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This is a question aimed at the performance fanatics who don't forget the devil's in the details. What wiring do you use, from your power connector-to-ESC, and from ESC-to-motor? 16 gauge or 18 gauge? Copper or something else?

Back in the mid-80's when I got started in RC cars, I never paid attention to details except when building the car or painting the body, those things I was really good at. But when it came to wiring, I didn't have a good soldering iron (at least I soldered, unlike some other kids I knew!) and most of my solder jobs were big, ugly blobs. If I ran out of electrical tape (stupid me, I almost never used heat-shrink), I wrapped with white hockey stick tape. Those were the days...but those days are gone!

I'm rebuilding my Turbo Optima right this time around, and I'm totally redoing the wiring. I have some really nice-looking 16 guage speaker wire with a nice translucent blue sheathing the gold wiring within. It would look great and it's not the el-cheapo stuff, but what wiring do the electric performance freaks recommend? And what heat-shrink to go along with it? I don't want to buy "RC enthusiast" stuff at the hobby store as it's just niche product marketing and way overpriced. I can go to the electrical store and buy the same stuff at a fraction of the cost, if necessary.

Thanks for the advice!

pends if you want your car looking 80's or 2010 i guess. pends what kind of motor/battery/electronics your tossing in there.

bdrmbully wrote:pends if you want your car looking 80's or 2010 i guess. pends what kind of motor/battery/electronics your tossing in there.

Thanks for your reply, but I'm not sure what the era has to do with choosing the best guage & kind of wire for performance. As to the second part of your reply, I will eventually be upgrading my mid-80's-era Novak ESC and 4-minute brushed motor with something modern to go along with the Duratrax DTX4600 battery I recently bought, updated Duratrax charger & Deans connectors. Eventually I'll put in a brushless motor and modern ESC. How does that change wiring recommendations?

Perhaps informing me about what you use would be more helpful.

Welcome to the board

Coelacanth wrote:

bdrmbully wrote:pends if you want your car looking 80's or 2010 i guess. pends what kind of motor/battery/electronics your tossing in there.

Thanks for your reply, but I'm not sure what the era has to do with choosing the best gauge & kind of wire for performance.

Well, because anything today is using at least 12-gauge silicone wire. Really hard to even buy anything else R/C-oriented. There are some companies that sell 18-gauge still for 1/12th scale use, but it's getting harder and harder to find.

When I started, everything on ESCs was 18-gauge wire, and as time progressed, the wire got thicker and thicker to handle the current and amp loads that newer batteries and motors put out.



All of my cars that are used/raced are 12-gauge wiring. 1/12th scale is 18-gauge for space under bodies and around chassis. Vintage cars get wired in whatever the era called for at the time (my original RC10 gold tub shelfer has 18-ga because that is what is on the original Novak ESC in the car.


Here's a few clean wiring examples for you...

Brushed:






Brushless:

RC10Eh wrote: Welcome to the board

Why thank you for that warm welcome.

Eau Rouge wrote:

Coelacanth wrote: Thanks for your reply, but I'm not sure what the era has to do with choosing the best gauge & kind of wire for performance.

Well, because anything today is using at least 12-gauge silicone wire. Really hard to even buy anything else R/C-oriented. There are some companies that sell 18-gauge still for 1/12th scale use, but it's getting harder and harder to find.

When I started, everything on ESCs was 18-gauge wire, and as time progressed, the wire got thicker and thicker to handle the current and amp loads that newer batteries and motors put out.

Thank you for a proper answer. I appreciate the explanation, makes sense.