How many watts can be utilized with 12ga speaker wire?

[cameron paterson]

I have a TC Sounds LMS-R Ultra 5400 18". I am running a Crown XLS 2500 amp too it bridged. So its getting up to 2500 watts. My question is, can my 12ga cable run that much power with the wire being 20ft long? Or should I get 10ga? I can get 8ga if necessary.

 

[TechHDS]

As much as you can throw at it, good 12g wire at 20ft is well within its limits.

 

[cameron paterson]

Ok so no need for 8ga? I can easily get 20ft of 8ga for $40

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Short answer: 20ft of 12 awg cable is fine.

long answer:
A 12awg wire is rated up to 20amp (I am assuming you're in USA and you don't use special 20amp outlet) but your wall outlet could only provide 15amp max at 120v. That's 1800w max
Consider about 90% efficiency of Class D amp and you have 1620w max you could deliver to your speaker at best. That said, only 1600w would still likely be more enough to knock down or shift few walls and rattle windows out,

 

[Speedskater]

and that 12AWG and 20 Amp rating is for continuous current. So unless you plan to run a full power test tone for 3 hours, the cable will carry a lot more current.

* * * * * * * * * *
actually it will carry about two hundred amps for a second or so.

 

[cameron paterson]

Wow that's crazy! Only getting 1600 because of my outlets you mean? What about if I run my receiver and another amp all thru a monster cable surge protector? That's what I am doing now is that ruining the power going to my amps and receiver? Wouldn't my breakers trip if it got too loud? Thank you from me as well. Lots of good info from these gurus!

 

[Speedskater]

The 20 or 30 Amp rating on circuit breakers is for continuous current. Continuous is three or more hours, like the lighting system in a store. However the breaker will handle ten times it's rated current for a second or so. Home theater people are sometimes surprised to see how many big amps can play real loud on one circuit. But they have to turn the amps on one at a time.

 

[highfigh]

Wow that's crazy! Only getting 1600 because of my outlets you mean? What about if I run my receiver and another amp all thru a monster cable surge protector? That's what I am doing now is that ruining the power going to my amps and receiver? Wouldn't my breakers trip if it got too loud? Thank you from me as well. Lots of good info from these gurus!

Power amps don't need to be protected unless they have specific circuits that are more sensitive (like DSP, etc) and if you use some of them, the current will actually be limited, so your power will be reduced.

Breakers don't trip because of loudness, they trip because of current overload. the two are barely related in an audio system- it will be very loud long before the breaker trips.

 

[cameron paterson]

So 1620 watts divided by 2 amps and a receiver?. So less than 600 watts each probably? I didn't understand correctly... if I use a different outlet in the same room will I get more power?

 

[cameron paterson]

If I use a different outlet but it belongs to the same breaker will that give me more power?

 

[Speedskater]

Once again, the only thing that really limits available AC power is the circuit breaker tripping!
If it's not loud enough, you need to get a receiver with twice the power or more.

 

[cameron paterson]

Cool thanks buddy! Its plenty loud now just didn't want to get jipped on how much power I could utilize.