PSU power over speaker wire???

**Defiler** · 02-12-2003, 03:43 PM

I've searched and found nothing referring to my specific problem.

I am changing my setup and I want to mount my 180W ATX PSU in the trunk and my carputer is in the center console. About a 6 to 7 foot run. I want to run a 7 foot ATX power cable extention from the trunk to the center console. Something like THIS but 7 feet long. I looked on the wire for the PSU and it was 18 Gage.

Here's my question.

Will 18 Gage speaker wire handle what I want to do?

**MikeHunt79** · 02-12-2003, 06:16 PM

I've used speaker cable for power before with no troubles. I say go for it!

**Defiler** · 02-12-2003, 07:17 PM

Originally posted by MikeHunt79
I've used speaker cable for power before with no troubles. I say go for it!

I was worried about the wire getting too hot and popping...

I'll give it a try and see...

Until then...anyone else doing this currently or has done this in the past?

**bosstone74** · 02-12-2003, 08:36 PM

just curious? Why would you use speaker wire?

**Ces///M3** · 02-12-2003, 08:38 PM

wire = wire = wire

**Defiler** · 02-12-2003, 09:28 PM

Originally posted by bosstone74
just curious? Why would you use speaker wire?

Because I couldn't find a roll of wire that was as plyable and came in a roll of any great length. So, I went to a local car stereo shop that sells from thier inventory and bought 18 gage speaker wire (paired) for 18 cents a foot. $13 dollars and a little soldering and wraping will get me the extention I need...hopefully.

I just hope it won't get too hot. Time will tell.

**osirisdon** · 02-12-2003, 09:43 PM

As long as you got from point A to point B zero ohm's you'll be good to go.

**MikeHunt79** · 02-13-2003, 01:09 AM

I`m sure that your wire ain`t gonna overheat. It`s not as if you are running thousands of amps thru it, is it? I've also found that cat 5 can make pretty good power wire, but only for low currents, since the cores are quite thin. Anyway, look forward to seeing the results, Defiler.

EDIT after pondering: Think about it... Speaker wire perfect! It is designed to take power, look at the 200wrms sub connected to an amp for example... Speaker wire! I`m sure it doesn`t get hot even when transferring 200wrms (even higher @ peak value). I hope y`all understand what i mean.

**Defiler** · 02-19-2003, 07:46 PM

Well it's working as planned...

Perfectly flat after tapeing all the wires together, can't notice a thing under the carpet. As was posted by others, the wire didn't even get slightly warm. Now I just need to do one for the HD and DVD power.

**MP3DUB** · 02-20-2003, 10:24 AM

I've accidentially put 3+ amps through 24ga cat5 without much incident (melted the jacks, the cat5 was fine tho

). I used to have a chart that showed how much current could safely be put through what gauge wire, over what lenghts and such. That info is probably even on this board somewhere. Glad to hear that it worked out.

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