You can use speaker wire for power and ground, but it is not recommended. Speaker wire is not as thick as power and ground wire, so it can't handle as much current. Also, speaker wire is not as well insulated as power and ground wire, so there is a greater chance of it shorting out.
The negative battery terminal is not a ground. The ground is the metal frame of the car. The negative battery terminal is connected to the ground through the car's electrical system.
You can use the same wire for power and ground, but it's not recommended. Power and ground wires should be separate to avoid any potential issues.
An amplifier needs to be grounded in order to work properly. If an amplifier is not grounded, it can cause a number of problems, including: • Interference with other electronic devices • Poor sound quality • damage to the amplifier • safety hazards.
4.8/5
True 16 Gauge wire (2 conductors, 27 Strands per conductor. 0.25 mm diameter per strand)
Designed to meet UL VW-1 Vertical Wire Flame Test, RoHS compliant
Perfect for Radio, Home Theatre, Automotive, Stereo, Robotics and R/C applications
Automotive Grade "GPT" PVC insulation. Oil & gas resistant. Temperature Range: -40 deg F to +176 deg F
Soft bare 99.9% OFC stranded Copper Red/Black bonded Zip Wire that pulls apart easily
$234
This 16 AWG zip cord (two-conductor wire) is excellent quality and is offered at a great price. Instead of being copper-clad aluminum or steel, the conductor is actually copper, making it incredibly flexible and simple to solder. The insulation is of high quality, resistant to hydrocarbons (gasoline, oil, etc.), and rated for temperatures up to 176 F (80 C). As long as it is kept a few inches away from the engine block, exhaust manifolds, and other high temperature components, it can be used in most automotive engine compartments. The conductors (one red and one black) are separately insulated and separate quickly and neatly. I've made power cords for amateur radios out of this wire and installed lighting and other equipment on cars with great success.
4.6/5
SOFT TOUCH JACKET - The jacket on our cable is designed with the installer in mind. The flexibility of this jacket allows for easy routing and has a low memory.
25-FEET (7.62m) [ 25FT RED + 25FT BLACK 8 GAUGE POWER/GROUND WIRE ] - The lower the gauge number, the thicker the wire. Thicker wire presents less resistance to current flow.
COPPER CLAD ALUMINUM (CCA) - CCA wiring provides a good conductor for power transfer. This is the most economical option when choosing power or ground wire. Systems that require more power should consider OFC wiring.
EASY POLARITY IDENTIFICATION - This two color jacket allows for easy polarity identification. Making a polarity mistake could be damaging to your audio equipment.
RUGGED PVC JACKET - Allows free, wide and seamless adjustment of the required physical properties of this wire such as flexibility, elasticity, and impact resistance.
$234
Good ValueJust wanted to offer some assistance regarding the size of wire that is truly required. For my 750 and 1200 watt rms amps, car audio stores will advise using wire that is 4 gauge or greater. And when I initially installed 4 gauge, I discovered it to be difficult to install and conceal. However, the wires were constantly ice cold, so I knew there was no weight on them at all. I continued my research on the gauge size required for the amount of watts being used and discovered that 8 gauge is more than adequate for my application by reading the works of two different engineers. These engineers are the real geeks who are knowledgeable in their field and are not out to upsell or overprotect a product. This is due to the fact that not all charts consider the length of the wire or the actual wattage being utilized.The wire's length is relatively simple to determine by measuring.You can also check the size of fuses the amplifier uses to determine the actual wattage being utilized; for instance, one of my amplifiers has two 25amp fuses despite having a top power rating of 1500 watts. The maximum amount of watts my amp can produce before the fuses blow is equal to 50 amps multiplied by 12 (the voltage your vehicle's system operates at). It is 600 watts in my case for this amplifier. We can now operate with an actual (max) number of watts. But let's not forget how you listen to music; for example, I never play music at the highest volume. I am aware that I am utilizing a maximum of 500 watts and significantly less for a true rms.And with that, I've practically finished my rant. The specs for my other amp are 2400 max and 1200 rms. 2 -40 amp fuses are present. Given that I never play louder than 85% of the maximum volume due to distortion at maximum levels, this gives it a true maximum wattage of 960 and an actual maximum of 800. Again, this lowers the genuine rms from 800 to the actual watts that would be applied to the wires throughout any extended length of time spent listening to music. Hope this was useful. If there is any lingering doubt, repeat that. Run your system at its maximum volume before checking the connections and cables at the battery and amplifier. If any area of the amp is hot to the touch, you need to use thicker cables in order to get the maximum amount of power out of it. not to mention to keep any dangers at bay.
