Dedicated line

I’ve decided to run a dedicated 20A line to my P12 (which everything else is connected to). Already got a Cardas 20A outlet. Big question now is what power cables (wires) to use? I’m not opposed to spending some money on good cables, but I also don’t want to kill the bank account. :slight_smile:

Any recommendation for in-wall 20A power wires?

NRG Custom Cables, Nawaz is the owner. I use his .5 cables and he made custom lengths for me.

http://nrgcustomcables.ca/

I’m pretty happy with my Pangea AC 9SE MkII that I get from Audioadvisor. The only downside to them is they are bulky and stiff. A one meter length is $175. I also use their AC 14SE MkII for low current items. They are cheaper and a lot easier to manage physically.

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Guess I wasn’t clear… looking for recommendations for the power line from the breaker panel to the outlet. Already have Cardas Clear power cords for everything.

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Wire the circuit with 10/3 Romex, not 12/3.

A bit more expensive than 12/3, but voltage sag should not be an issue with the heavier wire…

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Me too on the Pangeas…

Cardas Clear PCs (nice). I have several Cardas PCs, but mostly vintage Quadlink, Cross, and Golden. Very good quality cabling. My systems also use mid-level Cardas ICs.

Use #10 wires instead of #12. #10 actually performs better sonically and electrically. Wires for inside the walls has to be UL certified because of safety and I don’t know of hi end cables for inside the wall. If there is, it will be quite costly because of the long runs and the purity of the conductors.
Listen to @netspecht-2, run Romex 10/3 if it’s not in a conduit, and #10 THHN wires if it is. You’ll be surprise how much better your system will sound with #10 wires.

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I use one from JPS Labs:

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That looks like nice cable. Would have cost me about $2K in wire from the breaker to the media center. If you have unlimited cash, it’s an easier decision. That said, you are still only getting copper / aluminum from the utility provider.

Diminishing returns and all… :grin:

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I had my electrician go with the 10 gauge. (15 amp not 20 amp though).

I could have gotten by with a dedicated 15amp too, but still went with 20amp JIC.

It sounds like using a generic 10/3 romex is a small compromise compared to the cost… the JPS sure looks nice, but that would run me about $600… (need 20’).

So… how close will the $100 Romex get to the $600 JPS? Diminishing returns…

I would bet very diminishing returns. Pretty hard to beat 10/3 romex in a cost vs performance comparison. I did a 20amp 10/3 home run for my P12 that has the streamer, DAC, preamp and disc spinner connected. I am in the process of running 2 more 20amp home runs to power a pair of P20’s with BHK 300’s and plate sub amps plugged in to them. I use Hubbell industrial outlets. They have good grip and don’t cost a lot of money.

You’re seeing recommendations of certain gauges here without receiving an explanation for why.

Ask your electrician to calculate the Vd (voltage drop) of your circuit with various gauges and you can choose the price point that works best for you (or DIY). Lower Vd at the outlet means higher power stability to your equipment. For example, running 10AWG wire for 100ft, while better than 12AWG for 100ft, may still not offer enough Vd coverage to enable your equipment to perform at its peak under load because the voltage is sagging so much.

Also use same gauge grounding back; some lower gauge wires run a 12 gauge ground (green) line back, so you may want to press for a 3 conductor wire (which incidentally has a 4th conductor for ground).

Vd is the primary concern for that homerun.

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20 feet is a fairly short run. Voltage drop should not be significant, but for the cost difference, it’s better to get the thicker gauge wire.

Never mind…

I thought this relevant