# What size Tech Flex for common wire sizes?



## HondAudio (Oct 19, 2006)

I'm really contemplating using TechFlex now for aesthetics when I put my stuff in  What sizes (diameters) of TechFlex are you guys using for power wires and such? I'm guessing an 18-AWG turn-on lead would use 1/8" ID sleeving, 4-AWG power wire might use 3/4", 8-AWG might use 1/2" or 1/4" ?

Etc. etc...


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## waternut (Feb 6, 2008)

Good question X2 and also best / friendliest place to deal with buying some.


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## Rudeboy (Oct 16, 2005)

Techfllex Web site has decent info on sizing and product selection. I try to buy it from PE when I'm ordering other things.


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## MuTT (Apr 4, 2007)

this chart should help.


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## Genxx (Mar 18, 2007)

Just some examples of what I have used

1/0-3/4
4ga-1/2
8ga-1/2
Symbilink cables-1/2
3 x 16awg stinger speaker wire-1/2

I have found that 1/2 inch works for almost all the common stuff. Remote turn-on you could use 1/8 or 1/4.


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## Sr SQ (Dec 8, 2006)

This guy was posted up in the hot deals section a couple of months ago and I picked up 100ft of all sizes up to 1 1/4 from him. Good guy to deal with and great prices, many other members bought from him also.
http://stores.ebay.com/FURRYLETTERS


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## bjayjr5679 (Nov 8, 2007)

Sr SQ said:


> This guy was posted up in the hot deals section a couple of months ago and I picked up 100ft of all sizes up to 1 1/4 from him. Good guy to deal with and great prices, many other members bought from him also.
> http://stores.ebay.com/FURRYLETTERS


x2 that guy is great.


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## lashlee (Aug 16, 2007)

bjayjr5679 said:


> x2 that guy is great.


Barry is super easy to deal with!! He is relatively local to me, and I went to his house a few different times to get more. I wouldn't think twice about buying from him again!!


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## Bumpin'Buick (Nov 8, 2007)

Another positive review for Barry, I bought techflex and heatshrink from him, very fast shipping to Canada.


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## GlasSman (Nov 14, 2006)

Sr SQ said:


> This guy was posted up in the hot deals section a couple of months ago and I picked up 100ft of all sizes up to 1 1/4 from him. Good guy to deal with and great prices, many other members bought from him also.
> http://stores.ebay.com/FURRYLETTERS



100 FT $22...AWESOME price for 1/2" sleeving. 

I found my new source. Thanks.


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## QtrHorse (Oct 17, 2007)

Yes, he is a great person to deal with. I just wish he lived close to me so I could just pick through what he had. You can't beat 100ft of 1/2in braided sleaving for $22 as already stated.

and, you guys are welcome for this cheap sleaving source.


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## OldOneEye (Jun 16, 2005)

Since everyone "sort" of answered the original question, I'll throw a monkey wrench into this whole post. 

If your the guy who is supplying your wire decides that 4 gauge worth of wire plus extra thick jacketing can be labeled "1/0 gauge", things might not work right. That and even guys who put in the same amount of copper might be doing other stuff that will vary the size. So measure twice, buy (and cut) once. 

Also, some guys like showing the color underneath, other guys don't. There is a lot of overlap between the different sizes of loom, so one guy can use black loom on blue wire and not see any of the blue, someone else might use smaller diameter black loom with blue wire and see some blue, and someone else might even use a smaller loom and see lots of blue coming through. So it depends one what you are trying to accomplish.

Juan


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## Genxx (Mar 18, 2007)

Another positive for Barry. He is a great guy and his prices rock. If you need something different or want a large bulk order give him a call.

The sizes I posted are no showing any wire color, just black tech flex.


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## Thumper26 (Sep 23, 2005)

most of what i had was covered with 3/8", including 1/0 power wire. the 3/4" flex leaves a lot of slack around 1/0. You can use it on 4 gauge too, but it's a little loose. 1/4" will work on 4 gauge. I used 1/8" for covering 16 gauge speaker wire.


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## HondAudio (Oct 19, 2006)

Good stuff. I might wrap the main positive power wire in orange because that's what they wrap the high voltage wires with in Toyota Priuses. Maybe blue for left channel speaker wires and RCAs, red for the right channel


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## QtrHorse (Oct 17, 2007)

HondAudio said:


> Good stuff. I might wrap the main positive power wire in orange because that's what they wrap the high voltage wires with in Toyota Priuses. Maybe blue for left channel speaker wires and RCAs, red for the right channel


I believe it was Chad that mentioned if you have any wires under the hood that are orange, the fire department will not get near the car if it is in an accident.


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## HondAudio (Oct 19, 2006)

QtrHorse said:


> I believe it was Chad that mentioned if you have any wires under the hood that are orange, the fire department will not get near the car if it is in an accident.


Hybrid vehicles have orange split loom around the wires from the batteries to the engine compartment to indicate: "Don't cut this one"


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## QtrHorse (Oct 17, 2007)

I am not sure of the specifics but I heard it was anything that had orange wire or orange covered wire that they would not touch. I was just offering some friendly advice why orange may not be the ideal color to cover engine compartment wires in.


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## circa40 (Jan 20, 2008)

I used 1/4" for 8awg, 3/8" for 4awg and 1/2" for 0 awg

Depending on the 4 awg the 1/4" would fit too. Its a tight fit but it looks damn sexy that way IMO.


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## Thumper26 (Sep 23, 2005)

^ i agree. the tight fit makes it look more like it was made that way, and not like you just added it later.

it is more of a PITA to cover though.


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## HondAudio (Oct 19, 2006)

circa40 said:


> I used 1/4" for 8awg, 3/8" for 4awg and 1/2" for 0 awg
> 
> Depending on the 4 awg the 1/4" would fit too. Its a tight fit but it looks damn sexy that way IMO.


I just made some ground wires for my engine compartment. I had some leftover 8-AWG Streetwires cable from like 12 years ago, and I used 1/4" sleeving. Excellent fit. For the heatshrink, I used some Gardner-Bender "12-4 AWG" 2:1 shrink. Picture shortly.

Is 4-AWG cable about 1/2" in diameter?


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