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1/0 gauge wires, what's the best?


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paidnfull 
Copper - Posts: 125
Copper spacespace
Joined: October 24, 2007
Location: Texas, United States
Posted: September 22, 2009 at 5:14 PM / IP Logged  

I have used these cheap cables.  There is def less copper in them.  I wouldn't put them in my car, but I do regularly install them.   Its not what I would sell the customer, but its what they buy.  Swap-o-rama special.  The package says it'll handle a thousand watts, must be good right? 

Wouldn't use it?  Don't really have that option.  I need all the install dollars I can get. If a customer brings me a crappy amp kit, I'll tell them the difference, and usually show them the difference.  But if they don't wanna pay for the difference, we use what they give us. 

Some of the main one's that are def sub par:  DP Audio, Phoenix Gold, Diesel Audio, AudioPipe, etc. 

Some good ones: Kicker, Streetwires, Monster, and most of the AMP stuff. 

I wasn't meaning to put you on the defensive either.  Just stating that there is a lot of stuff out there that is sub par.  I work on cars every day.  I've seen a lot of the good and a lot of the bad.  Some people say wire is wire, I kinda disagree.  Some stuff is def sub par, some 4ga is not 4ga, some is so fraile you can barely use it, and some is closer to the size of 8ga.

While I do agree that a true 4ga from a welding shop is just as good as the 4ga from your major car audio brands (minus the flexiblility), some brands are putting out sub par wiring.  You should be carefull what you buy.  Just because is says 4ga and 1000 watts doesn't mean it is.  It might be sufficient to run those particular brands 1000 watt amp, but that is simply because the ratings on their amps are inflated too.  Their 1000 watt amp puts out 150watts, so their 1000 watt 4ga (8ga) amp kit will work great.

custombass 
Copper - Posts: 54
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Joined: August 24, 2009
Location: Missouri, United States
Posted: September 22, 2009 at 5:59 PM / IP Logged  
I personally use streetwires, but that is my preference. I have worked with numerous brands of wire, but when all is said and done, I to believe they are pretty close to the same. But again, that's an opinion.
haemphyst 
Platinum - Posts: 5,054
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Joined: January 19, 2003
Location: Michigan, Bouvet Island
Posted: September 23, 2009 at 1:58 AM / IP Logged  
If a package SAYS 4AWG, then it HAS to be 4AWG. That's covered by the truth in advertising stuff previously mentioned. Also as previously mentioned, it's a safety issue. If it says "1000 watts", it doesn't have to specifiy a wire gauge at all. This is, I think where much of people's confusion is happening. Read your packages again, kids!
I found on the Scosche page - a reasonable supplier, I think - a 1000 watt kit. This particualr kit specifies 9.5mm wire size. Nowhere does it SAY the wire size included. 9.5mm wire size IS NOT as big as #4, it's actually calculated out to a #3 wire. I BET you though, that the insulation is AS BIG AS what you would see on a #4. Is this false advertising? No. Is it misleading? Marginally, IMO.
I'll go to Wally World tomorrow, and check a kit out.
It all reminds me of something that Molière once said to Guy de Maupassant at a café in Vienna: "That's nice. You should write it down."
armymp90099 
Copper - Posts: 76
Copper spacespace
Joined: July 05, 2009
Location: Illinois, United States
Posted: September 23, 2009 at 1:31 PM / IP Logged  
hey ive been reading through this post and i just wanted to say that i have 1/0 power and ground wire from knukonceptz.com. im running their klmx cable and its a true 1/0 size (compared to streetwires) and the jacket is durable and fairly flexible. i havent done any technical tests on it to determine the resistance and all of that but i paid $1.50/ foot amd i think that wire is great for the price. if any of the bigger guys know anything about this wire please correct me. just throwing out what i know. lol
-ETS-
Escape The Scilence
xtremej 
Gold - Posts: 1,440
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Joined: February 24, 2006
Location: United States
Posted: September 24, 2009 at 9:27 AM / IP Logged  

Welding cable sucks to run trough a car, period. If thats what you can afford so be it.  We run stinger and memphis car audio wiring and thats all we run. as far lower end wire being just as conductive as higher end wire I think that is a matter of opinion. Memphis released some testing data on this and it clearly shows that output of an amplifier is decreased by using sub-par power cable.  Doing this on daily basis has brought me to the conclusion the better wire is worth it. I do agree some companines use some pretty drastic advertising practices to promote their products and do tend to mis-lead the customers. I also find it funny and sad at the same time how some will run out and spend 400+ dollars on an amplifier and want to install it with half assed cheap install kits then bitch when the product doesn't perform well or they have headlight dimming.

