the fuse hasn't burnt out. I'm just trying to work out why everyone says run such large wire.

 

[misfit138 5,000+ posts]

That's what I thought lol -.-..
But help me out, is the problem the wire burning out/overheating or volt drop?

I've got a 25A fuse on the wire, and haven't run both amps simultaneously yet so the fuse hasn't burnt out. I'm just trying to work out why everyone says run such large wire.

Make and model #'s of your amps, batteries and alternator?

 

[Phatmat 10+ year member]

I'm running an Infinity 475a and a MTX 1000XD.

It's in a three door Toyota Rav4, with a stock battery and alternator. I'm running two 6" component Alpine Type S's, two 6x9" Type S's, and two 12" Type S's. The two 12" Type S's can only take 600~700wrms at most so the 1000XD wont be running at the full 1000w (2ohms). The Infinity 4ch will be running at about 75wrms per channel, so 300w.

That's about 950wrms on average.

 

[FurbiesAndBeans 10+ year member]

You should really upgrade your wire to atleast 4 ga. You'll be popping fuses all day long with only 25a and if you decide to bypass the fuse... well then there's a great potential of melting ur wire and causing a short somewhere.

 

[Phatmat 10+ year member]

The current cable I've run is only rated at 30A.

How much current do you think my setup would pull, at full volume (~950wrms, all drivers maxed)?

 

[Horsemanwill 10+ year member]

if your using house wire mean solid wire in your car then you really need to just go to an audio store and get some different wire. house wire isn't made for the vehicle.

 

[91caprice 10+ year member]

lookat the fuses on your amps. that will tell you the expected current draw. example== if the 4ch amp has two 25a fuses then its capable of pulling 50a.if the the mtx has three 40 a fuses,then its capable of pulling 120a, so total of 170a. but unless youre porviding them with full power(14.4v) at all times,and are pushing them at full tilt you wont get that much draw. id recommend atleast 120a fuse.