4.6/5
EASY POLARITY IDENTIFICATION - This two color jacket allows for easy polarity identification. Making a polarity mistake could be damaging to your audio equipment.
RUGGED PVC JACKET - Allows free, wide and seamless adjustment of the required physical properties of this wire such as flexibility, elasticity, and impact resistance.
COPPER CLAD ALUMINUM (CCA) - CCA wiring provides a good conductor for power transfer. This is the most economical option when choosing power or ground wire. Systems that require more power should consider OFC wiring.
SOFT TOUCH JACKET - The jacket on our cable is designed with the installer in mind. The flexibility of this jacket allows for easy routing and has a low memory.
25-FEET (7.62m) [ BLACK 1/0 GAUGE POWER/GROUND WIRE ] - The lower the gauge number, the thicker the wire. Thicker wire presents less resistance to current flow.
$234
Good ValueJust wanted to offer some assistance regarding the size of wire that is truly required. For my 750 and 1200 watt rms amps, car audio stores will advise using wire that is 4 gauge or greater. And when I initially installed 4 gauge, I discovered it to be difficult to install and conceal. However, the wires were constantly ice cold, so I knew there was no weight on them at all. I continued my research on the gauge size required for the amount of watts being used and discovered that 8 gauge is more than adequate for my application by reading the works of two different engineers. These engineers are the real geeks who are knowledgeable in their field and are not out to upsell or overprotect a product. This is due to the fact that not all charts consider the length of the wire or the actual wattage being utilized.The wire's length is relatively simple to determine by measuring.You can also check the size of fuses the amplifier uses to determine the actual wattage being utilized; for instance, one of my amplifiers has two 25amp fuses despite having a top power rating of 1500 watts. The maximum amount of watts my amp can produce before the fuses blow is equal to 50 amps multiplied by 12 (the voltage your vehicle's system operates at). It is 600 watts in my case for this amplifier. We can now operate with an actual (max) number of watts. But let's not forget how you listen to music; for example, I never play music at the highest volume. I am aware that I am utilizing a maximum of 500 watts and significantly less for a true rms.And with that, I've practically finished my rant. The specs for my other amp are 2400 max and 1200 rms. 2 -40 amp fuses are present. Given that I never play louder than 85% of the maximum volume due to distortion at maximum levels, this gives it a true maximum wattage of 960 and an actual maximum of 800. Again, this lowers the genuine rms from 800 to the actual watts that would be applied to the wires throughout any extended length of time spent listening to music. Hope this was useful. If there is any lingering doubt, repeat that. Run your system at its maximum volume before checking the connections and cables at the battery and amplifier. If any area of the amp is hot to the touch, you need to use thicker cables in order to get the maximum amount of power out of it. not to mention to keep any dangers at bay.
4.4/5
True 18 American Wire Gauge AWG. 26 strands with 0.2 mm diameter per strand
Perfect for Car Audio Radio, Home Theater, 12V Automotive, signal turn on, boat, low voltage LED light (6 to 80 volts)
50 ft Red & 50 ft Black Stranded Copper Clad Aluminum Wire in 18 AWG
IMPORTANT: DO NOT use for building/household 110/220 V ac wiring
Visit WWW.AMAZON.COM/GSPOWER for all you wiring needs
$234
This is a good wire, however it is challenging to strip without ripping the core's individual wires apart in large numbers. I discovered that using an auto-stripper, which holds the wire with one side and pulls it apart with a blade, is preferable than doing it by hand. If you don't have one, they cost about $5 at Walmart. Additionally, I discovered that stripping it in small increments until you have the required length is easier than stripping a large amount at once. To hard wire a dash camera, I did so. Good results.
