12-Gauge To 18-Gauge WireĪt 25 feet in length, 12-gauge wiring can only handle 15-18 amps.īut this rating is significantly higher than what 14-gauge and 16-gauge wires can conduct, which are 11-12 and 8-10 amps, respectively. Their rating is 30-50 amps.Ĩ-gauge wires can conduct in the 150 to 200-amp range if only three feet long. If you shorten the distance to 15-20 feet, 4-gauge wires can handle 150 to 100-amp loads, while their 6-gauge counterparts can hit 100 amps on the ammeter without overheating.īut 10-gauge wires cannot get to 100. 2-Gauge To 10-Gauge WireĢ-gauge wires are ideal for accessories drawing 150-200 amps at a length of 25 feet from the power source.Ĥ-gauge wires can comfortably handle 100-amp loads for the same distance, while 8-gauge cables can transmit 40-50 amps.īut 10-gauge wires can only do 20 amps at 25 feet. It is more accurate to wire these electrical devices using their current draw figures. The guide above can have inaccuracies because car components have different amp draws depending on the vehicle.
Here’s a table summary to guide your electrical wiring. Otherwise, the sound output will not be crisp. The general rule of thumb is to use 16-gauge wires for a length not exceeding 15 feet, 14-gauge for up to 25 feet, and 12-gauge for up to 35 feet. These include tail, interior, parking lights, and speakers.Ī tail light cable assembly replacement partīut speaker wires can be thicker to reduce resistance. Most car electrical systems get power from the battery or alternator using these cable thicknesses because they consume little power.
Other lower amp-draw accessories like front and rear windshield wipers, headlights, head units, fuel pumps, and primary & auxiliary fuse blocks can run on 12-gauge to 14-gauge wires. The same applies to compressors or powerful audio system amplifiers mounted in the trunk.īut you can use 8-gauge wiring for these big-draw audio systems to be on the safe side. Vehicles with batteries mounted in the engine bay can also use 10-gauge wires to send power to electrical accessories mounted at the rear. And they fall in this category.įor instance, a three or one-wire alternator can supply the power it generates to charge the battery and power the car using a 10-gauge wire. Since the starter motor has the highest current draw in vehicles, all other components and electrical accessories can use thinner wire gauge sizes. Vehicles falling between this category and the small truck can have 4-gauge and 6-gauge cables. Smaller trucks with regular diesel automotive engines or high-compression gas motors usually have 0-gauge and 1-gauge battery harness cables to power the starter.Ī starter motor for a diesel truck (note the wire harness in the corrugated tube)īut low compression and displacement car engines can work with starters connected to the battery using 8-gauge wires. Most large trucks use 00-gauge wires to carry current from the battery pack to the starter motor. The thickest cable you’ll probably find in vehicles is the 00 gauge, but not in regular cars. The 000-gauge wire is also not applicable for automotive wiring, so we’ll start at 00.
This cable is the thickest of them all and has a diameter of 0.46 inches. When considering car and household wiring cables, we usually refer to American Wire Gauge, which can go as low as 0000. If more than 2%, the sensor or device receiving the power will operate less efficiently. Voltage drop is the potential difference lost over the cable length, and a wire’s maximum voltage drop should not exceed 2% of the value at the starting or injection point. The factor that primarily determines the correct wire gauge is voltage drop.
AUTOMOTIVE WIRE GAUGE CHART HOW TO
So the 8-gauge cable is the thickest, while the 18-gauge wire is the narrowest.Īn engine wiring harness How To Select The Correct Wire Gauge As the wire gauge increases, the wires become thinner. The typical wire gauges in automotive applications are 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, and 18. The lower the gauge rating, the thicker the cable, which means it is heavier and has less electrical resistance. Stranded Wires in Automotive WiringĪ wire gauge indicates an electrical wire’s diameter and determines the electric current flow that a conductor can handle. Factors To Consider When Selecting an Automotive Wiring Harness Wire Gauge.Here’s a guide to help you in this process. The naming or numbering of wire gauges is rather unconventional because the thickness increases as the number reduces.įor instance, a 1-gauge wire is thicker than a 2-gauge wire. When selecting automotive wiring harness wire gauges, you need to understand the gauge categories to pick the best ones for the wiring system.
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