# 60ft speaker wire runs 18 GA. wire?



## easytim (Oct 31, 2011)

I'm going to wire four sets to 8" or 6 ½" ceiling speakers.

They are going to a patio and 3 bedrooms, two of the runs will be 60 ft. 

The wire I want to use is a 3 conductor with ground, its Belden #8770 18 GA. I have 1000ft of
this wire, just sitting around, I want to use it..

I want to use the ground wire as one of the speaker wires because the cable only has 3 conductors
and I need a fourth wire, the ground wire will be my 4th wire.

I have done this before with no problems, but never tried it at 60 ft.

I'm not needing lots of power to drive these speakers, only soft back ground music. And most likely only one set of speakers will be one at one time, I will have to option to select which ones I want on.

I came to get an opinion on what I'm trying to do, good,bad or ugly. I value peoples opinion here on the this forum, THANK YOU :scratch: 



This is new construction, all speaker will be the the ceiling.


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## Mike P. (Apr 6, 2007)

60 feet is way to long for 18 gauge in my opinion. It's understandable you want to use the 1000ft that you have, if it were me, I'd double up on the wire and twist the ends together.


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## Anthony (Oct 5, 2006)

Agreed. I would go with a minimum of 16AWG -- and I understand using what you have, but this will be tough to replace later so it is best to get it right now and not regret low power or an overheating amp later.

If you are running high power / output through any of these speakers, I'd go up to 14AWG.

Just my 2 cents.


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## tcarcio (Jun 27, 2007)

What they said.......http://www.roger-russell.com/wire/wire.htm#wiretable


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## KalaniP (Dec 17, 2008)

Mike P. said:


> 60 feet is way to long for 18 gauge in my opinion. It's understandable you want to use the 1000ft that you have, if it were me, I'd double up on the wire and twist the ends together.


That's a really interesting idea... what do you think the "effective" gauge would be if you doubled the wires like that?


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## Anthony (Oct 5, 2006)

It would be about 15 AWG. Not quite 14AWG, but better than 18AWG, for sure.


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## Anthony (Oct 5, 2006)

Oh, here's the reference. Take the area of the 18AWG * 2 and work up the chart to find whereabouts that lies. For the most part, doubling moves up 3 wire sizes.

http://wiki.xtronics.com/index.php/Wire-Gauge_Ampacity


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## KalaniP (Dec 17, 2008)

Anthony said:


> Oh, here's the reference. Take the area of the 18AWG * 2 and work up the chart to find whereabouts that lies. For the most part, doubling moves up 3 wire sizes.
> 
> http://wiki.xtronics.com/index.php/Wire-Gauge_Ampacity


Interesting, thanks. :T


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## easytim (Oct 31, 2011)

That's an idea, just use one cable for one speaker, it would be a double run built in.

3 wires and the ground wire = 4 at 18ga. each


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## ISLAND1000 (May 2, 2007)

As long as you don't run 400 watts through the wires and over heat them, go ahead. You won't lose enough listening quality to complain about.
Those speakers played at background levels will play just fine with 18GA.


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## Mike P. (Apr 6, 2007)

Not quite, the Belden #8770 is three 18 AWG stranded (16x30) tinned copper conductors and one 20 AWG stranded tinned copper drain wire.


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## easytim (Oct 31, 2011)

ISLAND1000 said:


> As long as you don't run 400 watts through the wires and over heat them, go ahead. You won't lose enough listening quality to complain about.
> Those speakers played at background levels will play just fine with 18GA.



Here is the speaker I'm looking at, it's good and it's cheap 

Micca-M-8C-Ceiling-Speaker-Pivoting

6 sets of these, for 6 rooms in the ceiling


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## Mike P. (Apr 6, 2007)

Link to speaker:

http://content.miccastore.com/micca-m-8c


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## ISLAND1000 (May 2, 2007)

You've got an excellent idea and suitable drivers. IF there is any electrical issue it would be hooking up the ground wire 20GA with one of the 18GA wires. But even THAT issue is inconsequential as you have already discovered having used this cable before. 
It's not in the electricians installation handbook and the next owner of the house will be scratching his head wondering what were you THINKING and the boutique cable guys are probably going apoplectic . . . . . but here in the Home Theater Shack we've learned more by experimenting than by the book? LOL


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## easytim (Oct 31, 2011)

ISLAND1000 said:


> You've got an excellent idea and suitable drivers. IF there is any electrical issue it would be hooking up the ground wire 20GA with one of the 18GA wires. But even THAT issue is inconsequential as you have already discovered having used this cable before.
> It's not in the electricians installation handbook and the next owner of the house will be scratching his head wondering what were you THINKING and the boutique cable guys are probably going apoplectic . . . . . but here in the Home Theater Shack we've learned more by experimenting than by the book? LOL



I'm going to blow somebody's mind with this hookup :yikes:, but my speakers will never know the difference LOL


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## easytim (Oct 31, 2011)

www.roger-russell.com/wire/wire.htm#wiretable

Here is some good information I found, using the right size gauge speaker wire


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## tcarcio (Jun 27, 2007)

easytim said:


> www.roger-russell.com/wire/wire.htm#wiretable
> 
> Here is some good information I found, using the right size gauge speaker wire


Did you find it in post #3......:whistling:


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## ISLAND1000 (May 2, 2007)

I found it in post # 4.
That tcarcio is a member that knows where to find what ever you want. :clap:


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## easytim (Oct 31, 2011)

tcarcio said:


> Did you find it in post #3......:whistling:


Yes, I did :unbelievable:


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## tcarcio (Jun 27, 2007)

ISLAND1000 said:


> I found it in post # 4.
> That tcarcio is a member that knows where to find what ever you want. :clap:


Thanks, And please, Call me TC......:wave:


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## easytim (Oct 31, 2011)

tcarcio said:


> Thanks, And please, Call me TC......:wave:



Thanks TC:sn:


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## ISLAND1000 (May 2, 2007)

TC Done. :bigsmile:


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## tcarcio (Jun 27, 2007)

For that you guy's deserve a little "Love tractor"...:clap: http://www.bing.com/url?source=sear...GW&QS=n&ssIG=d252f76a08434775b485bcba372185f5


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