Wire/Fuse Guide

[SubSonic]

Nice chart, thanks for the info!!

[slugdub]

Not to split hairs, but if I go with 900 watts, Class D (~70% efficiency) - <875 watts is going to leave me 25 over recommended limits for existing 6 guage wiring.

Dang.

And I pray 60 amp inline fuse is going to be enough. If someone has a suggestion here, I am stuck.

[Jared420]

hey dumb question probably but I have the AQ 1200 amp @ 1 ohm, 4 gauge wiring and I just noticed, i thought i had an 80 amp agu fuse up by the battery and i realized it's only a 60 amp. Is this restricting the power to my amp at all, should i get like a 100 amp fuse?

[aquito]

ok so im building my sistem right now...i bought knukonceptz 0/1 gauge power wire, and a anl fuse holder, the amp is a PBX 1500.1 RMS, the biggest fuse they offer is 250...am i ok with that?

[1992Chevy K1500]

That fuse should be fine up to 3000W RMS (at 12 volts even).

[Ludachris5150]

Keep in mind that length is a factor here as well.  If you're doing a long run (>20 feet), you should use one size larger.  It doesn't hurt to use a wire size that's larger than necessary, but it will usually cost more and can be more difficult to install.

<span style='font-size:12pt;line-height:100%'>Power Wire:</span>

10 gauge: ~35 amperes

Class D (~70% efficiency) - <350 watts

Class A/B (~50% efficiency) - <250 watts

8 gauge: ~55 amperes

Class D (~70% efficiency) - <550 watts

Class A/B (~50% efficiency) - <400 watts

6 gauge: ~87 amperes

Class D (~70% efficiency) - <875 watts

Class A/B (~50% efficiency) - <625 watts

4 gauge: ~140 amperes

Class D (~70% efficiency) - <1400 watts

Class A/B (~50% efficiency) - <1000 watts

2 gauge: ~220 amperes

Class D (~70% efficiency) - <2200 watts

Class A/B (~50% efficiency) - <1500 watts

1/0 gauge: ~350 amperes

Class D (~70% efficiency) - <3500 watts

Class A/B (~50% efficiency) - <2500 watts

2/0 gauge: ~440 amperes

Class D (~70% efficiency) - <4400 watts

Class A/B (~50% efficiency) - <3000 watts

4/0 gauge: ~700 amperes

Class D (~70% efficiency) - <7000 watts

Class A/B (~50% efficiency) - <5000 watts

<span style='font-size:12pt;line-height:100%'>Speaker wire:</span>

22 gauge: ~2.2 amperes

8 ohms - <36 watts

6 ohms - <27 watts

4 ohms - <18 watts

3 ohms - <13.5 watts

2 ohms - <9 watts

1 ohm - <4.5 watts

20 gauge: ~3.4 amperes

8 ohms - <96 watts

6 ohms - <72 watts

4 ohms - <48 watts

3 ohms - <36 watts

2 ohms - <24 watts

1 ohm - <12 watts

18 gauge: ~5.5 amperes

8 ohms - <240 watts

6 ohms - <180 watts

4 ohms - <120 watts

3 ohms - <90 watts

2 ohms - <60 watts

1 ohm - <30 watts

16 gauge: ~8.7 amperes

8 ohms - <600 watts

6 ohms - <450 watts

4 ohms - <300 watts

3 ohms - <225 watts

2 ohms - <150 watts

1 ohm - <75 watts

14 gauge: ~13.7 amperes

8 ohms - <1500 watts

6 ohms - <1125 watts

4 ohms - <750 watts

3 ohms - <563 watts

2 ohms - <375 watts

1 ohm - <188 watts

12 gauge: ~21.8 amperes

8 ohms - <3800 watts

6 ohms - <2850 watts

4 ohms - <1900 watts

3 ohms - <1425 watts

2 ohms - <950 watts

1 ohm - <475 watts

10 gauge: ~34.6 amperes

8 ohms - <9600 watts

6 ohms - <7200 watts

4 ohms - <4800 watts

3 ohms - <3600 watts

2 ohms - <2400 watts

1 ohm - <1200 watts

8 gauge: ~55 amperes

8 ohms - <24000 watts

6 ohms - <18000 watts

4 ohms - <12000 watts

3 ohms - <9000 watts

2 ohms - <6000 watts

1 ohm - <3000 watts

<span style='font-size:27pt;line-height:100%'>Maximum Fuse Size </span>

00 awg  400 amps

0 awg  325 amps

1 awg  250 amps

2 awg  200 amps

4 awg  125 amps

6 awg  80 amps

8 awg  50 amps

10 awg  30 amps

12 awg  20 amps

14 awg  15 amps

16 awg  7.5 amps

These are the recommended maximum fuse ratings for the corresponding wire size. Using a smaller fuse than what's recommended here will be perfectly safe.

Hope this makes sense.

<span style='font-size:21pt;line-height:100%'>Taken with permission from JMAC @ www.caraudio.com</span>

What about the remote wire? Does it matter what gauge it is? And another "noob" question. Im only gunna be running one battery at the moment. I know I need a fuse within 18" of the front battery. But is that the only fuse Im gunna need (besides with the big 3) I coulda swore I seen somebody on here that had one between the sub n amp, I was gunna ask about it but I cant find the thread now??? Sorry for the stupids questions but hey... Better safe than sorry

[Ludachris5150]

I also have an AQ1200D that has 3 40amp fuses on it. Im gunna b runnin 0 gauge wire with a 150amp fuse by the front battery. Am I good?

[kingcabon20s]

I have a 3400 up front an a 3100 in the back. I have a mechman 220 amp alt up front along with the big 3 all done. Im running a 0/1 gauge run of pos an neg to the back. i have 2 bxi1606s which have dual 80 amp fuses I also have 2 american bass 600w amps that have a single 30 amp fuse a piece.. thats like 380-400 amps right??? would i be ok running a 350 amp fuse in the back an running the 4 gauge to the front batt for the mids an high amps. i dont have money to up grade all my 0/1 to 0/2.

[skittlesRgood]

I have a 3400 up front an a 3100 in the back. I have a mechman 220 amp alt up front along with the big 3 all done. Im running a 0/1 gauge run of pos an neg to the back. i have 2 bxi1606s which have dual 80 amp fuses I also have 2 american bass 600w amps that have a single 30 amp fuse a piece.. thats like 380-400 amps right??? would i be ok running a 350 amp fuse in the back an running the 4 gauge to the front batt for the mids an high amps. i dont have money to up grade all my 0/1 to 0/2.

dont use a 350amp fuse. stick with a 300. ive seen wire melt before a 350amp will pop. and yes i think itll run just fine for your amps.

[rmzsuzuki89]

A funny story with fuses...Years ago before I did my own installs, I had a shop do my install for me. I was digging through boxes and found my old 4awg with the fuse holders on them. The 4awg running to my amps had 200 amp fuses on them. Kinda makes me giggle now at how little I used to know lol.