Generally speaking, any electrical wire’s applications are entirely dependent on its AWG cable current rating. What is the current rating of a 12 AWG wire? Well, this type of wire is rated for a maximum of 20 amperes. Due to its current carrying capacity, this type of wire is ideal for several applications, including kitchen wiring, bathroom wiring, outdoor receptacle wiring, to name a few. It is also necessary to note that most individuals commonly use a 12 AWG cable as a car battery cable. However, a 12 AWG battery cable has a special insulation that enables the cable to withstand the harsh conditions of a vehicle engine. The AWG tables are for a single, solid and round conductor. The AWG of a stranded wire is determined by the cross-sectional area of the equivalent solid conductor. Because there are also small gaps between the strands, a stranded wire will always have a slightly larger overall diameter than a solid wire with the same AWG. It is important to use electrical cables that can sustain the electrical power passing through it for every electrical need. Wire gauges come in different standard sizes, each designed to withstand a specific amount of electrical current. Sensibly, some wire gauges are commonly used compared to others. A 12 AWG wire is one of the most frequently used electrical wires.

So, an AWG cable is any electrical cable whose measurement is denoted using the American Wire Gauge measurement standard. Perhaps it is easier to comprehend if I flip the wording and say, cable AWG. When I put it that way, it becomes less complex, doesn’t it? in millimeters (mm) is equal to 0.127mm times 92 raised to the power of 36 minus gauge number n, divided by 39: American Wire Gauge ( AWG) is a logarithmic stepped standardized wire gauge system used since 1857, predominantly in North America, for the diameters of round, solid, nonferrous, electrically conducting wire. Dimensions of the wires are given in ASTM standard B 258. [1] The cross-sectional area of each gauge is an important factor for determining its current-carrying capacity. A cable wire gauge is one of the most critical factors you have to consider when choosing an electrical cable for a specific wiring application. For all intense and purposes, the American Wire Gauge (AWG) defines the amount of electric current that a particular electrical cable can carry without damage. Don’t you think this is important? AWG is also commonly used to specify body piercing jewelry sizes (especially smaller sizes), even when the material is not metallic. [2] Formulae [ edit ]

2. What does AWG Wire mean?

Most people assume that AWG in cable size refers to the size of the cable, but that is not entirely true. A considerable proportion of people believe that a wire and a cable are the same things. In reality, they are two different things. In most instances, people confuse a 12 AWG wire and a 14 AWG wire even though they are not similar. As I mentioned earlier, as the American wire gauge number decreases, the size of the actual cable increases. So, a 12 gauge wire is bigger than a 14 gauge wire. It is also important to note that the AWG cable current rating of a 12 gauge wire is higher than that of a 14 gauge wire. 4. What is AWG in cable size? While the AWG is essentially identical to the Brown & Sharpe (B&S) sheet metal gauge, the B&S gauge was designed for use with sheet metals as its name suggests. These are functionally interchangeable but the use of B&S in relation to wire gauges, rather than sheet metal gauges, is technically improper. AWG or American Wire Gauge is the US standard measure for the diameter of electrical conductors. The American Wire Gauge chart is based on the number of dies originally required to draw the copper down to the required dimensional size. It means the higher the AWG number is, the smaller the wire diameter is. Our Belden cables and the pairs in instrumentation cable are some of the electrical cables where the conductor size is expressed as an AWG figure. Our Tri-Rated cable, compliant with American standard UL758, can be converted to AWG cable conductor sizes if required. Whenever people talk of AWG cables, it is easy to assume that they refer to a specific type of electrical cable. As I mentioned earlier, AWG is an acronym that stands for American Wire Gauge. Essentially, it is a measurement standard that denotes the size of every electrical wire.

As I have indicated severally, AWG is an acronym that stands for American Wire Gauge. Essentially, it is a universal measurement standard that denotes the sizes of different electrical cables. I am certain most of us have come across the phrase ‘AWG cable size’ at one point or another. Do you understand what it means? AWG cable is one of the most common phrases in electrical cable terminologies. Most people mistakenly assume that the term refers to a specific electrical cable. Contrary to popular belief, this phrase is applicable across all divides. AWG is an acronym that stands for American Wire Gauge. What is American Wire Gauge (AWG)? Generally speaking, AWG is a measurement specification of sorts that gives specific dimensions for electrical wires. By definition, No. 36 AWG is 0.005 inches in diameter, and No.0000 is 0.46inches in diameter. The ratio of these diameters is 1:92, and there are 40 gauge sizes from No.36 to No.0000, or 39 steps. Because each successive gauge number increases cross sectional area by a constant multiple, diameters vary geometrically. Any two successive gauges (e.g., A and B ) have diameters whose ratio (dia. B ÷ dia. A) is 92 39 {\displaystyle {\sqrt[{39}]{92}}} (approximately 1.12293), while for gauges two steps apart (e.g., A, B, and C), the ratio of the C to A is about 1.12293 2 ≈ 1.26098. When dealing with a solid-core wire, you can easily obtain the gauge measurements by measuring the conductor’s diameter. It is a bit more complex to get the cable AWG measurements of a stranded cable. Assuming you intend to quantify the size of a 12 AWG 4 conductor cable with stranded wires, you have to measure the diameter of a single strand first.Failure to choose a cable that can withstand the amount of current passing through it will culminate in a disaster. This post will guide you through some critical facts that you need to know about AWG cable. More specifically, it covers information concerning the size of a wire and its role in determining the ideal cable for any specific project. 1. What is AWG cable? Logically, every electrical wire and cable has a specific dimension. This dimension is generally denoted in the American Wire Gauge measurement standard. So, is it not accurate to say that each electrical cable in existence is an AWG electrical wire? Some people might find this to be overwhelmingly confusing. I understand why most people face difficulty comprehending the notion that each electrical cable is an AWG cable.

d n = 0.005 i n c h × 92 ( 36 − n ) / 39 = 0.127 m m × 92 ( 36 − n ) / 39 {\displaystyle d_{n}=0.005~\mathrm {inch} \times 92It is best to use a 12 gauge or a 14 gauge cable for classic household wiring applications. As I mentioned earlier, cable diameter decreases with each increase in the cable’s gauge. Higher gauge wires have thin wires and smaller diameters compared to lower gauge wires. When carrying out installations over extended distances, it would be best to use a 24 AWG cable or a 26 AWG cable. The most common method of referring to conductor sizes uses the cross-sectional area, expressed in mm². The following AWG metric conversion table converts AWG to mm and inches, and also lists the cross sectional area (mm2). AWG Metric Conversion Chart (AWG to mm) A wire is a single conductor, whereas a cable is a cluster of conductors that run in parallel and are warped or merged to form a solitary casing under an insulation material. It is easy to assume that a cable AWG refers to the size of a cable. That is a wrong assumption because the AWG in cable indicates the size of the conductor material, excluding the cable’s insulation.

Generally speaking, American Wire Gauge sizes range from 0000 to 40 AWG. Most people often find AWG measurements to be pretty confusing. Typically, the size of any object tends to increase as the number representing its dimensions increases. However, this is not the case with any AWG power cable. As the American wire gauge number decreases, the size of the actual cable increases. For instance, a 24 AWG cable is smaller and thinner than a 6 AWG cable. Do you get the idea?

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In certain instances, the AWG value obtained through manual measurement isn’t accurate due to several factors. Considering that AWG cable measurements play a critical role in your cable choice, it would be best to inquire about the AWG measurements from the manufacturer. If this AWG metric calculator doesn't provide you with the information you need, please get in touch with the technical experts of The Cable Lab who will be pleased to answer your questions or calculate the appropriate AWG/metric size for your installation.