4.4/5
Perfect for Car Audio Radio, Home Theater, 12V Automotive, signal turn on, boat, low voltage LED light (6 to 80 volts)
IMPORTANT: DO NOT use for building/household 110/220 V ac wiring
True 16 American Wire Gauge AWG. 42 strands with 0.2 mm diameter per strand
25 ft Red & 25 ft Black 16 AWG Stranded Copper Clad Aluminum Wire
Visit WWW.AMAZON.COM/GSPOWER for all you wiring needs
$234
This is a good wire, however it is challenging to strip without ripping the core's individual wires apart in large numbers. I discovered that using an auto-stripper, which holds the wire with one side and pulls it apart with a blade, is preferable than doing it by hand. If you don't have one, they cost about $5 at Walmart. Additionally, I discovered that stripping it in small increments until you have the required length is easier than stripping a large amount at once. To hard wire a dash camera, I did so. Good results.
4.3/5
Made from silver-tinned 100% virgin copper for a pure uninterrupted transfer of power and signal.The solid brass gold plated Mini ANL Fuse Holder offers ideal protection for high powered systems.Strand Count: 1862.BC-5W2 Compliant.
Features:..Rockville RWK4CU 4 Gauge 2 Channel Complete Car Amplifier Installation Kit 100% Pure Copper RCA Cables.4 Gauge Power Amplifier Installation Kit.Designed specifically for car audio systems over 1000 watts RMS to 2000 Watts.
The 100% copper stranded wire is extremely tolerant of the hostile conditions found under the hood in vehicles and compensates for vibration, heat expansion and flexibility.
This package includes everything you'll need to get your amplifier system powered-up correctly and at peak efficiency. All items included in this kit are top of the line.
The use of a proprietary special twisting process reduces “surface skin impedance loss†so that Mega Power cables have zero signal and power loss, delivering full power from your battery system to your amplifier even at lengths of 20 feet!
Looking for a wire kit that has 100% true specifications? A wire kit that uses 100% copper 4-gauge cable? Then look no further than the Rockville True-Spec RWK4-CU 4 Gauge Amplifier Wiring Installation Kit.
The power and ground cables aptly named “Mega Power Cable†is a no compromise power cable. Rockville’s engineering team over-built and designed the cables using thousands of strands of only true 100% oxygen-free, silver-tinned copper strands.
$234
For my Rockford mono-block, this kit is fantastic. This kit offers a lot for the price of $50 since everything is made of genuine OFC copper. All of the cables are nice and supple, the RCAs are of excellent quality, and the included hardware is also of high caliber. It certainly helped me save time and looked amazing right out of the box that the power wire already had tech flex, heat shrink, and the engine bay terminal fitted.The fuse size and the fork terminal connectors are the only drawbacks. The fuse is 120 amps, and I don't know about you, but if I were running a system drawing 120 amps, I'd be using 1/0 gauge, which seems excessive for a wire kit rated for a maximum output of 2000 watts (personally, I wouldn't trust 4 gauge at 1500 watts RMS). If they are driving a standard car, the majority of individuals don't even have a 120 amp alternator. Therefore, I matched it with a $5 50 amp fuse (the suggested size for my Rockford amp), and the issue was quickly resolved. For the Rockford amplifier, the fork terminals are worthless because they are set screw terminals. For all the guys out there who want an extra clean construction, it would be ten times more convenient if it included wire ferrules in addition to the fork connectors.
4.3/5
Do not expose to Moisture. Copper Clad Aluminum Wire is not Corrosion Resistant. For In Door use only.
Perfect for Car Audio Radio, Home Theater, 12V Automotive, LED light (6 to 80 volts)
2 rolls of 12 Ga primary wire in 100 ft spool. Color Set: Red, Black
Single Conductor, Stranded Copper Clad Aluminum (0.2 mm dia/strand, 68 strands) Insulated in flexible PVC. Rated to 105 C
Visit WWW.AMAZON.COM/GSPOWER for all you wiring needs
$234
Although I'd want to say that I've already used them, they are currently sitting unused in my garage cabinets. But when friends drop by to visit, they are unaware that they had been in there for more than a year. After receiving praises on how beautiful they are, I begin to list all the uses I have planned for them. Sadly, they are only empty spaces.Excellent for making friends believe you accomplish things. They haven't bent or frayed, making them durable. I'm hoping they'll be used someday!
