Wire gauge calculator?

xyrium · 11th October 2005, 10:45 AM

Does anyone know what the formula is to determine the resulting wire gauge of two or more combined wires?

ie: What gauge are two 24ga wires once combined?

Tks,
Paul

bobhayes · 11th October 2005, 11:30 AM

Two wires in parallel is equivalent to 3 guages larger.

2 x 24g = 1 x 21g

you can calculate it also.

24g = 0.021" or 0.533mm diameter
cross sectional area = Pi[(dia/2)^2] or Pi(r^2)
Pi=3.14 (actually 3.1415927) and is always the same for any equation using Pi.

therefor 0.021"/2 =0.0105
then 0.0105^2= 0.0001102
then area= 0.0001102x3.14=0.0003463"^2

2 wires=2x0.0003463=0.0006927"^2

working back:
0.0006927/3.14=0.0002205
then r= sq.rt 0.0002205=0.01485"
then diameter=2x0.01485"= 0.0297"

Actually 21g=0.02845", but it's close enough!

It works in metric too.

Looks long winded, but if you use it often, it's 20 seconds work with a calculator.

xyrium · 11th October 2005, 04:13 PM

That's perfect, thanks Bob!

Rgds,
Paul

lgreen · 11th October 2005, 04:18 PM

If you would like more information on wire thicknesses and wire properties, note that the Krell Build Wiki has a link to Post #2677 of the Krell thread ... linking to a car audio (wire) website that has much useful information on wire and wire thicknesses, with useful calculators.

xyrium · 11th October 2005, 05:09 PM

That's interesting. I actually paid this guy for the CD of his site two years ago...I wonder if I have it still. Thanks for the reminder.

Quote:

Originally posted by lgreen
If you would like more information on wire thicknesses and wire properties, note that the Krell Build Wiki has a link to Post #2677 of the Krell thread ... linking to a car audio (wire) website that has much useful information on wire and wire thicknesses, with useful calculators.

GM · 11th October 2005, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bobhayes
Looks long winded, but if you use it often, it's 20 seconds work with a calculator.

Greets!

Even quicker

:

summed effective dia. = dia. of one wire*SQRT(number of wires)

Since 24 ga is closer to ~0.0201" dia. according to the chart I used at work:

~0.0201*SQRT(2) = ~0.2843", or very close.

Going to extremes with (32) wires it adds up though since we should get a 15 ga difference, or 9 ga = 0.1144, but it's still plenty close enough compared to 10 ga = 0.1019" :

0.0201*SQRT(32) = ~0.1137"

GM

bobhayes · 12th October 2005, 08:39 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by GM

Greets!

Even quicker :

summed effective dia. = dia. of one wire*SQRT(number of wires)

That's great!

Makes sense really doesn't it?

Dims ^2= Area
Sq.Rt.Area= Dims!

Of course.

Tweeker · 12th October 2005, 10:36 AM

10 wires will be the equivalent of 1 wire 10 gauges lower, and 3 gauges lower is a doubling, its a logarithmic scale based on the copper area.

Solid wire diameter increases/decreases by a factor of about:

2 every 6 gages,
3 every 10 gages,
4 every 12 gages,
5 every 14 gages,
10 every 20 gages,
100 every 40 gages,

11th October 2005, 10:45 AM	#1
xyrium diyAudio Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: NJ	Wire gauge calculator? Does anyone know what the formula is to determine the resulting wire gauge of two or more combined wires? ie: What gauge are two 24ga wires once combined? Tks, Paul

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11th October 2005, 11:30 AM	#2
bobhayes diyAudio Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Bungawalbyn, NSW	Two wires in parallel is equivalent to 3 guages larger. 2 x 24g = 1 x 21g you can calculate it also. 24g = 0.021" or 0.533mm diameter cross sectional area = Pi[(dia/2)^2] or Pi(r^2) Pi=3.14 (actually 3.1415927) and is always the same for any equation using Pi. therefor 0.021"/2 =0.0105 then 0.0105^2= 0.0001102 then area= 0.0001102x3.14=0.0003463"^2 2 wires=2x0.0003463=0.0006927"^2 working back: 0.0006927/3.14=0.0002205 then r= sq.rt 0.0002205=0.01485" then diameter=2x0.01485"= 0.0297" Actually 21g=0.02845", but it's close enough! It works in metric too. Looks long winded, but if you use it often, it's 20 seconds work with a calculator.

11th October 2005, 04:13 PM	#3
xyrium diyAudio Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: NJ	That's perfect, thanks Bob! Rgds, Paul

11th October 2005, 04:18 PM	#4
lgreen diyAudio Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: San Diego, USA	If you would like more information on wire thicknesses and wire properties, note that the Krell Build Wiki has a link to Post #2677 of the Krell thread ... linking to a car audio (wire) website that has much useful information on wire and wire thicknesses, with useful calculators.

12th October 2005, 10:36 AM	#8
Tweeker diyAudio Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Cincinnati, Ohio	10 wires will be the equivalent of 1 wire 10 gauges lower, and 3 gauges lower is a doubling, its a logarithmic scale based on the copper area. Solid wire diameter increases/decreases by a factor of about: 2 every 6 gages, 3 every 10 gages, 4 every 12 gages, 5 every 14 gages, 10 every 20 gages, 100 every 40 gages,

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