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Thread: Running new speaker cables into the doors

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    Re: Running new speaker cables into the doors

    Really looking forward to installing 3 sets of wires (16/16/18 ga) through a Molex in my Grand Cherokee next month. I guess if it's just impossible to get it through, off with the doors and universal door boot here I come lol. There's some good suggestions in here. I don't think this topic gets enough attention though. How many super high end builds on really nice cars are using the factory wiring to get into the doors?
    On my Jeep they seem tiny, like 22 ga tiny, and they gotta run 15-20' from the back corner where the OE amp is to the opposite side front door. I guess a really good online wire ga calculator comes into play. At what distance/gauge/wattage do you start limiting yourself using the stock wiring? Just random numbers here, but when is your $1000 amp feeding your $2000 three way setup being limited using factory wire?
    There has to be some science behind this with resistance over distance causing voltage (thus power) loss on the speaker side. Anyone care to calculate?

  2. Back To Top    #12
    Noob Jdunk54nl's Avatar
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    Re: Running new speaker cables into the doors

    Bcae1.com is a good calculator, but that is just for raw power. You also have to factor in that your tweeter MAY get 1-2 watts of total power and your mid MAY get like 25w of total power. Your midbass is probably going to be at like 100w. Granted this is all assuming your listening at 100% of volume.
    2014 F150 Limited -> Kenwood DDX-9907xr -> Helix DSP.2 -> Alpine PDX-V9 -> SI M25 mki in Valicar Stuttgart Pods, Rear SB17's, Sub SI BM MKV's in MTI BOX. Alpine PDX-F6 -> SI Tm65 mkIV, SI M3 mkI in Valicar Stuttgart Pods

  3. Back To Top    #13

    Re: Running new speaker cables into the doors

    Quote Originally Posted by Jdunk54nl View Post
    Bcae1.com is a good calculator, but that is just for raw power. You also have to factor in that your tweeter MAY get 1-2 watts of total power and your mid MAY get like 25w of total power. Your midbass is probably going to be at like 100w. Granted this is all assuming your listening at 100% of volume.
    Those calculators are really cool. According to that wire calculator if I have a 15' run of 20 ga wire at 80W (my own appx for my front right mid bass), there is less than 1 db of output loss, but the wire is too small to meet the 300 circular mils per amp of electrical current standard and should not be ran under carpet.
    Do it once, do it right. I continue to go ahead with my 18ga and 2 sets of 16 ga into each door for 3 ways.

  4. Back To Top    #14

    Re: Running new speaker cables into the doors

    Quote Originally Posted by jrwalte View Post
    Something like this could work. It's all-in-one. But you'd want to confirm the thickness of your door and frame as this one is meant for 1-1.5mm thick in order to create a good seal at the grommet.

    https://www.summitracing.com/parts/e...saAoblEALw_wcB
    This has my vote as well. Summit also sells those clip-together contacts that you install and when the door closes they make contact... but why? Why have them disconnect when the door is open? Why have the potential quality-reducing friction gap contact that can get weathered and... you get my point. Just drill the holes and run the boot, and get your wires straight from your amp all the way to the speakers.

    That being said...
    ...only IF you need to!

    I would say 90% of the time I just tap into the speaker wire before it goes into the door, and that's sufficient for even moderate power. Sure, sometimes that means you need to mount the crossover inside the door panel - but no big deal. Really, copper is copper, and unless you need to run 100 watts or so to those speakers...
    ...and even still, you could run larger gauge speaker wire right up to your door entry connection point - and could even run larger gauge speaker wire inside the door if you like.
    Resistance is a function of both gauge AND length. So you can work around it, if you are in a tight spot.

  5. Back To Top    #15

    Re: Running new speaker cables into the doors

    There is always some combo of a step drill and something like this:
    Click image for larger version. 

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