Amp Output Wire

[magicaljake]

hey.. tomorrow im going to install a 4 channel amp in my car.

im just wondering what size wire should be coming out of the amp to the speakers?

going to be about 100x4 watts

[ChasB]

14 or 16 AWG would work, I would personally go 14 or bigger.

[lnlogauge]

I went to 2 audio shops asking what to use for my 600 watt amp to speakers, and both said 16 gauge would work. I didnt use 16 gauge, but with 100 watts, it doesnt make alot of difference.

[Pops Racer]

I regularly use 16ga in multi room audio systems, with runs up to 100ft. Thats at ~ 60watts/channel. Any longer distance or more power, or quality increase in equipment I bump up to 14 ga. How long is a car run? 15ft? !6ga is safe, 14ga will increase sound quality. I've never seen a speaker wire melt, unless you put 1100w thru 18ga. For an hour straight.

My home theater installs are usually 100-150w / channel-- Always 90% oxygen free copper, 14ga. Real high end I use 12ga, and all sub woofers get 12ga, if they are powered by remote amps, like they do with in-walls.

[b3atboxjr]

I'd go with 14

[magicaljake]

would going too big be a problem?

[Serge]

Easy way to find out...

Take your wattage (the product of it.. so 100 x 4 = 400W), divide it by 12V, this will give you the amperage (in your case, 33A). There are a few guides online that will tell the maximum current a particular gauge wire (and length) will carry.

Here is a good guide:

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

BUT.. keep in mind your amp will probably not pull that much.

[magicaljake]

thanks man...thats really helpfull

[Pops Racer]

Nothing wrong with going bigger. Think of out put power as water. The bigger the pipe the more water you can push easier.

Don't over think it, 14ga is fine. By the way the amp is not putting out a 12v dc signal. Thats the operating power/voltage of all your gear, as provided by the battery/ Alternator. Amp output is an ac signal. . Low freq signals are more like DC, requiring heavier gauge, or solid copper cores. AS the freq increases or becomes a faster wave if you will, the more it rides on the outside of the conductor. It's called skin affect. Thats why hi-freq signals like cable tv can be put on a steel core cable with a coating of high quality copper. The signal rides on the copper skin, not the steel core.

No matter, pardon the swelled brain. You got your answer.

[mkc70]

Nothing wrong with going bigger. Think of out put power as water. The bigger the pipe the more water you can push easier.

Don't over think it, 14ga is fine. By the way the amp is not putting out a 12v dc signal. Thats the operating power/voltage of all your gear, as provided by the battery/ Alternator. Amp output is an ac signal. . Low freq signals are more like DC, requiring heavier gauge, or solid copper cores. AS the freq increases or becomes a faster wave if you will, the more it rides on the outside of the conductor. It's called skin affect. Thats why hi-freq signals like cable tv can be put on a steel core cable with a coating of high quality copper. The signal rides on the copper skin, not the steel core.

No matter, pardon the swelled brain. You got your answer.

When your power amplifier clips, the output becomes DC. +1 for larger ga wire. If you got a good deal on a large amount of smaller ga speaker wire you could always do a double run.