Are you using the proper speaker wire size?

[@robertorivera4588]

I SEE HOW QUICKLY THE 16 CONDUCTED THE HEAT....INCREDIBLE SIR! WOW THE 8 IS DEFINITELY THE WAY TO GO. THIS IS THE VIDEO I'VE BEEN SEARCHING FOR, THANK YOU!!!!

[@beri232]

Roberto Rivera WHY ARE YOU YELLING AT THE GUY???

[@grumpysteelman]

beri232 WHY ARE WE ALL YELLING?

[@richardbadish6990]

LOUD NOISES!

[@sategllib2191]

AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH

[@SuperTdot74]

I used 8 yesterday and it can’t fit in my terminals being bridged. I have to go down to 10 or 12 now. Way too big!

[@mustang6035]

I experienced speaker terminal cups melting at the connection with high wattage amplifier's. So now I use Stainless bolts or direct connect from sub box to amp.

[@EMFAudio]

Terminal cups aren't always a great quality connection either, which causes sparking sometimes even. Even with proper wire size, a bad connection can cause the same thing. It's only as strong as it's weakest point.

[@southjerseysound7340]

I agree with ditching the terminal cups especially in high wattage apps. The problem is stainless isn't the best conductor. Do yourself a copper or brass and you'll see much better flow .

[@rmblwgn]

@@EMFAudio They usually work great up to 2000w rms if you bolt ring terminals directly to the inside, thats a little secret trick. All of the best buy kicker crowd just use female slip terminals on the shitty little foil strip that comes off the inside of the cup. THOSE GET HOT AND WILL MELT CUP!

[@EMFAudio]

@@rmblwgn Terminal cups are current limited, not wattage limited. Impedance matters.

[@matt6951]

@@EMFAudio please elaborate.

[@Infanitunit1]

Once I doubled up on my speaker wire my amp didn’t heat up as much and stayed relatively cool under some extended heavy use of slowed bassed songs

[@patrickwassall116]

Great video - the type of thing that should be required viewing for anyone attempting to do any sort of DIY / custom electrical work.

[@bujoun76]

I can hear a drastically volume increase as well with the larger wire. This is why I wire my DIY speakers, internally, with 12 gauge wire or larger.

[@Oystein87]

Drastic volum increase I have never heard. And it won't help with 12gage if the wires in the speaker is alot smaller anyway😂

[@Tipman2OOO]

​@@Oystein87it will though the longer your wire run is. That all adds resistance. Thicker wire cancels that out. Oversizing components is how you make sure everything runs smoothly, at its max potential, and stress free to all components!

[@soulstitch18224]

From what I read the dual posts are to add more power to each set of coils like they do with amps having dual power to one connection it helps distribute the max power over two leads not just one

[@pospc2]

Nice to see even when I was first starting out in car audio I was using overkill for speaker wire. I had 2 Rockford T1 subs getting about 700w RMS each wired up with 12awg OFC. Had 14awg ofc running to my mids.

[@bailey2517]

I have a single Skar SVR 12" at 800wrms wired with 6 gauge wire 😂😂 it's my first car sub so I went waaay overkill lmao

[@aryankhokhar3329]

What gauge I need for 400w RMS

[@ronm3469]

I like how you showed your point and thanx. Would like to see the voltage of the 8awg like you did the 16awg. Also what would be overkill on a 1200W wire gauge and are there any bad effects from it?

[@EMFAudio]

The impedance determines what wire size is needed for that 1,200 watts as a minimum, which also dictates what's overkill. Too big of wire has no adverse effects.

[@PoXFreak]

I'm using 10ga "lamp cord" to my single 12. Wire is rated for 300 watts @ 12v, but as the voltage goes up, so does the power handling of the wire. I'm getting 47 volts ac at the terminals at 35hz into 1.7 ohms, which is roughly 1200 watts. Using the 300w@12v as a reference, I'm right at the power limit that the wire can handle, and my wire never gets hot, even on extended runs.

[@monsieurskar7173]

10-8 min if you're over 1k power, but 12-14 would be fine for 800 and less in my opinion probably overkill but I'd rather be safe

[@jvsyoutube3298]

@@PoXFreak yeah, never had any problems with heat me neither, running 2 12" at 2 ohms with a 1800wrms 2ohm rated amp. I Guess with full constant blast 40hz 10kw install, get bigger wires...

[@DIYAudioGuy]

What is the logic behind two terminals per coil? Is that for strapping or something?

[@jeffjefferson7384]

Good tip about soldering the end. I discovered the fraying copper issue yesterday lol.

[@aryankhokhar3329]

Hey, I have a 400W RMS Subwoofer. What size or gauge of wire do I need for it?

[@joelloyd158]

How do you put rca jacks on 8 guage wire?

