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Wires -- how much to buy?

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Old May 19, 2011 | 04:26 PM
  #1  
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Wires -- how much to buy?

I installed 3 systems in previous rides. But that was 10 years, a marriage and a kid ago.
This is the first in a while, so i'm trying to remember what was once easy to calculate. Like how much wire I need for the install. And if anyone can please tell me what a decent price on speaker, power and ground would be nowadays, i'd appreciate it.

CAr is an 03 Altima. Battery is in the front of the engine compartment, I'll run it through the firewall and down the driver's side to the trunk to a dis. block, then to the two amps.

Need to run speaker cable from the trunk for the components to the rear deck, and then to the front corners for the sound stage.

Thanks guys!
Old May 19, 2011 | 04:55 PM
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monoprice and knukoncpets - dollar store has stuff too
Old May 19, 2011 | 05:07 PM
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12-15 ft of power, 5-8 ft of gnd, and about 50 ft of speaker wire. Price varies depending on brand name, size, where you buy etc...i use welding cable for power and gnd, and most electronic shops like sayal, active electronics etc.. Have speaker wire 14 awg works well. I usually pay around 2.50- 3.00/ft for 0 awg welding cable, and about .30-.40/ft for speaker wire...if you look around you may get it cheaper.
Old May 19, 2011 | 05:12 PM
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Lowes has 100ft of in-wall speaker cable for $40+ - go buy lamp cord!
Old May 19, 2011 | 08:07 PM
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Originally Posted by Denonite
12-15 ft of power, 5-8 ft of gnd, and about 50 ft of speaker wire. Price varies depending on brand name, size, where you buy etc...i use welding cable for power and gnd, and most electronic shops like sayal, active electronics etc.. Have speaker wire 14 awg works well. I usually pay around 2.50- 3.00/ft for 0 awg welding cable, and about .30-.40/ft for speaker wire...if you look around you may get it cheaper.
dude where u getting 0ga for $2:50-$3 a foot? princes auto is $3:50 for 1/0 and $4 for 2/0.
i just baught almost 40 feet to add a second batt and finish my sub install

please share
Old May 19, 2011 | 08:20 PM
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i got 40ft of 2/0 for freeeeeeeee...

i use dolar store speaker wires. and cheap home theater sheilded rca. 50ft roll for speaker to start. 17ft of power 5ft ground. extra is better than not enough..
Old May 19, 2011 | 09:08 PM
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shok !
Old May 19, 2011 | 11:03 PM
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Originally Posted by nghtrdr
dude where u getting 0ga for $2:50-$3 a foot? princes auto is $3:50 for 1/0 and $4 for 2/0.
i just baught almost 40 feet to add a second batt and finish my sub install

please share
yeah that's about right...I got my 0 awg a little while ago prior to the copper price inflation...I actually got it for 1.50/ft at that time, but 3.50 sounds about right now...have not priced it in a little while and guessed it would be in the 3.00 range.
Old May 19, 2011 | 11:13 PM
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There ya's go

http://www.princessauto.com/search-p...=welding+cable
Old May 20, 2011 | 01:14 PM
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remember though...you may not need 0 awg depending on what you are running, and what your future car audio plans are. They have 1 awg, 2 awg, 4 awg...that are quite a bit cheaper.



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