Welding Cable VS Car audio cable for power runs

[DonkeysBreath]

What is the general community consensus on the use of welding cabe instead of cable sold for car audio? I can get 1/0 OFC 105deg rated welding cable of about 3.26 a foot but i can only get 1/0 sold for car audio for about 11.50 a foot(this is from a trusted shop that would not screw me I think). Is there something Im missing here like the only disadvantage is weding cable will not be as flexabule. thank you for your time

[Skullz]

A lot of people use welding cable for their vehicles, some people like to rep car audio companies and some prefer to get the least expensive pieces that do exactly the same thing for less, so they can spend the money elsewhere on their projects.

Does it really matter what you use as long as it does what you want it to do?

[Wasteland_Audio]

Bro if that shop is charging you $11.50 a foot then you are getting bent. A 50' spool of Sky High 1/0 OFC is only $175 ($3.50 a foot). Don't worry tho, the only "reputable" shop in my town does the same thing, that's why i do everything myself.

[DonkeysBreath]

I share a similar opinion as you. Its just i was once told buy a seller that welding cables insulation would not be as robust (for example it would not stand up to harsh temps and some solvents that are used under the hood) as the car audio cables. So far he is the only one that has said so.

[Wasteland_Audio]

I have to disagree with that. Welding cable is designed to be drug around a shop floor in the dirt and oil all day every day. I wouldn't be afraid for a second to put it under the hood or under the car. The plus side to audio cable tho is it is much more pliable because of it's higher strand count and different compound insulation. A higher strand count also means it is able to carry slightly more amperage than standard welding cable. Despite all that it really just comes down to preference, price, and what will work best for your specific system.

[audiofanaticz]

Strand count doesnt mean much in terms of carrying more or less amperage.

Also strand count doesnt mean 1 wire is better than another. A wire with more strands but smaller gauge strands can still carry the same load as an equal sized wire that uses less strands but larger strands.

All that strand count is really going to effect is flexibility for how we use the wire in car audio.

When strand count matters is for AC when you have to deal with "skin effect" which means the ac is flowing more less on the surface of the wire, and not through it. The effect becomes more and more apparent as the frequency increases.

But vehicles charging system is DC this is not really any sort of issue.

As for the casing on welding cable wire each manufacture is different, some are stronger than others.

This is the same for the casing in wire made for car audio.

You cant really dump all the wire in to different categories and say one is better than the other when it can go both ways for both types of wires dependent on brand.

Typically audio cable will be more flexible, but Ive seen some decent Flex-A-Prene welding cable that was not too shabby compared to other welding cable, but it was a decent bit more.

Another thing you have to compare is the actual gauge of the wire.

The majority of car audio wire is oversized and sold as 1/0.

If you buy 1/0 welding cable it will be smaller than 1/0 audio wire, so you will need to step up to 2/0 welding cable usually to get the same size wire that you would with car audio wire.

One huge PRO for wire made for audio is that some companies silver tin their ofc wire which helps the wire last longer and doesnt corrode as easily or fast.

One huge PRO for welding wire is that it is typically made in the USA, but not all brands are.

Another PRO for audio wire is that it typically looks nicer in the install. You usually have better access to colors that will go with your theme.

I do feel that some audio wire companies that are ofc are not truly ofc and have other metals in them to make it look like its true ofc and have the same weight

Ive seen some pretty iffy wire imo and some seem to take solder a lot worse than others which is odd.

Typically its easy to tell because as soon as you strip the wire to put it in a terminal or an amp the strands spring out, and dont hold any form even if you try to twist them, where as some wire you strip it and it doesnt poof out all over the place.

Some of the best OFC wire I ever worked with has been Rockford Fosgate, Kicker Hyperflex, Sundown, JL Audio, XS Power XS Fleks, CT Sounds, Stinger (but its not an oversized 1/0 like the others).

You will pay more of a premium price for most these brands though.

I also use to like the Knukonceptz Kolossus Fleks but their new stuff as of a few years ago all seems thinner in every way. Thinner/cheaper casing, thinner wire, and even feels like cheaper wire. Might just be me though.

Sadly most audio cable is not held to any sort of standard like welding cable is, which is why you find dirt cheap companies selling 1/0 wire that is the size of 4gauge with a massive casing around it to look like its 1/0 when its not. Only the more expensive audio wire is held to a BC-5W2 marine compliance, so typically you are getting a better stronger casing and a cable that will not corrode as quickly since it can be used in marine applications (boats). Along with some being held to a CEA standard of meeting or exceeding the gauge that the company is claiming.