[@jamesf9610]

What do you think about two 15s at 2500 watts using stinger 10 awg ofc tinned speaker wire at about 3-4 foot runs. My years of experience tells me that's plenty but now I'm wondering if I'm losing any power to the subs especially since the speaker terminals direct accept 8 awg as well as the amps speaker outputs direct accept 8 awg. I'm a bit anal and OCD about things so that's gonna mess with me until I get some kind of confirmation.

[@justabouthadit5872]

That's like asking "is it dark enuf outside that I should turn on my car's headlights?" If you gotta ask then you should bump it up. Just to be sure. Don't sell it short.

[@MXSLICK]

well..100f is just warm. Body temperature. Seems to me if you are pushing less than 1k 16 gauge is just fine. Length of the wire plays a major role in how warm it gets. How much do you have coiled up behind the scenes?

[@EMFAudio]

The wire you see is basically it. The amp is about 2 ft under it. Yes 100F isn't THAT warm, but it's also a short period of time. The point was to display what happens and any energy lost to heat is a loss of power.

[@FATALROTARY]

This is so true!I had way too long of a wire (wrapped up)and my 1000watt set up straight melted the thing!it was a big glob of wire stuck on itself.

[@madhawasubawickrama2857]

What Can I use for car speaker 18 or 16 gages copper wire ?

[@dillong167]

What size would you recommend for a 1k rms x1 @2ohms setup and a 2k rms x 2 wired to 1ohm both have 4 ohm subs

[@chevyvantravel9735]

So to upgrade between a 16, 14 etc gauge to an 8 gauge i need coils? where do i get the coils from. ? thanks.

[@PRTWINCAM]

my question is I'm about to run 700 rms on a 2ohm single 900rms speaker..should i go with the 12g 16g or the 8g?? thank you

[@charliefrancis6438]

What gauge would you use for main lead on an 8k @1 ohm amp , 4 coils being connected in parallel with 8 gauge inside the box , connected by 1/4 inch brass bolt to outside,this lead is about 6 ft , would you use , 4 gauge or 1/0 ?

[@EMFAudio]

You'll have a loss in those bolts but 4 gauge OFC is more than necessary. At most you'd have 90 amps of current, which in that length could be handled by 8 gauge.

[@onestopcustoms]

Thank you for the video. So for 200w 6.5 subs on a 1200 mono amp, what size wire would you run from the amp to the subs? Thanks in advance!

[@EMFAudio]

That depends on the impedance and how long the wire is.

[@d0peshow]

Awesome visual! Please update link for wire size calculator.

[@brianhamm7297]

SO IS IT OK TO DOUBLE THE WIRE OR COULD THIS CAUSE A PROBLEM,

[@Tmanstomp100]

Would you say 12 gauge is big enough for an 8000 watt amp? or should I switch to 8 gauge?

[@ronnie1424]

What gauge should I get for an 1800 watt mono amp with a 1400 watts rms sub?

[@305chevyboysp6]

What bout 8000watt amp 15s what size speaker wire is good

[@sgtretarthurpegues7402]

Thank You for making life a little easier! The thermostatics scanner helps to see what is going on but. I think safety is better, just to protect yourself from yourself. You spend most of your life in a vehicle, and someday you will be stuck in traffic wanting to go home and too, brake father-time ticking away at you. Somethings just say turn-it-up to drown out the outside noises. That is when I think you should use a SAVIOR wire like a 6AWG or lower depending on the length from the amp just in case. What do you think about a SAVIOR gauge wire? Plus you are just dealing with only one specific cable, from the battery, fuse box, amp, to the sub or subs

[@AFlyingCookieLOL]

You will be spending most of your life in bed not a vehicles unless you are driving 8 hours a day. The thickness of the wire depends on voltage and current. The higher the voltage, the less current therefore a thicker cable is not required. The voicecoil likely has smaller wire than the 16 gauge.

[@DarkSim712]

So does this also mean that a dual 4 ohm sub runs cooler than a dual 2 ohm? (both in the same wiring configuration) Higher the ohms the higher the voltage, resulting in less heat.

[@EMFAudio]

In the same exact model comparing coils, yes, as long as you run the amp at a higher load. Example, if you ran a dual 1 in series or a dual 4 in parallel, you'd have 2 ohms at the amp and results would be the same. Now, that being said, while the higher impedance may run cooler, it won't be wildly significant when you're talking about using it at rated power (as intended)

[@wilsonrawlin8547]

Straightforward examples. IMO you should always lean to max gauge reqs for your power/speaker supply wiring. Unless you're fighting costs, weight, or design constraints. Larger wire provides additional heat dissipation and physical strength as well.

[@charliefrancis6438]

Thank you for the reply, I will use 4 gauge 👍🏻

[@jamest.5001]

I used 8gauge power wire years ago. for speaker wire. and drilled holes through the box that was very tight. using the adhesive as a lube to help it go through. and never had any problems. plus small wire can be a fire danger just like power wire. just not as likely

[@lowhertzhighspl]

I wonder if a single run of 8 awg speaker wire can handle 10kw RMS per sub. (I'm not talking about the power wire). Or if I need 2 runs of 8 awg or 4 awg as my speaker wires. (20,000 RMS WATTS total between 2 Fi Neo 4.11 subs which can take 7k rms each therefore the 20k is for SPL competitions) 1 amp per sub.

