10 gauge wiring for audio 20A audio receptacles?
Posted: Sun Sep 12, 2021 2:14 am
Hey all,
You can see my overall plan here.
It’s ‘go time’ and I get my new 200A panel tomorrow. Framing will be mid/late September, electrical runs will follow, then it’s onto drywall, etc.
For my audio receptacles, I’m using 20A Hubbell hospital grade outlets with tamper resistance on a GFI breaker (local code requires tamper-resistant blade openings and GFI circuits on all basement outlets). The current plan is to use Southwire Armorlite solid metal-clad (MC) 12/2 wiring throughout, with audio circuits on a star ground (a dedicated ground bar in the panel). The studs are metal so the boxes will be too.
Here is my question: I see references to using 10 gauge wire (10/2) for audio circuits, even though they are 20 amps. Is this really a thing? My runs are less than 40’ in most cases and while I don’t have a problem spending more for 10GA wire on those lines, my electrician may question what I’m doing. Do you really get a better connection with 10/2 on a 20A circuit?
Electrical is my Achilles heal so please go easy on me …
Todd
You can see my overall plan here.
It’s ‘go time’ and I get my new 200A panel tomorrow. Framing will be mid/late September, electrical runs will follow, then it’s onto drywall, etc.
For my audio receptacles, I’m using 20A Hubbell hospital grade outlets with tamper resistance on a GFI breaker (local code requires tamper-resistant blade openings and GFI circuits on all basement outlets). The current plan is to use Southwire Armorlite solid metal-clad (MC) 12/2 wiring throughout, with audio circuits on a star ground (a dedicated ground bar in the panel). The studs are metal so the boxes will be too.
Here is my question: I see references to using 10 gauge wire (10/2) for audio circuits, even though they are 20 amps. Is this really a thing? My runs are less than 40’ in most cases and while I don’t have a problem spending more for 10GA wire on those lines, my electrician may question what I’m doing. Do you really get a better connection with 10/2 on a 20A circuit?
Electrical is my Achilles heal so please go easy on me …
Todd