Determining Power Cable Size For Your PA System

Equipment RecommendationsBest Practices
Written By Nick Mason

Having knowledge about the correlation between your systems efficiency and your power cables gauge size will aid your program to succeed! Simply spend a few minutes and work your way down through these simple instructions to ensure that you have the right size for your job.

  1. Your System's Power Draw (Wattage)
    Decide your system's total power (measured in watts). You should always have this in your gear's user manual or on your device's back panel in the power input section.

  2. Voltage
    Standard voltage varies by country (e.g., 120V in the United States). Check your PA's voltage rating.

  3. Length of the Cable Run
    Longer cables have more resistance, which will reduce power that's being delivered to your system. Long cable runs need a thicker (lower gauge) wire to prevent power loss or overheating.

  4. Current Draw (Amps)
    To find the current (amps) your system draws, apply this formula:

Amps (Current) = Power (Watts) / Voltage (Volts)

You can then choose your correct wire gauge after obtaining your current.

  1. AWG (Recommended Wire Gauge)

As a rough guideline:

  • Up to 25 feet: Use 16 AWG for loads under 10A, 14 AWG for loads up to 15A, and 12 AWG for loads up to 20A.

  • Up to 50 feet: Use 14 AWG for loads under 10A, 12 AWG for loads up to 15A, and 10 AWG for loads up to 20A.

  • Beyond 50 feet: Use 10 AWG or even 8 AWG for increased current loads.

  1. Current and Gauge Reference Table (for typical 120V systems):

  • 20 AWG: Up to 5A

  • 18 AWG: Up to 7A

  • 16 AWG: Up to 10A

  • 14 AWG: 15A or under

  • 12 AWG: Up to 20A

  • 10 AWG: maximum 30 amps

Calculation Example
If your speaker requires 1200 watts and your location is in the United States where power is 120V:

Amps = 1200 / 120 = 10A
You'd need at least 12 AWG for a 50-foot cable to handle this load safely.

Key Considerations:
Cable Quality: Employ power cables that are designed for high power audio systems to prevent interference.
Safety Ratings: Use cables that are rated for more current than your system draws to ensure that they don't overheat or catch fire.

Looking to upgrade your sound system? Contact Us to get started!

Nick Mason

Nick Mason is a native of Nashville, Tennessee and has been involved extensively with Audio Production and the Pageantry Arts for over a decade.

Nick’s performance background includes 6 seasons of marching band, 6 seasons of WGI and 2 seasons of DCI. He spent three years at Chattanooga Independent Percussion Ensemble (Cleveland, TN) on snare drum from 2014-2016. His next three years were at 8 time WGI World Champions, Music City Mystique (Nashville, TN) from 2017-2019 on snare drum where he won the PIW Gold Medal in 2017 and the PIW Bronze Medal in 2019. Additionally, Nick has marched 2 years of Drum Corps at 7 time DCI World Champion, The Cavaliers (Rosemont, IL) from 2018-2019 on snare drum. Nick has also been a member of the MTSU Band of Blue Drumline (Murfreesboro, TN) from 2017-2018, where he served as the percussion section leader for the 2018 season.

Since graduating college, Nick has worked on numerous projects including The Cavaliers 2020 (Editing and Mixing Engineer) and 2023 (Lead Mixing Engineer) PASIC Clinics, Virtual Arts’ Drum and Bugle Corps and Marching Band productions, California Orchestra Directors Association’s Virtual Performance, California All State Virtual Performances, and many post-production projects for individual artists. He has also worked with numerous clients where he’s provided pageantry, live sound, and broadcasting audio services, including Timber Creek HS (FL), Ravenwood HS, (TN), Audio Theater (TN), Music City Drum Corps (TN), FloMarching (TX), The Nashville Public Library (TN) and The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps (IL) as the Lead Audio Engineer where they won the Fred Sanford High Percussion Award in 2023. Along with developing and building MAS, Nick also works as the Audio Manager and Specialist at Synced Up Audio and Synced Up Designs.

Currently, Nick holds a B.S. in Audio Production and Music Industry from Middle Tennessee State University and resides in Nashville, TN. He actively serves as the owner of Mason Audio Solutions, the Percussion Director at Ravenwood High School (Brentwood, TN), a Snare Technician at Audio Theater, the Audio Department Manager at Synced Up Audio, the Audio Coordinator at Music City Drum Corps, adjudicates and offers marching commentary, audio solutions and services to the greater Nashville area and other parts of the country. Nick is also a proud Innovative Percussion, Inc. educational artist.

You can contact Nick at nickmason@syncedupdesigns.com

https://www.syncedupaudio.com/our-team/nick-mason-audio-manager
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