[@EMFAudio]

That depends on impedance and wire length. 4 gauge is stupid to deal with, especially for how much it won't do for you.

[@RomaVilla]

@@EMFAudiocan you elaborate on that

[@dre_707]

Could you tell me what gauge to use on one jl audio w6v2d4 and one jl audio w3v3 subs being powered by a polk audio d1000.1 amp? I had 2 w6 but 1 blew and replaced it with a w3 but want new speaker wire but dont know what gauge i should use please help!!

[@akuma4u]

12 to 16g is fine bro..

[@EMFAudio]

The wire length matters but 12 gauge is definitely fine, even 14 gauge is likely OK.

[@akuma4u]

@@EMFAudio must be an echo in here

[@RobHTech]

This is a pretty good, practical experiment. Obviously not PhD quality, but good to me. I haven't seen someone on KZbin take such an approach to this idea that is so common in car audio. It seems like you might have found a niche.

[@user-qs8lv7wp2c]

I have issues with my wires turning Chucky and brittle could this be the reason that I'm using too small of a wire?

[@EMFAudio]

Yes.

[@kscrm_6883]

I have a renegade 850 watt amp and two renegade 12s whats the max size speaker wire can I use ?

[@EMFAudio]

That is subject to impedance and wire length also. That isn't that much power so 14 gauge is certainly fine if the amp and speakers are remotely close together.

[@kscrm_6883]

EMF Audio if I was to upgrade my amp what would u recommend ?

[@EMFAudio]

@@kscrm_6883 That depends what you upgrade to. There are wire size calculators online that will tell you what's appropriate based on your parameters.

[@jeffreymorgan1334]

Would 16 AWG OFC wire be adequate for 100W x 4 constant RMS @ 4 ohms (1200W max on amp)?

[@EMFAudio]

Yes.

[@bryandepaepe5984]

This also demonstrates the difference in sound quality between the two sets of wires.

[@cfmechanic]

Thanks for posting this. Now if I am running 3kwrms @2ohm. will 12awg be sufficient or undersized. I currently have 8 but its hard to get 2 pieces of 8ga wire into sub terminal.

[@EMFAudio]

www.emfcaraudio.com/wire-sizing-calculator/

[@drbmaitra]

When you were testing the 8 AWG wire,you were pointing the crosshairs on the ground wire and not the wire carrying the current, obviously it would show a lower temperature.

[@EMFAudio]

That's not how electricity works. There is a reason both wires are the same size, they need to be. Additionally, it's AC, meaning it flows both directions.

[@justabouthadit5872]

I really wish you'd have metered that sub, before and after. Leave all the adjustments the same just switch wire for a db comparison.

[@martyjewell5683]

Yes, already known but still an interesting and poignant video. Back in the day, (standard) speaker cable was two color 20ga. Switching to 18ga (zip cord) was usually advised. I tried 16ga in 1980 and have used it ever since. I have 4ohm speakers in two rooms and a long run for one pair (20+ft). Thought about 14ga or heavier but with binding posts on one pair the 16ga just about fits. Amp is only 50wpc (class G). Can't parallel both pairs as my transistor amp would get a severe pain in the output stage. Hard to convince some folks that thicker IS better. Nicely "splained".

[@kevinAuman1]

Question because I have seen some people try and just run multiple runs of 16g speaker wire to each coil, will it still overheat if you used two runs of 16g rather than one run of it???

[@EMFAudio]

Multiple runs will have the same effect as a larger gauge wire. Think of it as the amount of wire being used, not the size of the wire being used.

[@kevinAuman1]

@@EMFAudio thank you for clarifying that, so multiple runs of smaller gauge is equal to 1 run of a larger gauge ie 2-16ga vs 18ga?

[@EMFAudio]

@@kevinAuman1 The lower the number, the bigger the wire size. So two 18 ga wires would be close to a single 16 ga.

[@Infanitunit1]

What is the best type of metal bolts to use for speaker terminals

[@cockneyzombie]

I used size m6 stainless steel nuts and bolts. If you are using ring terminals to fix the speaker wire to the bolts then the size of the hole in the ring terminal will dictate the size of the bolts. Alternatively you could get SMD terminals they are good.

[@BS-Reviewz]

The link is broken

[@mooremaceo]

Is it ok to use 8g and trim it down at the end if it doesn’t fit into the terminal?

[@EMFAudio]

Yes, but if you have to trim like half of it, that's not good.

[@wadehensley5005]

would i be correct in assuming the smaller gauge wire is wasting usable power as generated heat? Or is that not a factor?

