Is 18 guage Amp power wire good enough?

SS5800 · Dec 7, 2008

Today i picked up a 15" AudioBahn Sub with enclosure and a VR3 200 WATT amp and some wires for $80. Yes i realize the sub wont put out its max potential with this amp but its brand new and i would like to use it. Nothing crazy needed in my truck.

My question is..the guy gave me a set of RCA's i know what there used for, He gave me a blue wire it says auto remote on it, I know thats for the power signal to the amp when deck turns on, and he gave me a black wire which was the same thickness as the blue auto power wire... As far as i can tell most power wires are red, and alot thicker than 18 gauge.

But i was just wondering since its only a 200watt amp would this 18 gauge wire be ok? It has no capacitor on it or anything. Just a wire with a ring terminal.

newmarketEOD · Dec 7, 2008

First off, to run a subwoofer off an amp that can not power it is a bad idea, I smoke a set of kickers that way.

I would run atleast 8 gauge.

drumrpunk · Dec 7, 2008

18 gauge would not be acceptable. I would run 10 minimum. 10 will handled the 200 watts. 8 would be a better investment for expandability.

tahoebrotha · Dec 7, 2008

8 or 10 for sure

Nickleahy23 · Dec 7, 2008

just get a 4 gauge wireing kit from walmart..there like 20 bucks..youll be glad when you decide to upgrade the amp..i already with i woulda ran more then 1 run of 1/0 gauge, but ill just have to change it up

TahoeGoBoom · Dec 7, 2008

newmarketEOD said:
First off, to run a subwoofer off an amp that can not power it is a bad idea, I smoke a set of kickers that way.

I would run atleast 8 gauge.

how the hell did you blow speakers by underpowering them?

Nickleahy23 said:
just get a 4 gauge wireing kit from walmart..there like 20 bucks..youll be glad when you decide to upgrade the amp..i already with i woulda ran more then 1 run of 1/0 gauge, but ill just have to change it up

walmart wiring kits aren't true gauge. If you want 8, buy 4... if you want 4, dont go to walmart...

and i would run 8. I dont go smaller than 8 on an amp

qlc1964 · Dec 7, 2008

from the amp clipping & distortion it's not clean power for the speaker

TahoeGoBoom · Dec 8, 2008

you can underpower a speaker all day long.. as long as you dont go and turn the gain way up to try and overcompensate, resulting in distortion...
your speakers are normally underpowered unless you ride around blasting you music 24/7.

don't be worried to underpower a speaker, just make sure to tune the amp correctly.

SS5800 · Dec 9, 2008

Alright guys, I ended up buying a monster cable wiring kit. 8 gauge. I a glad i did to. But now i have a problem. My truck is being drained of battery life. My buddy told me he hooked up the remote wire to the deck but its still being drained. We were both working on seperate parts of the truck so he could be lying :/.

I want to ask you guys if i ran this correctly.

I ran a 8 guage wire straight from my battery which connects by a terminal ring. I ran that straight under the carpet to the power in on my amp.

I ran Rca's from the back of my deck under the carpet straight to the rca input on my amp.

I ran my blue remote wire from the blue wire coming off my deck straight back to the remote in on my amp.

I ran a ground wire straight from my amps ground out to a bolt on my seat.

And the two sub wires from the sub out on the amp to my sub.

It seems to me like everything is right correct?

My battery is old dont get me wron i have had prblems with it starting in the past and i have had to sand down the terminals and reconnect to get a decent connection.

TahoeGoBoom · Dec 9, 2008

Sounds like it's hooked up correctly. If the amp stays on, the remote is hooked up to constant power. That's the first thing u should check.

SS5800 · Dec 9, 2008

So im assumin the light on my amp would stay on when the truck shuts off if its hooked up wrong? Because the light does not stay on.

TahoeGoBoom · Dec 9, 2008

If the light is off it's hooked up correctly.

SS5800 · Dec 9, 2008

Alright well the lights off. Now i narrowed that down. SO what else could be the problem?

TahoeGoBoom · Dec 9, 2008

Could be the battery, could be the alternator.. If the amp is off the system isn't draining any power... It may just be a common car problem rather than stereo related. Sorry I'm being rather straightfoward, but I'm on my phone, so it's a little difficult. Lol

newmarketEOD · Dec 9, 2008

How well is your truck charging when it is running I.E. what is the gauge reading.

TahoeGoBoom · Dec 9, 2008

13-14 depending on if I'm really Playin it. But I have a second battery as well.

SS5800 · Dec 9, 2008

My batter guage reads 9 at the beginning 14 in middle and 19 at the end. My pin is staying steady two lines under 14 thats with truck rnning and sub blasting

TahoeGoBoom · Dec 9, 2008

at an idle or while driving? mine at an idle is right around where your saying, but if im driving it stays at 14..

mross · Dec 10, 2008

i agree with tahoegoboom,sounds like it is hooked up right,most likely a questionable battery or alternator has begun to rise to the surface.my last eight cars have needed a alternator right after i have added small system.i'm just gonna put one on my new hoe first to save the dead battery trouble.

Is 18 guage Amp power wire good enough?

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