Apparently, all wire isn't created equal!
10-13-2005, 08:38 AM
#1
Apparently, all wire isn't created equal!
I should have known better than to expect the low priced Ebay stuff to be of comparable quality, but I figured hey, it's just wire.
So, I bought a 4 AWG wiring kit for my Corvette on Ebay. It was about $13 plus another $13 for shipping, for a total of around $26, or roughly half of what it would cost at a local store.
Everything came in a box, not in any sort of blister pack. This was apparently an "assembled" kit that some guy put together from bulk products, but that's fine. It came with a decent looking set of cheap RCAs, a good fuse holder with an 80 amp fuse, and all of the crimp connectors and grommets you could ask for. It even came with a few feet of black split loom tubing for under the hood. Nice touch.
So then I examine the wire. To start with, the ground wire is purple. PURPLE! I'm not putting purple anything into my Corvette.
After I get over the initial shock of having purple ground wire, I examine the red power wire more closely. The outer diameter of the cable is the same size as all 4 AWG, but when I looked closely, I discovered that the actual copper wire is much smaller than a normal 4 AWG wire. I'm going to grab some of my 8 AWG wire and some of my other 4 AWG and compare them with pictures to show you guys what I mean.
But in the meantime, just take my warning that even with something as basic as wire, you get what you pay for. Now I've got to spend another $25 for real 4 AWG, bringing my total cost above what it would have been if I just bought the more expensive kit to begin with.
So, I bought a 4 AWG wiring kit for my Corvette on Ebay. It was about $13 plus another $13 for shipping, for a total of around $26, or roughly half of what it would cost at a local store.
Everything came in a box, not in any sort of blister pack. This was apparently an "assembled" kit that some guy put together from bulk products, but that's fine. It came with a decent looking set of cheap RCAs, a good fuse holder with an 80 amp fuse, and all of the crimp connectors and grommets you could ask for. It even came with a few feet of black split loom tubing for under the hood. Nice touch.
So then I examine the wire. To start with, the ground wire is purple. PURPLE! I'm not putting purple anything into my Corvette.
After I get over the initial shock of having purple ground wire, I examine the red power wire more closely. The outer diameter of the cable is the same size as all 4 AWG, but when I looked closely, I discovered that the actual copper wire is much smaller than a normal 4 AWG wire. I'm going to grab some of my 8 AWG wire and some of my other 4 AWG and compare them with pictures to show you guys what I mean.
But in the meantime, just take my warning that even with something as basic as wire, you get what you pay for. Now I've got to spend another $25 for real 4 AWG, bringing my total cost above what it would have been if I just bought the more expensive kit to begin with.
10-13-2005, 09:48 AM
#2
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Car: '86 IROC, '87 Volvo 240, '09 Malibu
Engine: LB9 5.0L
Transmission: 700R4
That's why when I get the sound and power wiring for my interior, I'm going to just buy it at a professional electronics wholesaler in the area. That way I know I'm getting good cable (the entertainment industry doesn't settle for crap) and I'm not paying for an overinflated brand name like Monster.
10-13-2005, 04:20 PM
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If there are less strands it will be smaller in diameter. Compare the difference from solid to stranded. Solid is smaller. The 2 AWG I've used to run in housed for electric water heaters looks way smaller than the 4 AWG in my car but it only has like 20-30 seperate strands in it. Carrie the same amount of current though.
10-13-2005, 08:45 PM
#5
Both of these are multi-strand bundles, with individual strands of approximately the same size. This stuff is a fraud no matter how you slice it.
I have pics.
Amp King 4 AWG from Parts Express is on the top. Some 8 AWG I had laying arouhd is on the right, and the "4 AWG" that came in this kit is on the left. It's obviously misrepresented. This is 8 AWG at best.
I have pics.
Amp King 4 AWG from Parts Express is on the top. Some 8 AWG I had laying arouhd is on the right, and the "4 AWG" that came in this kit is on the left. It's obviously misrepresented. This is 8 AWG at best.
Last edited by Jim85IROC; 10-13-2005 at 08:47 PM.
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