[@EMFAudio]

Yes, energy is lost in heat but because makes the impedance at the amp higher too. Less power gets to the speaker.

[@geraldkoth654]

Compute your maximum amperage and use the appropriate wire. Using a nominal 1 ohm for that connection the current and voltage will match. So you are getting around 34 amps. The more likely resistance of that connection is .8. That would yield a current of about 30 amps. Wired in series it would be 69 or 61. Now you see why very low resistance in the coils is an advantage on an amplifier. Or you can use a clamp on amp meter set to AC to read actual current from the amp.

[@EMFAudio]

Wired in series is LESS amperage. Lower impedance coils can be MORE of a strain on components. There is a protection circuit found on most amps called "over current", that's from impedance being too low or to the point it's a dead short.

[@1-Six-dee]

How much power do u think I could run thru a five foot run of eight gauge? Apologies if u said the answer I can't hear to. Well anymore

[@EMFAudio]

Daniel Harrell there are calculators for that kind of thing. You plug in the wire size, and type, and length. It will tell you how much loss you will have.

[@spazbold]

Is 14awg adequate for a 330w sub at 4ohm, over a 4ft cable run? Thanks

[@Herbiesgarage]

Overkill but yes

[@rowboyto156]

can i use 8 awg cca wires for speaker wires or should i change it to copper. my sub is pushing 1200w but im working on my electrical before i upgrade my amp to 2000w

[@EMFAudio]

You can, that's larger than necessary even being CCA. 12 ga copper would be sufficient, 14 gauge could be if it's a short wire.

[@lowhertzhighspl]

Unfortunately my subs can't accept 8 gauge speaker wire. How do I know? Because after watching this video I ordered 8 gauge OFC wire for $30. Subs are two 12" Kicker L7Ss on 2000 CEA RMS Watts @ 2 ohms. Speaking of my L7s, I'm in need of even more bass, what should I do? Upgrade to two 15" L7Ss? Or add 2 more 12s? (Prolly least expensive way to go). Or switch brands entirely? Not looking to spend more than another $1,000 just as I have 2 months ago on this brand new system =/ Thanks Sean.

[@EMFAudio]

Pro tip, if it won't accept 8 gauge, it doesn't need 8 gauge. 2,000 watts DEFINITELY doesn't need 8 gauge. It sounds like you need a higher caliber of sub. What do you have for an amp exactly? CEA ratings tend to disappoint me, but to be completely honest, you might find yourself happier with a pair of our Lowballer 15's that are also on sale now. You could be in a pair of those for just over $300.

[@lowhertzhighspl]

@@EMFAudio Yep I should've checked the speaker inputs first. I'm glad you mentioned your Lowballers because now after researching them I'm literally one click away from completing my purchase of two 15" Lowballers but I noticed the ported box size needed which for 2 won't properly fit in my vehicle so which box do you recommend and would it be fine to add (eg 2 lbs) poly-fill to a smaller enclosure?? Maybe I should go with one 15 but the thing is as I previously mentioned I'm disappointed with my 2 L7S12s so I don't think one 15 would make adequate improvement. To answer your question, my amp is the Rockville DB16 which on the dyno puts out 2400 RMS W Dynamically and 1750 Certified at 2-ohms which is how my system is set-up. I really like "Q-Bomb" enclosures. Thanks for your prompt input.

[@EMFAudio]

@@lowhertzhighspl I won't get started on amp Dyno results but I don't recommend polyfill for ported enclosures.

[@MrMartinkimber]

100° Fahrenheit doesn't seem that hot. Is it possible some heat is beneficial? 12-gauge wire in that system probably seems about perfect. I wonder what doc Brown ph.d used in his.

[@EMFAudio]

Heat, in regards to electricity is always bad. More specifically when electricity generates heat that means there is a loss of energy not going to the device. It's essentially lowering the efficiency of the wire and potentially what's connected to it. More heat means more resistance, which makes more heat, which makes more losses.

[@MrMartinkimber]

@@EMFAudio I'll buy that. Question, does a power wire inline fuse appropriately rated cause any heat/resistance issues?

[@tonymaldonado67]

I have my rooms old lap cord as my speaker cable? Running about 2k RMS through it

[@EMFAudio]

Except for you aren't.

[@hoodheisenberg]

Been looking for this answer for awhile! Thank you bro!

[@mistanotu8791]

Would 12 awg be good for wiring 8k 2 ohm stetsom on 4 d4s or should I order 8 awg 😅

[@EMFAudio]

That depends on the wire length.

[@mistanotu8791]

@@EMFAudio probably 5-6 ft each sub in series on own run paralleled at amp

[@EMFAudio]

@@mistanotu8791 12 gauge should be fine

[@mistanotu8791]

@@EMFAudio thank you for the reassurance ^.^

[@DatHondaBoi223]

i have 2 skar audio sdr 12s, paired with a skar audio rp1500 amp. i’m using 16 gauge wire, do you think if i got 10 gauge wires for the subs, would it be louder?

