Speaker Wire connections...
07-09-2009, 11:28 AM
#1
50 Watt CAFz'r
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 141
Speaker Wire connections...
Hi
First off i would like to know if 16 gauge speaker wire is adequate for car stereo installation.
Also, my alpine speakers came with very nice connectors with about 6 inches of wire attatched to them. What is the best way to attatch my regular speaker wire to the Alpine wires that have the connectors?
Just twist them together and tape it up? Or solder them and use heat shrink?
thanks
J
First off i would like to know if 16 gauge speaker wire is adequate for car stereo installation.
Also, my alpine speakers came with very nice connectors with about 6 inches of wire attatched to them. What is the best way to attatch my regular speaker wire to the Alpine wires that have the connectors?
Just twist them together and tape it up? Or solder them and use heat shrink?
thanks
J
07-09-2009, 11:42 AM
#2
50 Watt CAFz'r
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 103
16 guage is perfect for any Mid/Hi speaker installations. Subs, nothing less than 12 guage, depending on the power required.
The "Best" way in regards to SQ is freshly cut/strip the wire and immediately solder them with a quality rosen core silver solder and heat shrink them.
The most convienient is to use insulated 1/4" blade connectors or an insulated mate to whatever connector you've got on your existing wires. Make sure they are insulated though, you don't want to risk a short. That is very bad for amps... PS. Avoid tape at all cost, the tempurature swings your car sees just melt the glue and you will be cursing it up and down when you ahve to handle it later. Heat shrink is best.
Lyle
The "Best" way in regards to SQ is freshly cut/strip the wire and immediately solder them with a quality rosen core silver solder and heat shrink them.
The most convienient is to use insulated 1/4" blade connectors or an insulated mate to whatever connector you've got on your existing wires. Make sure they are insulated though, you don't want to risk a short. That is very bad for amps... PS. Avoid tape at all cost, the tempurature swings your car sees just melt the glue and you will be cursing it up and down when you ahve to handle it later. Heat shrink is best.
Lyle
07-09-2009, 09:40 PM
#3
16 guage is fine if your not running much power. I generally always pass 14 guage when running anything more than 40Wrms per channel and 12 guage for anything around the 100Wrms mark.
Bigger is always better when it comes to wiring.
Bigger is always better when it comes to wiring.
07-09-2009, 09:46 PM
#4
50 Watt CAFz'r
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 50
from what i have heard soldering speaker wires isnt the best for sq. audio signals being a/c is like a house. and youd never solder anything in a house. but at the same time most speakers have solder on them. but a nice tight wrap with a good quaility tape will be fine. although adding heat shrink on top will stop the tape from ever unraveling if you didnt get a good wrap on it, so will a good placed zip tie or two.
07-11-2009, 12:10 PM
#5
50 Watt CAFz'r
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 66
from what i have heard soldering speaker wires isnt the best for sq. audio signals being a/c is like a house. and youd never solder anything in a house. but at the same time most speakers have solder on them. but a nice tight wrap with a good quaility tape will be fine. although adding heat shrink on top will stop the tape from ever unraveling if you didnt get a good wrap on it, so will a good placed zip tie or two.
07-11-2009, 06:38 PM
#7
Yankee
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 3,599
from what i have heard soldering speaker wires isnt the best for sq. audio signals being a/c is like a house. and youd never solder anything in a house. but at the same time most speakers have solder on them. but a nice tight wrap with a good quaility tape will be fine. although adding heat shrink on top will stop the tape from ever unraveling if you didnt get a good wrap on it, so will a good placed zip tie or two.
Solder whenever possible though there is nothing electrically wrong with using polarized male/ female connectors. using tape over areas there the copper could peak out is OK though heat shrink is superior. Never use a wire nut, which would be code in a house, in a car though
07-11-2009, 11:29 PM
#8
50 Watt CAFz'r
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 103
You cannot win a debate with 'soldered' vs 'twisted with tape'. Some specialty crimps are as good as solder, but by they time you've paid for the tooling you'd wish you just soldered them.
Solder has several benefits tape can never match.
1. 100% connection, solder fills all the gaps that twisting or crimping can't.
2. Strength, a good solder job cannot be pulled apart.
3. Corrosion resistance, Copper oxidizes when eposed to air which degrades the connection, but the solder seals the connection from the air which maintains a corrosion free connection indefinately.
xtremeDan, I`m not sure where you got you info from but it is wrong. BTW, yes you are correct, you typically don't use solder in a house. But this is because if a contractor had to solder every joint, you couldn't afford to pay him. So, an entire electrical code was built around quick and clean connections. ie, a residential electrical connection must be made inside a grounded, certified junction box.
Lyle
Solder has several benefits tape can never match.
1. 100% connection, solder fills all the gaps that twisting or crimping can't.
2. Strength, a good solder job cannot be pulled apart.
3. Corrosion resistance, Copper oxidizes when eposed to air which degrades the connection, but the solder seals the connection from the air which maintains a corrosion free connection indefinately.
xtremeDan, I`m not sure where you got you info from but it is wrong. BTW, yes you are correct, you typically don't use solder in a house. But this is because if a contractor had to solder every joint, you couldn't afford to pay him. So, an entire electrical code was built around quick and clean connections. ie, a residential electrical connection must be made inside a grounded, certified junction box.
Lyle
07-12-2009, 06:36 PM
#10
You cannot win a debate with 'soldered' vs 'twisted with tape'. Some specialty crimps are as good as solder, but by they time you've paid for the tooling you'd wish you just soldered them.
Solder has several benefits tape can never match.
1. 100% connection, solder fills all the gaps that twisting or crimping can't.
2. Strength, a good solder job cannot be pulled apart.
3. Corrosion resistance, Copper oxidizes when eposed to air which degrades the connection, but the solder seals the connection from the air which maintains a corrosion free connection indefinately.
xtremeDan, I`m not sure where you got you info from but it is wrong. BTW, yes you are correct, you typically don't use solder in a house. But this is because if a contractor had to solder every joint, you couldn't afford to pay him. So, an entire electrical code was built around quick and clean connections. ie, a residential electrical connection must be made inside a grounded, certified junction box.
Lyle
Solder has several benefits tape can never match.
1. 100% connection, solder fills all the gaps that twisting or crimping can't.
2. Strength, a good solder job cannot be pulled apart.
3. Corrosion resistance, Copper oxidizes when eposed to air which degrades the connection, but the solder seals the connection from the air which maintains a corrosion free connection indefinately.
xtremeDan, I`m not sure where you got you info from but it is wrong. BTW, yes you are correct, you typically don't use solder in a house. But this is because if a contractor had to solder every joint, you couldn't afford to pay him. So, an entire electrical code was built around quick and clean connections. ie, a residential electrical connection must be made inside a grounded, certified junction box.
Lyle
However soldering is fast, more solid, less bulky and much more practicle for t-connections. It may add a minute amount of resistance but it's the most practicle and overall best connection type in a car.
