A/C Power Cord Replacement - Gauge Recommendations

[TomCarlos]

A friend had to change the A/C power cord on a PA head (rated with a 5 amp fuse). He asked me "what gauge cable should I use?" Off the top of my head, I couldn't remember if it should be a 16 or 18 gauge cord. Basic electric circuits in our house say that a 15 amp circuit will run on a 14 gauge wire. But what about Amps and PA equipment.

So here is a general guideline (for 110 vac circuits) for short runs.
16 gauge will handle 13 amps
18 gauge will handle 10 amps
20 gauge will handle 7.5 amps

For my friend's PA head (rated at 5 amps) and even for small guitar amps, you should use the 18 gauge wire. I just don't see anyone using 20 gauge wire for the A/C connections. You can buy the standard AC power cords (for computers, appliances, etc), cut off the end, strip, and you're done.

Anyone dissagree?

Tom

[Jazz P Bass]

18 gauge is the minimum that can be used for 110Vac in the USA.
As to current, what has to be be factored in is the inrush current at start up.
What is important is the voltage drop as seen by the load.

[nashvillebill]

Well, there is the not-proven-by-any-scientific-method-known-to-man factor that convinces some folks they need to buy $400 power cables.

Seriously. There is a 20+ page thread going on at Talkbass where a few folks are convinced their uber-expensive power cable made their amp instantly sound deeper and clearer. No amount of electrical power supply theory or double-blind test results can dissuade them.

[Gtr_tech]

Thats the audiophool mentality creeping in. Kids....beware of marketing hype and snakeoil salesmen....they're everywhere.

[bkahuna]

Seriously. There is a 20+ page thread going on at Talkbass where a few folks are convinced their uber-expensive power cable made their amp instantly sound deeper and clearer. No amount of electrical power supply theory or double-blind test results can dissuade them.

What I find amusing about the super expensive power cords is that people don't seem to realize how many hundreds of feet of plain ol' 14ga romex their power passed through before hitting their $400 power cord. You don't see anyone running that expensive cable back to the transformer on the pole outside!

[R.G.]

What I find amusing about the super expensive power cords is that people don't seem to realize how many hundreds of feet of plain ol' 14ga romex their power passed through before hitting their $400 power cord. You don't see anyone running that expensive cable back to the transformer on the pole outside!

You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him think.

[Jazz P Bass]

10.000 British pounds for a speaker cable!
AUDIOQUEST WEL SIGNATURE AVLAND UK information, pictures & spec
(get it home & find out it is 3 inches short)

And then there is the $1800 power cord.
http://www.geeksaresexy.net/2008/09/...er-cable-ever/
Sheesh!