[@EMFAudio]

The impedance it's wired at matters, over time at full power you could probably measure an SPL difference but it may not be audible. Length of the wire matters too. The longer the wire the more likely you'd hear a difference. 10 gauge is definitely not necessary. Anything past 12 gauge I know you wouldn't see a difference at all, 14 gauge would probably solve any losses.

[@DatHondaBoi223]

EMF Audio would there be any difference if i went from 16 gauge to 10 gauge? my wires are literally starting to melt and turn dark colors at the terminal of the box

[@EMFAudio]

That sounds like you have crap terminals. If it's the kind you push the lever down and it springs back up, those are terrible and that's likely the issue, not the wire.

[@DatHondaBoi223]

EMF Audio yeah that’s the terminals i have 😂😂

[@EMFAudio]

@@DatHondaBoi223 Replace the burnt wire, get rid of those jank terminals, fixed it.

[@4gbmeans4gb61]

CORRECT ME IF IM WRONG HERE> But DC power which what runs from ur alt, and bats to ur amp, which DC runs through the wire. Now after it leaves the amp, its now AC and AC runs on the OUT SIDE of the copper. SO you want the highest STRAND OFC wire you can get for best results correct? You might try a test with two of the same gauge wire but one with say 1500 strand and the other say 4000 strands and see if there's a resistance difference resulting in heat in the wire. I always go with 4gauge with high strand count.

[@EMFAudio]

Yes and no. Yes there is what they call "skin effect" with AC voltage. However, it is frequency dependent. For the frequencies being used in a car it isn't relevant. Example, notice how home wiring is a single strand that is thick? It's because at 60 hz it's using the whole thing, not just the outside. Now, that being said, having more strands isn't always better because when the strands get too fine, they become fragile. Now a slight bend can break the strands and it's no longer transmitting signal. Simply bending the wire can break the wire because it's hair thin so to speak. Appropriate strands would be the way to view it for the best performance, not highest strands. There are VERY few instances where 4 gauge will do anything more than 8 gauge or even 10 gauge as speaker wire. I will be doing a tech video on that sometime in the future.

[@4gbmeans4gb61]

@@EMFAudio AWW right, i totally forgot about the frequency. Thanks for the detailed explanation and the facts. That would be a good video to watch, thanks again.

[@ronaldarchibald2506]

@@EMFAudio Fine strands when manufactured in a cable rarely break. In fact, as we get higher and higher in current we often employ many fine strands in ac cables. The only thing to be aware is the connection area is fragile once stripped. They make specific terminations for such applications or utilize a copper film we wrap the conducters with when terminating in set screws. Works great but requires time,skill, and attention to detail to perform correctly without damaging those fine strands. I enjoy terminating that type of wIring.

[@EMFAudio]

@@ronaldarchibald2506 Every instance of dine stranded wire I've had was bad. Bend the wire not at a connection, wire breaks too. It was also cheap wire trying to sell based on strand count.

[@johnsweda2999]

Is there a calculator anywhere I can't find one for gauge of wire to mm, when buying wire now the only do it in millimetres

[@EMFAudio]

I've seen then before, never paid much attention to them since we use gauges

[@AndrewB23]

Just get the largest wires that fit your terminals

[@2000S10V6]

Can I use 12 gauge wire as jumpers between the dual voice coils (parallel for final impedance 1 ohm) and then 8 gauge from the subwoofer to the amp? My terminals on my subwoofer won't fit 2 8 gauge wires. Great video by the way!

[@EMFAudio]

12 gauge can handle quite a bit of power in a short length. Unless you're running over 4k per sub you probably don't need 8 gauge.

[@2000S10V6]

@@EMFAudio Thanks for the reply. I was trying to use the wire I already had but I only had a few short pieces of 12 gauge but about 5 feet of 8 gauge. I am upgrading from about 600 watts to 1200 watts. 8 gauge is probably overkill but I'm going to try to make it work since I already have it.

[@EMFAudio]

@@2000S10V6 You could use 16 gauge and be OK, on the whole thing.

[@2000S10V6]

@@EMFAudio I appreciate you replying! Maybe I will just go ahead and get new wire rather than try to cram 8 gauge in the terminal.

[@EMFAudio]

@@2000S10V6 We have spools of 12 gauge at www.emfcaraudio.com, that would be more than appropriate and easy to fit in.

[@91CavGT5]

Now after the wire has gotten hot, check the resistance of the wire to see if it has changed.

[@EMFAudio]

It will change, absolutely.

[@adamwilke7121]

12 or 14 gauge for my 600rms 1200 watt system?

[@daniloreyes2]

How did you installed the 8 AWG tp the amplifier? most only accept 12 AWG,

[@EMFAudio]

A fun fact, if the amp doesn't have 8 gauge outputs, you don't need 8 gauge wire. Most of your big amps have 8 gauge outputs, or even 4 gauge sometimes. 12 gauge will handle quite a bit of power.

