What gauge wire should i go with for components?

[m48xhp 10+ year member]

I am installing my 4 channel this weekend and i am wondering if it is safe if i run 16 or 14 gauge from the amp to the crossovers. the tweeter wire is only 18 gauge and i read from a guy on here before that did something like that and blew his crossovers. i could just run 18 all the way, but i think it would be better for a larger wire.

also, where can i buy a good cheap cordless soldering iron? i couldnt find one at walmart.

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[spudracer326 10+ year member]

im running 14 gauge stinger expert with no problems...

 

[helotaxi 5,000+ posts]

16ga is plenty, 14ga is more than enough.

Whoever said he blew his crossovers by using too small a speaker wire has no idea what he's talking about.

 

[m48xhp 10+ year member]

16ga is plenty, 14ga is more than enough.
Whoever said he blew his crossovers by using too small a speaker wire has no idea what he's talking about.

no, by using to LARGE of speaker wire coming from the amp. can too much electricity get to the crossovers and and then get bottled up by the 18 ga tweeter wire.

 

[dak0ta_g33k 10+ year member]

i do ok with 18 gauge

 

[Ruffy 10+ year member]

4/0ga of course. Fear the 9000watt components!

12-18ga

Running "bigger" wire does NOT mean the components/crossover are instantly gonna get more power.

 

[helotaxi 5,000+ posts]

no, by using to LARGE of speaker wire coming from the amp. can too much electricity get to the crossovers and and then get bottled up by the 18 ga tweeter wire.

Less resistance is just that, less resistance. If there were any "bottling up" all that would happen is the small wire would heat up. Nothing cosmic. There wouldn't be an overpressure or anything like that. Just some energy lost as heat. Unless you are running hundreds of watts the full length of the car to your tweets from the crossovers, and you aren't because you would quickly go deaf from a tweeter that actually had even 100W going to it, it wonlt be an issue.

It astounds me how many people on here don't even understand basic electric theory.