Wire question

[loopkiller 10+ year member]

When it comes to speaker wire, you really never need to go over 12 awg unless you are running some huge freaking amps. Remember that the amps push AC power, which is a much higher voltage, but much less amperage. Most wire can handle 600V without any issue.

 

[nimrod 10+ year member]

Ok so in about 6 weeks my best friend is coming back from basic training in Misouri. Me and him are gonna install a system, that was not under my supervision when bought lol, when he gets back. He has 2 kicker comp 12s and a ZX400.1. I work with my uncle doing scrap metal and we have a client who does tons of electrical work and he had about 60 foot of 8ga and 150 foot of 12ga that he gave me. I was wondering if this wire would work as the power/ground (8) ad speaker(12) for his car.
EDIT:

Both are the standard AWG wire

I would not use that wire for anything for an automobile. the strands in automotive wire are much finer and therefore make it more flexable and more vibration resistant. That building wire might not hold up very well.

 

[GMCJimmyslt2000 10+ year member]

it will be fine to use, dont listen to^^^

and dude that said puttin fuses into wire made it louder, is one dumbass MF

 

[nimrod 10+ year member]

Yea don't listen to me... What do I know. Go ahead and use it and do a $hit job.

 

[t1990le 10+ year member]

I would not use that wire for anything for an automobile. the strands in automotive wire are much finer and therefore make it more flexable and more vibration resistant. That building wire might not hold up very well.

the wire is as fine as the dblink wire i have in my truck

 

[GMCJimmyslt2000 10+ year member]

Yea don't listen to me... What do I know. Go ahead and use it and do a $hit job.

Hows he gonna do a **** joB? It welding wire, which is perfectly fine to use in CA.

IS that a problem, please enlighten me!

 

[McIntosh 10+ year member]

When it comes to speaker wire, you really never need to go over 12 awg unless you are running some huge freaking amps. Remember that the amps push AC power, which is a much higher voltage, but much less amperage. Most wire can handle 600V without any issue.

Higher voltage? Really? Maybe you should connect a voltmeter and see.

 

[McIntosh 10+ year member]

I would not use that wire for anything for an automobile. the strands in automotive wire are much finer and therefore make it more flexable and more vibration resistant. That building wire might not hold up very well.

7 strand wire is 7 strand wire. There is no such thing as "automotive wire".

 

[loopkiller 10+ year member]

Higher voltage? Really? Maybe you should connect a voltmeter and see.

Yes, your amp will put out higher voltage on the output than it uses on the input side. You get 12VDC in and much more than 12VAC out. That is why I said higher voltage.

If you have something to add to that, please feel free to speak up. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/rolleyes.gif.c1fef805e9d1464d377451cd5bc18bfb.gif

 

[McIntosh 10+ year member]

Yes, your amp will put out higher voltage on the output than it uses on the input side. You get 12VDC in and much more than 12VAC out. That is why I said higher voltage.
If you have something to add to that, please feel free to speak up. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/rolleyes.gif.c1fef805e9d1464d377451cd5bc18bfb.gif

Say 2.83 volts? Thats the standard. The wire is good for 600V you said, WTF? 600v insulation is standard to be sure but has no relevance to speaker wire. Whether you put 120 or 12 volts in, you still get less than 3 out.//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/rolleyes.gif.c1fef805e9d1464d377451cd5bc18bfb.gif

 

[pr-festiva 10+ year member]

LOL yes 600 volts isnt gonna happen but any amp ive ever used is sure gonna put out more the 2.83 volts AC. WOW just WOW, i hope you are just trolling

 

[loopkiller 10+ year member]

Say 2.83 volts? Thats the standard. The wire is good for 600V you said, WTF? 600v insulation is standard to be sure but has no relevance to speaker wire. Whether you put 120 or 12 volts in, you still get less than 3 out.//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/rolleyes.gif.c1fef805e9d1464d377451cd5bc18bfb.gif

Are you confusing the pre-amp output of your HU bro? //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/laugh.gif.48439b2acf2cfca21620f01e7f77d1e4.gif//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/rolleyes.gif.c1fef805e9d1464d377451cd5bc18bfb.gif//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/confused.gif.e820e0216602db4765798ac39d28caa9.gif//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/eek.gif.771b7a90cf45cabdc554ff1121c21c4a.gif//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wow.gif.23d729408e9177caa2a0ed6a2ba6588e.gif

My HU has more voltage than that on the pre-amp outputs!

I hope to God that my sub amp is putting out much more than 2.83V

You must be a troll because even the biggest n00bs on this board are not that dumb!

 

[Lakota 5,000+ posts]

The voltage is stepped up within the amplifier so that's it's possible to have a higher ouput voltage than the input voltage...

This is why speaker wire tends to be much smaller in gauge than power wire.

 

[jco1385 5,000+ posts]

Are you confusing the pre-amp output of your HU bro? //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/laugh.gif.48439b2acf2cfca21620f01e7f77d1e4.gif//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/rolleyes.gif.c1fef805e9d1464d377451cd5bc18bfb.gif//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/confused.gif.e820e0216602db4765798ac39d28caa9.gif//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/eek.gif.771b7a90cf45cabdc554ff1121c21c4a.gif//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wow.gif.23d729408e9177caa2a0ed6a2ba6588e.gif
My HU has more voltage than that on the pre-amp outputs!

I hope to God that my sub amp is putting out much more than 2.83V

You must be a troll because even the biggest n00bs on this board are not that dumb!

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/laugh.gif.48439b2acf2cfca21620f01e7f77d1e4.gif

 

[loopkiller 10+ year member]

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/laugh.gif.48439b2acf2cfca21620f01e7f77d1e4.gif