Jumper cables for speaker wire?

[Don Ganso 13]

I'm getting some 8 gauge wire for speaker wire for my BL 15 that's coming, and my friend's dad, (who is an electrician), said that there were some rather flexible jumper cables available at Menard's that would suit my needs. Now I've always been told wire is wire and copper is copper, but some of the 4 gauge welding wire I was looking at is rated for 90 amps and these cables are rated for 400 amps... I'm serious, it says right on the package 400 amps for these 8 gauge cables... Is that O.K? I'm pretty new to this electrical voodoo, so if anyone could say ya or ney it would be greatly appreciated.

[jrod1050 5]

Im sure it would work but why would you use jumper cables for speaker wire? Even 8 gauge wire would probably be overkill for that sub.

[porkchop 304]

scared of saying a definent "ya" from the scientifical side of it, however, i have used them lot's of times with no issues.

price per foot, sounds like a win. curious, what power wil you be giving them?

chop

[topgun 262]

Its wire, sure, but it isn't rated for 400amps, that is a bogus claim on the manufacturers part. 8ga is also overkill for your purpose too.

[porkchop 304]

a little info along the same line of things, it helped me out.

[shizzzon 461]

when used properly, that 400A rating is probably rated for short burst current.

[Don Ganso 13]

Thanks everybody. For a short time, the BL will only see 600 watts, but in the future something like 1400...

[///M5 2,833]

And even 10ga is overkill for that. If it is a short run and you aren't chasing 10ths you don't even really need 12ga.

One thing about your idea is right. Copper is copper and wire is wire. The caveat being of course diameter and thread count, but really diameter is the biggest thing to be concerned with and you are definitely erring on the side of unnecessary.

[Don Ganso 13]

I wasn't sure but these cables were so cheap I just figured I'd get them. As far as going overboard on the wire gauge, too big of wire won't hurt, will it?

[djjdnap 78]

pretty much the shorter the cable the higher the amperage it can handle, so if its only like 5inches long then yea 400amps would be fine.

[Don Ganso 13]

I'm looking at this chart, and I'm kinda worried... I was going to run the wire through the port on my box, but after running it from the back of the box up to the port... I don't know if 8 gauge is overkill... especially if I might have 4ft from amp to sub... What should I do? Suggestions anyone?

Edited November 24, 2009 by Don Ganso

[///M5 2,833]

That chart is ridiculous.

With 1400w at 1ohm at 25' of 12awg wire you will only lose 2/3 of a dB which is not audible. Closer to .2dB if you were at 4ohm.

Not something to worry about, not sure where that chart came from but its parameters are absurd.

*again as I stated above unless you are chasing tenths don't worry about it

[Don Ganso 13]

That chart is ridiculous.

With 1400w at 1ohm at 25' of 12awg wire you will only lose 2/3 of a dB which is not audible. Closer to .2dB if you were at 4ohm.

Not something to worry about, not sure where that chart came from but its parameters are absurd.

*again as I stated above unless you are chasing tenths don't worry about it

Thanks for the heads up guys. Already got the 8 gauge, as I said before, but I'll remember this for next time, (and there will be many, many, more next times )... Not that I'm not taking your information to heart, it's just that so long as I'm not damaging my speaker or affecting the sonic qualities majorly, then I'll stick with what I have. But thanks again, all you guys are really great about helping us yung 'uns learn what we need to so that we don't destroy the things we washed dishes for 3 years to buy.