[@daniloreyes2]

@@EMFAudio I know that 12awg will work, but 8 looks very good.

[@daniloreyes2]

@@EMFAudio My amp is a hd1200/1

[@EMFAudio]

@@daniloreyes2 Electricity doesn't care what it looks like, trying to do more is just a waste of money.

[@daniloreyes2]

@@EMFAudio true...

[@akuma4u]

Prob with 8g or even 10g is if you need to wire dual or triple or more subs in parallel then many subs cant handle 2 8g or 2 10g doubled up into 1 terminal. So you gotta downgrade to 12-16g in order to for it to fit

[@EMFAudio]

If the terminals aren't meant to fit larger wire, that should be your first clue it doesn't need it.

[@hdmoviesource]

Where do you buy 8 gauge or 4 gauge speaker wire from?

[@EMFAudio]

Some companies have made 8 gauge speaker wire, but I just use power and ground wire from spools.

[@jimmychua7148]

How about the terminal inside of the amplifier what is the size of wire

[@EMFAudio]

That is a case by case. Some don't use wires, most use 8 gauge wire, some are multiple 8 gauge.

[@johnathanhunter7899]

What is the difference between 0 gauge CCA power wire and 0 gauge AWG power wire and which one is better?

[@Ninjasraynonu3]

Johnathan Hunter cca stands for copper coated aluminum which is no good you want to get ofc which is oxygen free copper, awg just stands for American wire gauge

[@boodecarlo]

What size ofc would work for 2500-3000 watts? I see different answers at different places.

[@EMFAudio]

You may be seeing different answers because you aren't asking the right question. That power will depend on wire length and impedance it's wired to in order to give a proper response.

[@boodecarlo]

@@EMFAudio ok. Well it's wired at 1 ohm & runs about 5-6 feet.

[@EMFAudio]

Fortunately for you, we have a calculator for that on our website. www.emfcaraudio.com/wire-sizing-calculator/

[@boodecarlo]

@@EMFAudio thank you kind sir.

[@grumpysteelman]

EMF Audio link appears to be broken

[@jdrissel]

Since you are making speakers and have a thermal imager, how about making a window into a speaker and show the voice coil and how the heat flows out. I would also be interested in what happens to shorting rings too...

[@EMFAudio]

You can't really open things up to see something because it would change how heat is transferred, defeating the purpose. You can only use what you have.

[@jdrissel]

@@EMFAudio I could not figure out a non-contrived way either. The best I came up with was to use neo magnets with some space between them with an oversized pole plate (thermal mass of the ferite) to simulate a ferrite magnet, then plug the gaps and seal the TI in one of the gaps. I might still do it, but I know my speaker would be a real POS compared to yours.

[@jdrissel]

@@EMFAudio BTW if you are using a Flir One Pro with USB C, I have been able to get mine to run with external power plugged in. Add a USB C extension to the phone and a wireless charger for the phone and you can take really long videos or timelapses.

[@EMFAudio]

@@jdrissel I'm using a mini USB with USB C adapter. I know a way I could do external power though, I've made USB injectors before to boost amperage.

[@jdrissel]

@@EMFAudio I had one of those. It was an early version and mine shut down the imaging hardware when a charger was connected. However the back of it comes off fairly easily and the battery just unplugs, so you could put a larger battery or an external power supply in there if you wanted to.

[@91rickstar]

What’s better aluminium round wire or copper round wire for a voice coil “mid bass woofer”

[@EMFAudio]

91rickstar that has nothing to do with this video, but the wire used in a coil on a speaker depends on a lit of design aspects.

[@91rickstar]

I know it has nothing to do with this video I just wanted to ask, I’m making a set of 6.5” midbass woofers with aluminium round wire 0.5mm

[@RawbAtLivedotca]

what do u recommend for TWO DUAL 2 OHM SUBWOOFER ?

[@EMFAudio]

That depends completely on how much power you have.

[@sabarlow80]

Im using 14g to each coil (dvc) on 2 subs. Is that good on 2000 rms.. Link dosent work

[@EMFAudio]

The impedance that you're wired to matters there, as well as wire length. If it's short wires and not below 1 ohm it's definitely fine.

[@sabarlow80]

@@EMFAudio 1 ohm 2ft to 1 and 3 to other

[@EMFAudio]

@@sabarlow80 that's fine

[@AndrewBrowner]

the flir can make issues look worse than they are as it auto ranges the colouring, so even though the wire only got 20f hotter than the table the colour difference was blue to dark red.. youd think the dark red is scalding hot but really its barely above body temperature, not saying that wire is sufficient for that sub i really dont know but the wire could of handling alot more heat without melting or anything but again the test was high power but short

[@EMFAudio]

Yes, it does tend to exaggerate variance but it does show that wire heating up from power is bad, be it 10 degrees or 30 degrees. Ideally, it shouldn't be heating up at all.