Also I tend to start to wonder how one company can sell a product that is 4/0 gauge for the same price or less as one company selling a quality 1/0 gauge, and is cheaper than the majority of the welding cable 4/0, while another company selling 4/0 is selling it for nearly $2.00 per foot more than the other 4/0 gauge guys. It really makes you think about what your actually buying when your getting that cheaper audio wire.

Mind=Blown...

[Omega5002]

I have have better experience with welding cable then audio wire.

Welding cable has a tougher jacket, which is very nice when dealing with runs, I have 2 runs of Royal Execlene 2/0 for grounds, and the jacket is still well intact.

I also like the fact that is has less strands because it doesnt get as twisted and frayed when removing wire from ampilfiers and it's so much easier to have normal 2/0 tinned lugs fit them when crimping them because with 1/0 audio wire like Sky High for example, I have to keep twisting it so the strands don't keep popping out. Yeah sure it's not extremely flexible like audio wire but it's flexible enough for running wire. Yeah sure it's not as easy to tie a knot with welding cable, but that's silly in my opinion.

Also love it cause it's dirt cheap, it's around $120 for 50ft of 2/0 royal exelene shipped, which you can't get audio 1/0 for, even if you're a dealer for some brands(not saying which brand and what price). Plus, for whatever reason you need it for, whether for like a giant build or something, you can buy a 1000ft continous roll of the stuff(if you don't mind pay $2500 at once for wire lol), and you get the wire in a nice big wooden roll. Most audio companies, if you bought a 1000ft of wire, you'd get 20 50ft rolls.

[walwalka]

Strand count doesnt mean much in terms of carrying more or less amperage.

Also strand count doesnt mean 1 wire is better than another. A wire with more strands but smaller gauge strands can still carry the same load as an equal sized wire that uses less strands but larger strands.

All that strand count is really going to effect is flexibility for how we use the wire in car audio.

When strand count matters is for AC when you have to deal with "skin effect" which means the ac is flowing more less on the surface of the wire, and not through it. The effect becomes more and more apparent as the frequency increases.

But vehicles charging system is DC this is not really any sort of issue.

As for the casing on welding cable wire each manufacture is different, some are stronger than others.

This is the same for the casing in wire made for car audio.

You cant really dump all the wire in to different categories and say one is better than the other when it can go both ways for both types of wires dependent on brand.

Typically audio cable will be more flexible, but Ive seen some decent Flex-A-Prene welding cable that was not too shabby compared to other welding cable, but it was a decent bit more.

Another thing you have to compare is the actual gauge of the wire.

The majority of car audio wire is oversized and sold as 1/0.

If you buy 1/0 welding cable it will be smaller than 1/0 audio wire, so you will need to step up to 2/0 welding cable usually to get the same size wire that you would with car audio wire.

One huge PRO for wire made for audio is that some companies silver tin their ofc wire which helps the wire last longer and doesnt corrode as easily or fast.

One huge PRO for welding wire is that it is typically made in the USA, but not all brands are.

Another PRO for audio wire is that it typically looks nicer in the install. You usually have better access to colors that will go with your theme.

I do feel that some audio wire companies that are ofc are not truly ofc and have other metals in them to make it look like its true ofc and have the same weight

Ive seen some pretty iffy wire imo and some seem to take solder a lot worse than others which is odd.

Typically its easy to tell because as soon as you strip the wire to put it in a terminal or an amp the strands spring out, and dont hold any form even if you try to twist them, where as some wire you strip it and it doesnt poof out all over the place.

Some of the best OFC wire I ever worked with has been Rockford Fosgate, Kicker Hyperflex, Sundown, JL Audio, XS Power XS Fleks, CT Sounds, Stinger (but its not an oversized 1/0 like the others).

You will pay more of a premium price for most these brands though.

I also use to like the Knukonceptz Kolossus Fleks but their new stuff as of a few years ago all seems thinner in every way. Thinner/cheaper casing, thinner wire, and even feels like cheaper wire. Might just be me though.

Sadly most audio cable is not held to any sort of standard like welding cable is, which is why you find dirt cheap companies selling 1/0 wire that is the size of 4gauge with a massive casing around it to look like its 1/0 when its not. Only the more expensive audio wire is held to a BC-5W2 marine compliance, so typically you are getting a better stronger casing and a cable that will not corrode as quickly since it can be used in marine applications (boats). Along with some being held to a CEA standard of meeting or exceeding the gauge that the company is claiming.

