need to make a 10ft power switch what kinda wire??

**fallnangel** · 05-29-2005, 10:28 PM

As title states have to make a switch(not really make,have the switch jus need to lengthen the wore) that is long enough to go from the trunk to the front of the car. what kinda wire do i use. And yes i have searched. need it really long so i can run wires behind dash.thanx in advance

p.s. Any ideas or if someone wants to make one for me for a fee im all open.

**0l33l** · 05-29-2005, 10:30 PM

The gauge of this wire does not matter at all.

**albysure** · 05-29-2005, 11:06 PM

unless its some big current draw. just dont go smaller than what you already have there

**84RegalRider** · 05-30-2005, 12:59 AM

Yea same size would probably be ok, but it probably would be best to go 2 or 4 gauge sizes bigger(4 numbers smaller). So if its 16 gauge, 14 or 12 would be best.

**Jahntassa** · 05-30-2005, 06:48 AM

Um, what's the switch being used for, and what kinda power is going through it. If it's just a switch to tell the computer to turn 'on', 16 or 18 is just fine. If it's your main power line, you definitely want a larger wire.

**fallnangel** · 05-31-2005, 09:51 AM

cool guys thanks.jus bout some 14 gauge wire

**c4shm0ney** · 05-31-2005, 09:28 PM

I'm using some old Cat5 cable, what type of power switch are you using?

**evandude** · 05-31-2005, 09:35 PM

seriously, the current through a power switch is negligible, you could use wire the thickness of a human hair and still be fine.

use whatever you want... there's nothing wrong with 14 gauge, but it's overkill... I try to keep all my wire sizes realistic so they don't get unmanageable when I have to run a bundle of them to the front of the car (telephone wire, or cat5 network cable, are great for low current stuff like buttons and LEDs, because they're cheap and readily available, and you can run several low-current devices through one cable)

**Rocky388** · 05-31-2005, 11:25 PM

first find out how many amps are running through the wire. Then pick up an NEC code book (im sure you can also find this information online easily). And it will tell you specifically what gauge wire you should use based on current.