[@AndrewBrowner]

@@EMFAudio well all wire heats up some, its a cost/performance balance you have to strike.. in the process of hooking up two 350rms 4ohm subs upto a 1100pea watt 550rms 2ohm or 300rms 4ohm amp.. not ideal but got all components for under 100$ cost, amp was free any tips to keep the gear from smoking up? just set the gain appropriately and dont expect max performance out of it should be no big deal?

[@10krms8]

Nice have u dyno the 12k on the smd 1

[@EMFAudio]

No, I like real results. I have tested them in car a lot, those videos are posted. It makes over 14k in a car, on a sub, how it's actually used. Not manipulated resistor numbers.

[@bradleewitt4048]

You should tell them why you run quad leads instead of two

[@EMFAudio]

CCR Creative Concept Review that's a whole other video, which I've done before.

[@jjhill7638]

well why don't somebody tell us why

[@jjhill7638]

what's the big secret here

[@MrRotery7]

@@jjhill7638 they need the quads cuz of the gobs of power these amazing subs can handle

[@carnellb7941]

Great and to the point... Thanks bro!!!👌👌👌

[@Macho09Marian]

yes your right I try to always use bigger thanks for clearing that up.

[@TheGamingChad.]

the less gauge, the more power the wire can take? did i get that right?

[@EMFAudio]

I'm a Refugee The lower the number gauge wire, the larger the wire is, the more power it can take.

[@TheGamingChad.]

what gauge wire would you need for a 6.500rms sub?

[@EMFAudio]

Ours has dual inputs per coil so you could get away with smaller, but depending on the wire length you'd need 8 gauge wire as a single run to the sub as a minimum. If you ran 1 set per coil you could do less, but larger doesn't hurt anything. It's just not necessary.

[@godzilla7391]

bummy 906 damn. Baseball bat size wire for that sub! Lol

[@johntrevena4280]

for cheapness and recycling in the uk. I use 240v over 1kw handling mains cable.. its free, so how can u get better and it wuld cost a fortune?? true?

[@EMFAudio]

It sounds like you're talking about residential wiring, which is not the same kind of wire and can't handle current as needed in many cases.

[@johntrevena4280]

@@EMFAudio yes true,, but in the uk its good quality fat copper multy shieded coz the British kite mark, and when folk throw out cable like that from a lawnmower I just cant helpmyself!!! good phisyics in conducted electrons, -ve power couplings!!!

[@johntrevena4280]

I know my product of factor math. v over I x r!!!! for example!!!

[@charliedavidson3878]

Hey man can you do that test with Silver wire using the same 16 gauge . For whatever reason people feel silver cures all

[@EMFAudio]

Silver wire isn't cheap but maybe I can do that. The reason people say that goes beyond wire heating up so I'd have to test that because they'll go nuts.

[@charliedavidson3878]

@@EMFAudio I'm a believer in quality cables and wires and by saying so I open myself up to being labeled a elitist I feel your demonstration is scientific and would end the argument as far as proper gauge . If this was a demonstration on lets say the proper extension cord for a power washer no one would argue . You change the conversation to audio and now you have become one of them . People would just look up on a chart my washer uses 13 amps I need a 100 ft extension (10-3 minimum 12-3 ) or maybe use a voltage drop calculator . I'm saying quality cables and wires , not magical cables and wires costing thousands per foot . When did it become so crazy ? Here's where my sick sense of humor kicks in . People look at the conductivity charts and figure out Silver is more conductive and because of cost use a thinner gauge cancelling out any gains . So they spend more for less and get less performance "Earth to Matilda" This is one of the best videos on the subject so far and the message is so clear PROPER gauge . What part of PROPER gauge don't people understand ? It's not like you're saying you need 000 gauge welding cable for tweeters .

[@MacThaGoat]

I’m using 16g for 2 12s. 200 Rms each sub. Is that ok?

[@EMFAudio]

Subject to wire length, yes, probably.

[@fosholyfe6115]

Ol school said to me, "don't make no damn sense, big ass power wire but you got baby wire running to the speakers"

[@EMFAudio]

It's about current. The power input is DC at a low voltage. The power output is AC and higher. The higher the impedance, the lower the amperage for a given power level. Example, 1,000 watts @ 1 ohm is around 31 amps and 31 volts, and the wire is shorter as well. But, that 1,000 watts of output would be around 1,200 watts of input because amps aren't 100% efficient, and at 14 volts that would be almost 86 amps of current. That's why you need bigger power than speaker wire, it can take 3x the current to produce the power you're making.

[@LividLeon]

How much watt he sending to the speaker

[@jmc1127]

Enjoyed the video. Highly informative yet succinctly delivered. Looking forward to subscribing to your channel. J Mc from Big D!

[@TadBitTech]

Do more videos like this Sean

[@TadBitTech]

@Mark Seven what?

