What gauge speaker wire to my new sub?

[mrsteve]

Okay I'm getting a 12" Alpine Type R subwoofer. It will be getting approximately 350 watts RMS. The sub has 8 gauge speaker wire connections. What gauge speaker wire should I run to the sub?

Steve

 

[B94Sport]

From the amp to the sub? I would run at least 10 gauge, maybe lower. I've got 2 12s that each get 250 watts RMS and I used 10 gauge wire from the amp to the subs, and 8 guage wire for the battery and ground terminals on the amp. If it has 8 gauge connections, I would say go with 8 gauge wiring. I'm pretty sure 10 gauge on my 250 watts is overkill, I could run 12 gauge without problems.

 

[Exploder99]

12ga will be fine. 14 ga will be ok too, but 12 is recommended. think of it this way. go get a glass of water, a straw and a coffee stirrer. try drinking the water with the coffee stirrer. its hard and takes alot of effort to get the desired amount of water. then try drinking with the straw. bigger guage straw allows more water to pass, making it easier to fulfill that desire. get it? soo what if your amps and/or speakers are really thirsty (high volume) would they want a straw or a coffee stirrer. hehe, keep that in mind next time you wire something in your 'sploder. hope this helps.

 

[B94Sport]

I knew I had a site bookmarked somewhere that figured the gauge scientifically rather than through our suggestions.

Go to this site:
http://www.teamrocs.com/technical/pages/wiregauge.htm

And it will tell you exactly what gauge wire you need based on the length of the wire you use and your RMS power. With 350 watts RMS power, your amp should be drawing 700 watts total (Since the site explains that most amps are assumed to be only 50% efficient). Divide 700 watts by your battery voltage (typically 13 volts) and you get the total current draw in amperes, which would be 53.85 amperes. Then they have a chart that shows you what guage wire you will need based on that number of amperes being drawn and the length of your wiring:

0.0-2.0 meters (0.00 - 6.56 feet): 8 guage wire
2.0-3.0 meters (6.56 - 9.84 feet): 6 gauge wire
3.0-6.7 meters (9.84-21.98 feet): 4 gauge wire

So since the wires from your amp to your speaker will most likely be pretty short (less than 6.5 feet I would assume), stick with the 8 gauge wire like I guessed before. Alpine's quality equipment, it seems like the connections on your speaker were made 8 gauge for a good reason.

According to the chart the 10 guage wire on my system is just right... Luckily I guessed right

 

[mrsteve]

That site seems to be for power wire. I am talking about speaker wire. Are they the same thing?? I mean could power wire be used in the place of speaker wire. I've got plenty of 8 ga. power wire leftover from my old install. This may sound like a stupid question but I'm not sure.

Steve

 

[yob_yeknom]

the left over power wire will work just fine

bigger is better! it might be overkill, but there is no such thing as too thick gauge wire
thicker wire=less restriction to current flow=easier to push high power signal to speakers=better sound

 

[B94Sport]

You're right, it doesn't specifically say if it is for power wire or speaker wire... But I think it is for speaker wire. If you do some math, my amp should be using no less than a 4 gauge wire for power according to that chart, but I'm using 8 guage and install kits at Best Buy and similar places also said to use 8 gauge for the number of watts that my amp is rated at... So I'm leaning towards that chart being for the speaker wire. Maybe someone knows differently and will correct me.

yob_yeknom is right.. You can't have wire that is too thick, only too thin. But the thick stuff is expensive... And yes, that left over power wire will work just fine.

 

[Jefe]

I'm sure that chart is for power wire.
For 350 RMS I'd say 10 would be fine, 12 if its a short run, but if you've got extra 8 you could use it.

 

[Gopher]

i've used different size wires, those recommended and larger and play with them. I got different sound with each one. With my truck i had one 12 and used 12 gauge. Then i used Monster cable that was 8 and i got alot more low. I have 4 gauge power and ground for my amps and use 8 gauge monster cable to my 3 12's.

 

[mrsteve]

I have 4 gauge power wire runnig to the amp. I was talking about the speaker wire from the amp to the sub.

Steve

 

[Gopher]

thats what i was talking about. The different sized gauge speaker wire...the 12 and 8 gauge wire. They give differnet sounds beacuse of the power flow through them and the resistance. I only meant the 4 gauge wire for my amps. All the other numbers were for speaker wire size.

 

[mrsteve]

Thanks for all the replies. I'm gonna use the 8 gauge I've got.

Steve