4.2/5
IMPORTANT: DO NOT use for building / household 110 / 220 V ac wiring. This is NOT AWG
Perfect for Audio Radio, Amplifier, Trailer, Home Theater, Automotive and LED light Wiring
6 rolls of 12 Ga primary wire in 100 ft spool. Color Set: Red, Black, Blue, Yellow, White, Green
Visit WWW.AMAZON.COM/GSPOWER for all you wiring needs
Single Conductor, Stranded Copper Clad Aluminum (0.2 mm dia/strand, 68 strands). Insulated and Jacketed in flexible PVC. Rated to 105 C
$234
Although I'd want to say that I've already used them, they are currently sitting unused in my garage cabinets. But when friends drop by to visit, they are unaware that they had been in there for more than a year. After receiving praises on how beautiful they are, I begin to list all the uses I have planned for them. Sadly, they are only empty spaces.Excellent for making friends believe you accomplish things. They haven't bent or frayed, making them durable. I'm hoping they'll be used someday!
4.1/5
100FT CONVENIENT DISPENSE: This very long 100ft speaker wire is neatly wrapped around a hard plastic spool for easy and convenient dispensing. It can be used without hassle and instantly too
POLARITY MARK: There’s a red mark outlined on one side of the cable wire. Its purpose is to easily distinguish the polarity and help properly set up any audio stereo, surround sound system, TV home theater and even a car
18 GAUGE THICKNESS: This 18-gauge copper speaker wire offers very easily connection for speakers to amplifiers or receivers. The thickness is just enough for resistance and electrical flow without the risk of overheating
CUT AS DESIRED: The wire can be cut as desired for specific installation needs. If the plastic jacket is removed, the wire can be left bare or use wire crimp accessories to connect to stereo and speakers
UNDISTORTED SIGNAL: Made with plastic jacket surrounding the speaker wire to help deliver high-quality undistorted signals to and from all of connected audio equipment. This also helps with insulation
$234
I suppose I was fortunate. I didn't notice all the negative reviews until after I received the wire (it appears that up to a third of reviews complained the wire was thinner than what they ordered!). But I struck lucky. My wire remover was the most "high tech" way I could confirm the size. I inserted it into the 12 gauge slot and tore out a small bit of insulation, much per at least one review I had read. I am satisfied that it is the proper size because it was a beautiful, clean cut and only sliced through a few strands of wire. Having said that, I'm quite satisfied with my purchase (so far). Crossing my fingers that I didn't receive a split spool like several have described, I haven't installed the wires yet. Even if it isn't a continuous piece, I should be alright as I only need a 10' and 20' piece (but I will knock off a few stars if it is split). According to what I can tell so far, the insulation felt flexible as opposed to some reviews that claimed it was stiff and of low quality.
3.8/5
100 ft Red & 100 ft Black, 2 spooled rolls of 10 Gauge Primary Cable. Conveniently Marked at every feet
For 12V Automotive, Car Audio Radio, Amplifier Remote, LED strip light uses (6 to 80 volts)
Single Conductor, Stranded Copper Clad Aluminum (0.2 mm dia/strand, 108 strands) Insulated in flexible PVC. Rated to 105 C
Visit WWW.AMAZON.COM/GSPOWER for all you wiring needs
IMPORTANT: DO NOT use for building/household 110/220 V ac wiring
$234
Really excellent value given that Best Connections sells the same kind of wire at this price. not genuine 10 gauge, perhaps more like 11? They are also more brittle than copper, as is the case with all aluminum wires. Therefore, use caution when stripping or connecting to avoid breaking the strands.
Ground wire size only matters if the ground wire is too small to handle the current. The ground wire should be the same size or larger than the power wire.
No, power and ground do not have to be the same size. Power is typically larger than ground because it has to carry more current. Ground, on the other hand, only has to carry enough current to provide a return path for the current flowing in the power line.
There are a few schools of thought on this subject. Some say that grounding the amp to the battery is the best way to go because it provides a clean, uninterrupted power source. Others say that grounding the amp to the frame is the better option because it helps to dissipate any electrical noise that may be present in the system. Ultimately, it is up to the installer to decide which method is best for their particular application.
In order to ensure that your home is properly wired, it is important to understand the difference between ground and power. Ground wires provide a path for electricity to travel in the event of a power surge or other electrical issue. Power wires provide the electrical current that powers your home. It is important to consult with a professional electrician to ensure that your home is properly wired.
If an amplifier is not grounded properly, it can cause a number of problems. The most common problem is that the sound quality will suffer. The amplifier will also be more likely to overheat, which can damage the internal components. If the amplifier is not grounded properly, it can also cause interference with other electronic devices.
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