16 gauge

[rockc]

Is 16 gauge wire sufficent to run 6X9 speakers. The wires to the speakers is gonna be about 8' long.

[stich626]

yes and no..
yes it'll work, and if running the 6by9 off the head unit (not from an amp) is fine as the headunits speaker leads are that size or smaller..
if running an amp you'll make the amp work harder..

[rockc]

What gauge would you suggest with running off a amp?

[stich626]

Originally Posted by rockc

What gauge would you suggest with running off a amp?

I used 12 or 10, but I side with overkill

I've run 16 to amps, just not mine..

for some fun reading
http://www.gtsparkplugs.com/WireSizeCalc.html

[BBrendal]

16 ga will work fine for a pair of 6x9s

[85gmc2tone]

Originally Posted by rockc

What gauge would you suggest with running off a amp?

6 or 8 gauge

[BBrendal]

Originally Posted by 85gmc2tone

6 or 8 gauge

Thats crazy! You are probably only looking at 40 to 60 watts rms goin to them. If you run 6 or 8 gauge to power 6x9s what would you use for the subs? 4Ga? 2Ga? I dont think so!

[76stepsidechevy]

Originally Posted by BBrendal

Thats crazy! You are probably only looking at 40 to 60 watts rms goin to them. If you run 6 or 8 gauge to power 6x9s what would you use for the subs? 4Ga? 2Ga? I dont think so!

thats what im saying, depending on insulation your average 8 gauge wire is good for 40 amps. That 6x9 would be on fire long before you could ever put anywhere near that kind of power to it.

[85gmc2tone]

Originally Posted by stich626

yes and no..
yes it'll work, and if running the 6by9 off the head unit (not from an amp) is fine as the headunits speaker leads are that size or smaller..
if running an amp you'll make the amp work harder..

hes right.

[john_p]

the primary thing past length that determines wire gauge is current.. if you are using a 20 watt speaker.. then you could pull 1.4 or so amps.. a 16 would work out to just under 40 ft.. if i had the wire i would use it, if i was shopping for wire i would pick up the 12.. as posted overkill is better.. where i work i usually cut the power cable off of a piece of anything 220 on the way to the dump.. they tend to have 8 or 10 stranded..

[76stepsidechevy]

#14 is rated for 15 amps even the #16 is probably overkill. A regular speaker will never see that kind of current. A speaker isn't running at 12 volts either, probably something more like 50-100 so the current draw is actually quite low.