View Full Version : wire gauge?


BOXMAN
05-09-2006, 02:18 AM
What wire gauge is perfect for type-r alpine components front and rear with about 100 watts to each speaker. Amp is mounted in the rear and speakers will be wired to amp not to the factory wires. Any thing helps thanks

Neothin
05-09-2006, 02:43 AM
14-16 awg should be just fine. how big of a wire can your crossover handle? that's the deciding factor in my own personal install. I'll be running 12 awg to my rainbow components.

Yanki01
05-09-2006, 03:18 AM
im gonna be running black stinger 16awg to my CDT comps. i think either 14 or 16 will be good! im running black stinger 12awg from amp to sub.

Neothin
05-09-2006, 03:36 AM
someone explain this to me...

you run a huge wire (8 awg and larger) between the amplifier and the battery. Between the amplifier and the speaker though, you only run 16, 14, and maybe 12 awg wiring. How does this make sense?

the power wire draws more amperage and thus needs a bigger wire while the amp-speaker wire just has high wattage that doesnt need a large wire to transfer?

reagulator
05-09-2006, 03:57 AM
Im no engineer but this is what i think.
First of all an amp isnt 100% efficient. So power in doesnt equal power out. A class AB amp is about 65% efficient.
Second, Wattage and amperage isnt the same. amperage is what heats up wires. so the same wattage at a higher voltage will run less amps therefore you only need a thin wire. However i dont know what the voltage is on high level outputs.
Power lines from power poles run extremely high voltages so they can run less amps. Running less amps allows the use of thinner wires and is more effiecient because of less amps. More amps means more resistance.

BOXMAN
05-09-2006, 03:59 AM
I got my answer thanks.