Also I tend to start to wonder how one company can sell a product that is 4/0 gauge for the same price or less as one company selling a quality 1/0 gauge, and is cheaper than the majority of the welding cable 4/0, while another company selling 4/0 is selling it for nearly $2.00 per foot more than the other 4/0 gauge guys. It really makes you think about what your actually buying when your getting that cheaper audio wire.

Mind=Blown...

Best explanation you're going to get right here.

I would agree on the Knukonceptz point, however I think they are turning it back around. As the jacket on the wire I just bought definitely feels different than the wire I bought last year.

[Soccerballzs]

Strand count doesnt mean much in terms of carrying more or less amperage.

Also strand count doesnt mean 1 wire is better than another. A wire with more strands but smaller gauge strands can still carry the same load as an equal sized wire that uses less strands but larger strands.

All that strand count is really going to effect is flexibility for how we use the wire in car audio.

When strand count matters is for AC when you have to deal with "skin effect" which means the ac is flowing more less on the surface of the wire, and not through it. The effect becomes more and more apparent as the frequency increases.

But vehicles charging system is DC this is not really any sort of issue.

As for the casing on welding cable wire each manufacture is different, some are stronger than others.

This is the same for the casing in wire made for car audio.

You cant really dump all the wire in to different categories and say one is better than the other when it can go both ways for both types of wires dependent on brand.

Typically audio cable will be more flexible, but Ive seen some decent Flex-A-Prene welding cable that was not too shabby compared to other welding cable, but it was a decent bit more.

Another thing you have to compare is the actual gauge of the wire.

The majority of car audio wire is oversized and sold as 1/0.

If you buy 1/0 welding cable it will be smaller than 1/0 audio wire, so you will need to step up to 2/0 welding cable usually to get the same size wire that you would with car audio wire.

One huge PRO for wire made for audio is that some companies silver tin their ofc wire which helps the wire last longer and doesnt corrode as easily or fast.

One huge PRO for welding wire is that it is typically made in the USA, but not all brands are.

Another PRO for audio wire is that it typically looks nicer in the install. You usually have better access to colors that will go with your theme.

I do feel that some audio wire companies that are ofc are not truly ofc and have other metals in them to make it look like its true ofc and have the same weight

Ive seen some pretty iffy wire imo and some seem to take solder a lot worse than others which is odd.

Typically its easy to tell because as soon as you strip the wire to put it in a terminal or an amp the strands spring out, and dont hold any form even if you try to twist them, where as some wire you strip it and it doesnt poof out all over the place.

Some of the best OFC wire I ever worked with has been Rockford Fosgate, Kicker Hyperflex, Sundown, JL Audio, XS Power XS Fleks, CT Sounds, Stinger (but its not an oversized 1/0 like the others).

You will pay more of a premium price for most these brands though.

I also use to like the Knukonceptz Kolossus Fleks but their new stuff as of a few years ago all seems thinner in every way. Thinner/cheaper casing, thinner wire, and even feels like cheaper wire. Might just be me though.

Sadly most audio cable is not held to any sort of standard like welding cable is, which is why you find dirt cheap companies selling 1/0 wire that is the size of 4gauge with a massive casing around it to look like its 1/0 when its not. Only the more expensive audio wire is held to a BC-5W2 marine compliance, so typically you are getting a better stronger casing and a cable that will not corrode as quickly since it can be used in marine applications (boats). Along with some being held to a CEA standard of meeting or exceeding the gauge that the company is claiming.

Also I tend to start to wonder how one company can sell a product that is 4/0 gauge for the same price or less as one company selling a quality 1/0 gauge, and is cheaper than the majority of the welding cable 4/0, while another company selling 4/0 is selling it for nearly $2.00 per foot more than the other 4/0 gauge guys. It really makes you think about what your actually buying when your getting that cheaper audio wire.

Mind=Blown...

Good write up right here. GOOD JOB!!

[audiofanaticz]

I also like the fact that is has less strands because it doesnt get as twisted and frayed when removing wire from ampilfiers and it's so much easier to have normal 2/0 tinned lugs fit them when crimping them because with 1/0 audio wire like Sky High for example

Exactly what Im talking about if you read above.

But from what I have noticed it has nothing to do with how many strands or how small/large the strands are, but the actual type of wire, though it may say OFC is it really 99.9 percent OFC like they claim???

When you strip the wire and it poofs out like its CCA and can barley hold a twist like other copper wires Im leading to bet what your buying and being sold as OFC copper is anything but and made to look and have the same weight as copper.

Nothing frustrates me more than bargain wire and trying to get all strands in the amp input or the ring terminal, when you can do this so quickly and easily with other wires.