What Is 12 AWG Wire? What Is Bigger Between 12 AWG And 14 AWG?What Is AWG In Cable Size?

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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 wireis one of the most frequently used electrical wires.

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 cableas 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.

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.

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?

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.

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 AWGrefers 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.

It 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.

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