Why you should run OFC cables, not CCA.

[adulbrich 5,000+ posts]

The only way for 4ga wire to do around the same as 0ga you would have to be running 7ft or less of wire which even then it depends on how many strands the actual wire has.
It still has a higher possibility of heating up more then 0ga and causing power failure.

It has been a known fact, but its pointless as only trucks or very small cars use under 7ft from battery to the back of the car.

It takes less than 5 feet in my car, lol

 

[tprj82 10+ year member]

I used to be very opposed to the idea of using CCA. Recently I've been working in Industrial Services. I have been doing a lot of electrical work. Over the past 9 months or so I have learned that the only reason to use OFC is to save space. We use aluminum wire everywhere we can. It requires more runs, but accomplishes the same thing. CCA is great. It's lighter and cheaper. If your application limits the number or size of the wiring then clearly OFC is more efficient, but otherwise I would never pay for OFC just to have it. As long as you know the amperage being pulled through the wire and it is within what the wire is rated for over the given distance you will be fine. There is no downside to using CCA save for the size difference.

I completely agree, I work with high voltage electricians daily. Someone posted this link a few months back and it went multiple pages of a pissing match. I purchased 3 rolls of cca for 165.00 and ran four runs to the back which is more then enough. True one for one it may not be equal but used correctly it will work just fine and to say not to ever use it is just silly

 

[Popwarhomie 5,000+ posts]

Like already said

20 foot of CCA 1/0 can handle 250 amps. $1.95 a foot.

20 foot of OFC 4 gauge can handle 150 amps. $1.55 a foot

Never had any issues with running CCA wire in my car

My OFC 1/0 under the hood of my truck corroded pretty bad.

Pretty sure everyone knows OFC can handle more amperage than CCA but if you are not pulling over 250 amps of power why spend the extra money for OFC 1/0? CCA will work just fine and save money. If you want to spend the extra on OFC when you don't NEED to go ahead. But I won't.

 

[fatboytyler]

All the more reason why I'm trying to ditch my 4 Gauge CCA wire and run some 0 Gauge OFC to a distro block and run 4 gauge OFC out. Luckily My power wire is like 12 feet or less.

 

[NightScreams 10+ year member]

what about aluminum cladded copper? I have some.

 

[SounDrive Pro Seller]

I'm curious, is oxidation really an issue with OFC wiring? Isn't the whole point of OFC is that it's oxygen free copper? Meaning no oxidation in the wire?

Yes, copper will oxidize. Tinning the copper prevents air from reaching the copper - tin doesn't oxidize. Knu's OFC is tinned, but most other cheaper wires aren't. RF and Kicker wire are also tinned, and I'm sure there's a handful more.

 

[LosIsATool 5,000+ posts]

Welding wire is not tinned. You get what you pay for. You have to understand that heat builds resistance, resistance builds more heat, more heat builds more resistance. It's never ending.

 

[Dmac1991]

I mean 8 gauge OFC never looked so good, and the price looks even better

Audio Technix wire was truly stout during it's time. **** ton of it on blow out on eBay

72' of 8 gauge tinned ofc for $20

I run 1/0 OFC simply because I got it for the price of CCA.

Best believe I would still be running CCA if I hadn't. CCA has never failed me.

My next venture will more than likely be welding cable when I start doing 2+ runs of positive/negative in the far far future

 

[akillj 10+ year member]

I used to be very opposed to the idea of using CCA. Recently I've been working in Industrial Services. I have been doing a lot of electrical work. Over the past 9 months or so I have learned that the only reason to use OFC is to save space. We use aluminum wire everywhere we can. It requires more runs, but accomplishes the same thing. CCA is great. It's lighter and cheaper. If your application limits the number or size of the wiring then clearly OFC is more efficient, but otherwise I would never pay for OFC just to have it. As long as you know the amperage being pulled through the wire and it is within what the wire is rated for over the given distance you will be fine. There is no downside to using CCA save for the size difference.

Good info, thanks

 

[Beatin' 10+ year member]

op's a dumb ass.

CCA needs to be oversized to have the same the same ampacity as a lesser gauge OFC cable. Oversized CCA is also notably lower in price compared to lesser gauge OFC.

 

[gstokes]

OFC is also a better choice than silver plated copper..

 

[gstokes]

op's a dumb ass.
CCA needs to be oversized to have the same the same ampacity as a lesser gauge OFC cable. Oversized CCA is also notably lower in price compared to lesser gauge OFC.

you call the OP dumb and then throw out a word like "ampacity", alrighty then..

 

[csu87 10+ year member]

Welding Cable FTW. Cheaper than your overpriced car audio OFC, and better than CCA.

That being said, I just bought 100ft of CCA 1/0 lol. But i do have 100ft of 1/0 Welding cable sitting in the garage not being used. Wish it came in the colors i wanted.

 

[gstokes]

Yes, copper will oxidize. Tinning the copper prevents air from reaching the copper - tin doesn't oxidize. Knu's OFC is tinned, but most other cheaper wires aren't. RF and Kicker wire are also tinned, and I'm sure there's a handful more.

They only tin the outside layer of the entire bundle and it offers no measurable benefit (except on HDMI) plus tinning only makes the connection more brittle and you actually lose connectivity. IMHO, pure copper cable or oxygen free copper cable is always the best choice..

 

[gstokes]

Welding Cable FTW. Cheaper than your overpriced car audio OFC, and better than CCA.
That being said, I just bought 100ft of CCA 1/0 lol. But i do have 100ft of 1/0 Welding cable sitting in the garage not being used. Wish it came in the colors i wanted.

welding cable is fine for welding but the point the OP is making is about coppers overwhelming tendency to corrode and degrade the connection, this is why in the car audio world OFC is superior to plain copper - copper clad aluminum and even silver plated copper..