Late Model Ford Truck Tech Tips

So you want to add some electrical accessories to your new truck...
(a guide to 1997 Ford F-150 Electrical Systems)
Contributed by Nic Colasurdo

The following charts are extremely useful in sizing wires for certain amp demands and distances:

  • Chart A is from PowerUp Products, A Division of Sonoma Circuits, Inc. []
  • Chart B is from the December 1997 issue of 4-Wheel & Off-Road magazine; Source: Painless Wiring.
  • The shaded values are those where the two charts differ. My recommendation would be to use the larger gauge wire (smaller number).

Chart A

Amps Length of Wire (in feet)
  3' 5' 7' 10' 15' 20' 25' 30'
1 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20
2 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20
3 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20
4 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 18
5 20 20 20 20 20 20 18 18
6 20 20 20 20 20 18 18 16
7 20 20 20 20 20 18 16 16
8 20 20 20 20 18 16 16 14
10 20 20 20 20 18 16 14 14
12 20 20 20 18 16 14 14 14
15 20 20 20 16 16 14 12 12
20 20 20 18 16 14 12 12 10
24 20 18 16 14 14 12 10 10
30 18 16 16 14 12 10 10 10

Chart B

Amps Length of Wire (in feet)
  3' 5' 7' 10' 15' 20' 25' 30'
1 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20
2 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20
3 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20
4 20 20 20 20 20 20 18 18
5 20 20 20 20 20 18 18 18
6 20 20 20 20 18 18 16 16
7 20 20 20 18 18 16 16 16
8 20 20 20 18 18 16 16 14
10 20 20 20 18 16 16 14 14
12 20 20 20 18 16 16 14 14
15 20 20 20 18 16 14 12 12
20 20 20 18 16 14 14 12 12
24 20 20 18 16 14 12 12 10
30 20 18 16 14 12 12 10 10

On to The Credits...