wire guage(checking)

[thai_creeper 10+ year member]

I went to the bcae site and was messing around with the speaker wire calculator. I really don't know how long I'm going to need the wire to be so I entered in 20ft as an over estimate. I put 1 ohm, 2000 rms, 8 guage and it didn't give the "There's too much loss..." when I clicked enter, tried 3000 rms and same, it only gave that message when I put 4000, so with that length of wire or less I would be good with 8 guage for 2000 rms or less? Just checking because I didn't think 8 guage would be ideal for applications with 2, 3000 rms. Thanks

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[thai_creeper 10+ year member]

anyone? figured I'd be told to take a look at bcae so I'm just trying to verify..

 

[thai_creeper 10+ year member]

is this a harder question then I think it is? answers, opinions, anything pls

 

[thai_creeper 10+ year member]

bump

 

[Skip01 5,000+ posts]

I doubt youll be close to 20ft.

I never used that site but i would only use 8gauge for my speakers at best.

But maybe the length plays a big part into why it says its ok.

Id say ud be around 6-7ft even in a SUV.Try that and a lil lower and see what it says.

haha,also what site did u get that comic from i had some similar to that with colored stick men funny stuff.

 

[thai_creeper 10+ year member]

8 guage for speakers?? I think that'd be way too much, and yeah I over exagerrated with the 20 ft b/c if it says 8 guage is enough for 20 ft with 2000 watts at 1 ohm then whatever length I'll use that'll be less than 20ft should work, just asking if that's right because I thought at that wattage at 1 ohm 8 guage wouldn't be enough..haha got that comic off a random forum with a funny pics thread

 

[Skip01 5,000+ posts]

I ran 8 gauge for my sub and 2 gauge for my power wires.

 

[thai_creeper 10+ year member]

Ohh I thought you meant 8 guage to your coaxials/components lol, yeah I was talking about the power wire, not sure what to go with 8 or 4 guage for 2000w of power @ 1 ohm

 

[BigOso 10+ year member]

The bigger you go the better off you are in case you want to upgrade your system later. But in all hoesty there is no way I would use 8gauge power wire for 2000rms. I would use at least 4awg but I recommend 1/0. Even though it doesn't state there will be current loss I gaurantee there will be. But if your not competing then I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[MegaHurtz 10+ year member]

0 gauge. For that kind of power, don't even think about 4 gauge. At a bare minimum you can go with 2, but 0 is my recommendation.

 

[forbidden 10+ year member]

Yup, no way that I would go under 0 for that kind of power. I would use the exact same for the ground right from the battery as well.

 

[thai_creeper 10+ year member]

Hmm is there something I didn't account for when using that site's calculator then? I'm not questioning you guys, 1/0 or 4 guage would have been my guess too. Anyways, I'm not competing but would like to get the most wattage I can to the point where I can tell the audible difference. 2000 watts is the max I would use down the line though, more like 1900 watts, but im guessing might as well run 1/0 guage. And yeah, I'm thinking about getting an amp kit off knuconcepts so hopefully I'll have some extra to ground the battery using 1/0 too

 

[thai_creeper 10+ year member]

Also, would I run into any problems using 8 guage for the time being with that sort of power until I save up for 1/0 guage? By problems I mean anything more than less performance

 

[forbidden 10+ year member]

Imagine trying to breathe through a garden hose 20 feet long, that is what you are asking your amp to do.

 

[MegaHurtz 10+ year member]

Also, would I run into any problems using 8 guage for the time being with that sort of power until I save up for 1/0 guage? By problems I mean anything more than less performance

Absolutely not. No. Nada. Not unless you want your car to burn down. And it WILL burn down if you try and pull that much current through such a small wire.