nodiggie 
Copper - Posts: 69
Copper spacespace
Joined: August 19, 2009
Location: California, United States
Posted: September 27, 2009 at 2:27 AM / IP Logged  
Well, not sure about "best" but after today I can tell you that Monster Cable 1/0 will not fit in a 1/0 copper lug. I decided to buy some 2/0 lugs also after looking at how small the 1/0 lugs were. Sure enough, even with center core removed it would not fit in 1/0 lug but fit perfect in the 2/0. My amp isn't starving for power any more. :)
Picked up 20ft for $56 bucks online.
Steven Kephart 
Platinum - Posts: 1,737
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Joined: November 06, 2003
Location: Oregon, United States
Posted: September 27, 2009 at 10:50 AM / IP Logged  
haemphyst wrote:
If a package SAYS 4AWG, then it HAS to be 4AWG. That's covered by the truth in advertising stuff previously mentioned. Also as previously mentioned, it's a safety issue. If it says "1000 watts", it doesn't have to specifiy a wire gauge at all. This is, I think where much of people's confusion is happening. Read your packages again, kids!
I found on the Scosche page - a reasonable supplier, I think - a 1000 watt kit. This particualr kit specifies 9.5mm wire size. Nowhere does it SAY the wire size included. 9.5mm wire size IS NOT as big as #4, it's actually calculated out to a #3 wire. I BET you though, that the insulation is AS BIG AS what you would see on a #4. Is this false advertising? No. Is it misleading? Marginally, IMO.
I'll go to Wally World tomorrow, and check a kit out.
One of my favorite demo's at work comparing the cheap Sound Quest wire kits to the JL kits is the amount of copper in the wire. I have two small pieces of 4 awg wire taped together, each a piece with the 4 awg label on it. Looking at it in the cut section, it is obvious the JL wire has about 1/3 more copper in it than the Sound Quest.
haemphyst 
Platinum - Posts: 5,054
Platinum spaceThis member has been recognized as an authority in Electrical Theory. Click here for more info.spaceThis member has been recognized as an authority in Mobile Audio and Video. Click here for more info.spacespace
Joined: January 19, 2003
Location: Michigan, Bouvet Island
Posted: September 27, 2009 at 6:46 PM / IP Logged  
True, Steven, but it IS possible (and even more likely than the cheap ones are "cheating you") that the better quality cables give MORE wire than 4AWG wire should have. Also braiding, twisting, and overall general cable geometry can and do make a difference in the appearance and volume occupied by the bundle. Smaller individual strands will pack tighter, making the bundle seem smaller, but it is the same amount of copper.
A #4 cable MUST be 41,470 circular mils, 21.2MM circular area, and NOMINAL diameter is .2043 inches. That's only 1/5 of one inch. A mere 5.19MM in diameter. This physical description is right in line with all of the cheap cables I have seen. True, the more expensive wires are (or at a minimum APPEAR to be) larger diameter than this, but it goes to support my theory that more money gets you more copper. This is all National Electrical Code information; there is a body that governs these requirements.
It all reminds me of something that Molière once said to Guy de Maupassant at a café in Vienna: "That's nice. You should write it down."
shatteredk 
Member - Posts: 11
Member spacespace
Joined: September 20, 2009
Location: Minnesota, United States
Posted: September 27, 2009 at 8:45 PM / IP Logged  
Whats better, copper or copper clad aluminum wires?
haemphyst 
Platinum - Posts: 5,054
Platinum spaceThis member has been recognized as an authority in Electrical Theory. Click here for more info.spaceThis member has been recognized as an authority in Mobile Audio and Video. Click here for more info.spacespace
Joined: January 19, 2003
Location: Michigan, Bouvet Island
Posted: September 27, 2009 at 8:53 PM / IP Logged  
Copper is a better conductor than aluminum... If you go with Al wire, you need a larger wire to equal the conductivity of copper.
It all reminds me of something that Molière once said to Guy de Maupassant at a café in Vienna: "That's nice. You should write it down."
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