A vast proportion of cable manufacturerslabel their gauge measurements in American Wire Gauge (AWG). Considering that a cable’s gauge has significant implications on whether it is safe to use in a particular application, you ought to know the gauge measurements of any wire you intend to use. In most instances, you don’t have to measure a cable’s AWG. Most reliable cable manufacturers take it upon themselves to indicate AWG cablemeasurements on the cable’s outer insulation. All you need to do is look for the measurements on the cable’s insulation, and you will be good to go. But what do you do when the manufacturer does not indicate the AWG cable measurements?
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.
Once you obtain the diameter of a single strand, you have to multiply the diameter by itself. Next, count the number of strands that make up the cable and multiply the squared diameter by the number of strands. The result of this calculation is equivalent to the circular mill’s value of the cable. Once you’ve found the circular mills value, consult an online table to locate its corresponding AWG wirevalue.
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.
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