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Old Jul 22, 2005 | 01:09 PM
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Default Stereo

What size wire do I use to powe r& ground my amp is 12 gauge ok?
Old Jul 22, 2005 | 01:25 PM
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Depends on how big the amp is. Probably need something more along the lines of 4 gauge or maybe 8 for a smaller amp.
Old Jul 22, 2005 | 01:27 PM
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if it's 100-200 watts, 10 ga. might be ok...but I'd go with 8 for good measure.....anything over 400 and I'd definitely use 4 ga.....
Old Jul 22, 2005 | 01:29 PM
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Hmm, my psychic powers are failing me.....

For real, a technical question without noting what gear
you are using is retarded.
Old Jul 22, 2005 | 02:52 PM
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If your amp will accept 4gauge get it. When it come it power wire the "BIGGER IS BETTER" statement holds true. The easier you amp get power the better it will preform. Just make sure you use the same gauge for the ground or you'll burn the amp out and possibly your car!!
Old Jul 22, 2005 | 03:05 PM
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12 gauge is ok but pretty small imo. I always run 4 gauge just in case if I ever upgrade my amp I dont have to change the wire again
Old Jul 22, 2005 | 03:06 PM
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Default Re: Stereo

Originally Posted by Trav5786
What size wire do I use to powe r& ground my amp is 12 gauge ok?
Well all amps now a days use nothing lower then 8 gauge...

Read the manuel though
Old Jul 22, 2005 | 04:08 PM
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without knowing what the specs of the amp are, there's no way to give you a definitive answer.
Old Jul 22, 2005 | 06:00 PM
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Originally Posted by NVS_TC
I always run 4 gauge just in case if I ever upgrade my amp I dont have to change the wire again
This is true to!!
Old Jul 22, 2005 | 07:08 PM
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Originally Posted by jboogz
Just make sure you use the same gauge for the ground or you'll burn the amp out and possibly your car!!
What makes you say this? I am an electronics engineer and I can't find any relevance between the "+" vs "-" wire guages. Are you talking about the speaker wire +/- or the amp power connections?
Old Jul 22, 2005 | 07:28 PM
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Originally Posted by CharlieLed
Originally Posted by jboogz
Just make sure you use the same gauge for the ground or you'll burn the amp out and possibly your car!!
What makes you say this? I am an electronics engineer and I can't find any relevance between the "+" vs "-" wire guages. Are you talking about the speaker wire +/- or the amp power connections?
Hes talking about the power....

If your running 4gauge power wire you better be running 4gauge ground wire.
Old Jul 22, 2005 | 07:35 PM
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If your amp will take 4 ga then use it. Also you better use 4ga ground wire too. I would never use anything smaller than 8 ga except maybe on a powered bass tube which you could use 10 ga.
Old Jul 22, 2005 | 07:38 PM
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Originally Posted by CharlieLed
Originally Posted by jboogz
Just make sure you use the same gauge for the ground or you'll burn the amp out and possibly your car!!
What makes you say this? I am an electronics engineer and I can't find any relevance between the "+" vs "-" wire guages. Are you talking about the speaker wire +/- or the amp power connections?
With you being an electronics engineer you know electricity is like water in the way it flows. Meaning the bigger the pipe(wire) the more flow you get.(i'm sure you know thisbut....) Well if you have it coming in you have to get it out just the same. If you have a 3 in. Pipe bringing water in and a 1.5in draining it out whats gonna happen? It's gonna back up. If you use a 4 guage power and an 8 gauge ground you'll have more power coming in than going out. This will cause you amp to heat up and give long enough will burn iyour amp up and possibly start a fire in your car. I've seem it happen before more than once.


READ THIS
http://www.the12volt.com/info/recwirsz.asp
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