can you make an extention cord out of 12 awg speaker wire
- Thread starter chris_405
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- Oct 5, 2016
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if your asking is is possible to use 12 guage qire to run 115v Ac through it... sure.. is it wize to use 12 guage for speaker wire to do so.. not at all.. the problem comes from the actual housing of the wirring and secondly due to gauge of wiring.
12 guage wire is too small to run 115v AC so there will be serious warming of the wirring, and since the plastic surrounding the wires is made for low voltage it will at one point melt and the wires will touch causing a high voltage short in your house at the very least and could cause even an electrical fire.
get a proper extension cord my friend.
12 guage wire is too small to run 115v AC so there will be serious warming of the wirring, and since the plastic surrounding the wires is made for low voltage it will at one point melt and the wires will touch causing a high voltage short in your house at the very least and could cause even an electrical fire.
get a proper extension cord my friend.
My 2c, check the sheathing for a voltage rating, most is rated up to 600 volts. Many cheaper extension cords found in the home, "zip cord" style are only 14 gauge stranded 2 conductor. Using 2 conductors eliminates the ground which, depending on who you ask is not a good thing to do.
Back in the day, i used to build some pretty high end mobile DJ rigs pushing some serious power and the speaker wire of choice was high quality SJOW or SO 4 conductor wire you would commonly use for AC power but worked equally well on DC speaker level applications.
My point is the cable doesent usually care whether its AC or DC, every cable has a Voltage rating usually based on the "sheathing" and its ability to contain the rated voltage. With only 2 conductors you run the risk of reduced safety with the loss of the ground, that being said there are plenty of cords still sold today in that format, its all in what you are willing to consider "safe" in your own home.
Tim
Back in the day, i used to build some pretty high end mobile DJ rigs pushing some serious power and the speaker wire of choice was high quality SJOW or SO 4 conductor wire you would commonly use for AC power but worked equally well on DC speaker level applications.
My point is the cable doesent usually care whether its AC or DC, every cable has a Voltage rating usually based on the "sheathing" and its ability to contain the rated voltage. With only 2 conductors you run the risk of reduced safety with the loss of the ground, that being said there are plenty of cords still sold today in that format, its all in what you are willing to consider "safe" in your own home.
Tim
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