[@obiessen]

what about the thin voice coil wire

[@MrBiscuitsAndmustard]

Would 12 gauge ofc be adequate on 2000 rms?

[@EMFAudio]

That is dependent on impedance and wire length, but most likely, yes.

[@MrBiscuitsAndmustard]

@@EMFAudio 2ohms and less than 5 ft

[@EMFAudio]

@@MrBiscuitsAndmustard 12 gauge is fine

[@MrBiscuitsAndmustard]

@@EMFAudio one more question... would 10 ft of 8 gauge be better than 5 ft of 12 gauge?

[@matheuspascarellisilva8674]

your videos are very good and have a wide message thank you

[@raptorms773]

Yeah ok? Im sure most people understand more current equals more heat through the conductor. But 100° is still within spec for the insulation on that wire. Does the heat somehow degrade the quality of the signal going to the sub? Of course you dont want to overload a cable but all you showed us was that certain gauge of wire has a specific limitation. What i wonder about is the amperage i know amperage and wattage are tied, how much amperage are those speakers cables taking i know its 1200 watts but at what voltage?

[@EMFAudio]

More heat is more energy lost, there is less power going to the sub. There is an increased resistance as well. It's not about destroying the insulation but there is a point where it could set carpet on fire. Voltage will always be within reason on the cable, current is what makes it warm.

[@jefffalk8484]

How would a pair of these sound in a 2 door car, walled? In a musical box and at RMS power.

[@EMFAudio]

Jeff Falk Ermagerd v2's? It would rip....the car apart. Pre-order a pair and order a 'Merica while they're $500 off right now.

[@jefffalk8484]

EMF Audio Just what I wanted to hear. Thanks for the reply! You may be hearing from me sometime in the future.

[@EMFAudio]

Don't drag your feet on that amp, it's on sale for a limited time.

[@carolynhunter7580]

What is tihe difference betwee 0 guage CCA power wire and 0 guage AWG power wire and is one Better than tihe other?

[@EMFAudio]

Carolyn Hunter You're asking about 2 different things, unit of measure and wire material.

[@alexisthemexican]

I think you meant to say CCA vs OFC wire. If that's the case, OFC wire is a better conductor than CCA wire.

[@jaakko200987654321]

i use 6 inch thick pure copper bar as speaker wire

[@Plump_Nick]

jaakko200987654321 I use that as a butt plug

[@MrBiscuitsAndmustard]

Hell ya. I use 8 awg ofc rods as wire 🤣

[@markmmm1737]

What gauge is the coil wire?

[@EMFAudio]

That depends on the sub, it could be anywhere from 24-16 gauge.

[@drvictoria07]

I just use full tilt 8 gauge tinned ofc copper wire for my subs and door speakers 🔊.

[@dragan3290]

I saved this to show my father in law. He always buys the thinnest wire. Lol

[@jasonborn9394]

Just imagine what that small gauge is doing to the coils

[@EMFAudio]

Nothing different.

[@jasonborn9394]

EMF Audio the coils should have gotten hot if the wire got hot

[@EMFAudio]

@@jasonborn9394 The coils have means of cooling, the wire doesn't. As a matter of fact, the wire is insulated so it CAN'T cool. Yes it will get warmer than not having any power through it, but if air temperature is 70 degrees and it goes up to 90 degrees that's very insignificant when they won't fail till 500 degrees. That temperature on power or speaker wire will have melted well before that.

[@UNFUQWITABLEL33SKI]

How do you connect two 8guage wires together? It’s so much wire that it grays out

[@lowhertzhighspl]

I just received dual 8 awg speaker terminal inputs from Sky High Car Audio. They're so small but effective for my 20kW!

[@UNFUQWITABLEL33SKI]

@@lowhertzhighspl so do you use them in the box? I am having problems with the subwoofer wiring inside the box. Braiding two 8gauge is so thick that it won't fit in the terminal of the subwoofer. I just connected them at the speaker box terminal. would the dual terminal inputs help that?

[@Baerchenization]

I had asked a cable manufacturer re. the recommended gauges and they said for everything above 250 W they recommend no thinner than 10.

[@EMFAudio]

To power a 250 watt amp that would still be more than necessary. For speaker wire that's completely unnecessary. A 250 watt amp won't even have the capability of connecting 10 ga wire on the speaker leads. I'm guessing whoever you talked to either misunderstood you or has no idea what they're talking about.

[@EMFAudio]

www.emfcaraudio.com/wire-sizing-calculator/

[@darrinclem2502]

Ok so my using 14 gauge for 110 rms amp is sufficient?

[@EMFAudio]

Absolutely!

[@Infanitunit1]

Can 14 gage handle 100 watts for each door

[@EMFAudio]

As long as the wires aren't super long.

[@bassbrother101]

What size sub is that

[@EMFAudio]

18"

[@bassbrother101]

I found out by going back to the start but thanks for replying

[@bassbrother101]

I might get one