AWG wire

[Bernhard]

The AWG is it with insulation or the size of the bare wire ?
Assuming it is the bare wire, how can I know the outer diameter of the insulation ?

[seventenths]

AWG
American wire guage.
This is the size of the bare conductor.

Micrometer?


7/10

[AndrewT]

Hi,
AWG is usually applied to a single core solid circular wire.

When describing a multi stand cable, does AWG represent the equivalent copper content in the cross section of the cable or cord?

[sandstorm33]

Originally posted by AndrewT
Hi,
AWG is usually applied to a single core solid circular wire.

When describing a multi stand cable, does AWG represent the equivalent copper content in the cross section of the cable or cord?

AWG applies to any type wire. It refers to dimensional characteristics and does not deal with copper content. Aluminum conductors are classified in the same AWG's. AWG also is used by THE NATIONAL ELECTRIC CODE in rating ampacity of a given conductor.

[AndrewT]

Originally posted by sandstorm33


AWG applies to any type wire. It refers to dimensional characteristics and does not deal with copper content. Aluminum conductors are classified in the same AWG's. AWG also is used by THE NATIONAL ELECTRIC CODE in rating ampacity of a given conductor.

that's rather different from European/UK practice where the sqmm (square millimetres) is referring to the copper cross sectional area, irrespective of whether it is solid single core or multistrand.

[gain]

never measured the cross sectional area myself, but i do know that solid core conductors of a given AWG have the same ampacity rating as a multistrand conductor of the same AWG, given they are both made from the same conductive material. since in physics the function of resistance in a wire is dependent on its cross sectional area, length, and conductivity, all other things being equal this would seem to indicate that wires of the same AWG have the same copper cross sectional area, regardless of number of strands.

[AndrewT]

Originally posted by sandstorm33


AWG applies to any type wire. It refers to dimensional characteristics and does not deal with copper content. Aluminum conductors are classified in the same AWG's. AWG also is used by THE NATIONAL ELECTRIC CODE in rating ampacity of a given conductor.

Originally posted by gain
never measured the cross sectional area myself, but i do know that solid core conductors of a given AWG have the same ampacity rating as a multistrand conductor of the same AWG, given they are both made from the same conductive material. since in physics the function of resistance in a wire is dependent on its cross sectional area, length, and conductivity, all other things being equal this would seem to indicate that wires of the same AWG have the same copper cross sectional area, regardless of number of strands.

which is it?

[seventenths]

Although the AWG tables are normally for a single, solid, round conductor, there are many cases in which AWG is applied to wires with multiple strands. When a stranded wire needs to be converted to an AWG equivalent size, the cross-sectional area of the conductor which determines its current-carrying capacity and electrical resistance (not its diameter), is taken as the determining factor. This permits stranded wire to have a slightly different diameter than solid wire having the same AWG.


From Wikipedia.

7/10

[AKN]

Hi,

Link

[gareth]

Stranded cables generally have a higher Current rating than Solid core conductors. If you cut open large armoured cable for instance, each of the cores consists of many single cores to give a large stranded conductor.

The cross sectional area can ge ascertained by using :-

pi * diameter² ÷ 4

Cross sectional areas upto 600mm² are not uncommon.

Gareth