Wire size ?
Printed From: the12volt.com
Forum Name: Car Audio
Forum Discription: Car Stereos, Amplifiers, Crossovers, Processors, Speakers, Subwoofers, etc.
URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=39570
Printed Date: May 15, 2025 at 9:18 PM
Topic: Wire size ?
Posted By: vdubmk4
Subject: Wire size ?
Date Posted: September 22, 2004 at 6:40 PM
What size wire should I run from my head unit (Alpine cda-9827) to my components (JL Audio VR650-Csi's). Would 16 guage be good ? ------------- Fortune: You will continue to take chances, and be glad you did.
Replies:
Posted By: stevdart
Date Posted: September 22, 2004 at 6:50 PM
Yes, 16 would be perfect.
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Build the box so that it performs well in the worst case scenario and, in return, it will reward you at all times.
Posted By: vdubmk4
Date Posted: September 23, 2004 at 8:30 AM
K, I have another question. Since the speaker outputs out of the HU are small gauge, smaller than 16 for sure, is it really going to matter that much if I run 16 guage ? I within a couple of months I'm going to run the components with an amp, but for now couldn't I just leave the small gauge ? and put in the 16 when I hook the amp.
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Fortune: You will continue to take chances, and be glad you did.
Posted By: stevdart
Date Posted: September 23, 2004 at 9:53 AM
You can run wires to the speaker locations with wire as small as those coming out of the head unit. But you might want to think of what you are going to use in the future, too...and run the wiring into those areas that you'll be using with the amp...saves you from doing some of the hard stuff twice. If you ran 16 ga. to the current speakers, the wires will still be there when you upgrade. You can connect the larger speaker wire to the small wire coming from the HU. But if the original wiring is already there now, there's nothing you need to do until you do your upgrade.
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Build the box so that it performs well in the worst case scenario and, in return, it will reward you at all times.
Posted By: vdubmk4
Date Posted: September 23, 2004 at 10:21 AM
Awesome, thanks steve. I plan on placing the amp for the components in the trunk. What would be the best way to run the wires from there to the speakers ? Should I run all the speaker wires from the trunk to the head unit area and then branch out from there ?
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Fortune: You will continue to take chances, and be glad you did.
Posted By: stevdart
Date Posted: September 23, 2004 at 10:43 AM
When you upgrade, the deck will be connected to the amp with RCA cables. You run speaker wire from the amp to the speaker locations. If you run wiring from the amp to the deck, then to the speakers, you would be running more wiring than is necessary. Now, what I was saying earlier: if you have to get into doors and through grommets with new wiring now, then use the 16 gauge. When you install the amp, you can just disconnect the new wiring at the deck, and solder the speaker wires to the new length of wire running to the trunk. So, yes, if that's what you're doing, the ultimate end will be wiring from the trunk to the deck then to the speakers. ------------- Build the box so that it performs well in the worst case scenario and, in return, it will reward you at all times.
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