I'm looking to run a battery out back on my Toyota pickup, and the question is will 4 gauge thickly stranded wire work. I got it at home Depot because that's the only copper wire they had, it ooks to be about 9 thickly stranded copper wires into 1. It says It can handle 80 amps. SO yes or no?
BTW title is messed up, I am running a single battery.

Are you are relocating your battery to the bed of the truck? If so I would reccommend 2 ga.


Edit: An 80a rating is not enough unless it is for the alternator charge wire. When cranking your starter is gonna pull 2-300 amps

You want a thin strand wire. You can us welding wire for an arc welder. They sell it by the foot at most welding supply store. The thin the strands the better the current will flow.

If you are adding a second battery you might be alright with 4GA, but if you are moving your primary/only battery to the truck bed I agree with using 2GA.

The “finer strands conduct better” is a phenomenon called “skin effect” and only occurs over 20 kHz. The DC current in your car’s electrical system doesn’t care if it is a fine-strand wire or a piece of re-bar. The fine strand wire is much easier to work with though.

I'm looking to run a battery out back on my Toyota pickup, and the question is will 4 gauge thickly stranded wire work. I got it at home Depot because that's the only copper wire they had, it ooks to be about 9 thickly stranded copper wires into 1. It says It can handle 80 amps. SO yes or no?
BTW title is messed up, I am running a single battery.

Quicj=k answer is it might do, but not in the long term. Here is a link to a wire sizing chart: http://www.svapowerproducts.com/html/wire_chart_colored.html

The more strands in the wire the easier it will be to route and the less noise it will generate in your system. NAPA was heavier wires, as do truck centers.