10 vs. 12 vs. 14 vs. 16 vs. 18 AWG gauge wire

Have you finally settled down and built the house of your dreams? Or perhaps you bought one and planned to renovate it.

In any case, dealing with the wiring will be on your to-do list. But did you know that you can’t just pick up a random cable in your nearest hardware store? Doing so may put your life at risk.

Summary

The best speaker wires range from 12 to 16 AWG.

Here is the rating for the various wires:

  • A 10 AWG wire is rated for 30 amps.
  • A 12 AWG wire is rated for 20 amps.
  • A 14 AWG wire is rated for 20 amps.

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6 awg Copper Cable power cable

You might have noticed AWG written over every cable in the store. Is an 18 AWG better than a 10 AWG? How thick should yours be?

What are the best speaker options? And should you go for solid or stranded wires? At first glance, the sheer amount of information can be overwhelming. Fortunately, we will walk you through the topic one step at a time.

Table of Contents

Below, you can see a chart with the maximum recommended lengths for the most common AWGs:

AWG120-volt circuit240-volt circuit
650100
860120
1064128
1276152
1494188

The most common AWG sizes and their specs

The maths behind the AWG system is quite complicated. Fortunately, you don’t need any calculations to find the diameter of each size. We’ve prepared this list to make this task much easier for you.

4

This AWG size can withstand up to 70 amps. Because of this, you can use it for large electric furnaces or portable heaters. These appliances would otherwise fry thinner cables. It has a diameter of 0.2 inches and is 5 millimeters in metric units.

6

6 AWG THHN

A 6-gauge cable has a diameter of 0.16 inches (or 4 millimeters). It can easily handle up to 55 amps. It’s used mostly in the kitchen for cooktops and ranges.

8

An 8-gauge is about 0.13 inches in diameter. If you favor metrics units, it’s roughly 3 mm. This AWG can handle up to 40 amps. It makes it ideal for kitchen appliances such as the cooktop or oven.

10

10 AWG

A 10-AWG gauge is about 0.1 inches (or 2.6 mm) in diameter. It can bear up to 30 amps without problems. This size has a wide range of applications – from clothes dryers and water heaters to 24-volt A/Cs. Similarly to the 8-gauge, it’s sometimes used in kitchen circuits.

12

12 awg

12-AWG gauge cables have a diameter of 0.08 inches (or 2 millimeters). They are suitable for circuits whose amperage doesn’t exceed 20 amps. These types are used in kitchen and bathroom outlets. 120-volt air-conditioners also sport these cables. It’s one of the most popular choices for speakers too.

14

14 AWG

A 14-AWG cable has a diameter of 0.06 inches (or 1.6 millimeters). Because it can handle only up to 15 amps, it’s not suitable for demanding appliances. It’s mostly used in lighting circuits, although it also works with home theater speakers.

16

With a diameter of 0.05 inches (1.3 millimeters), a 16-AWG gauge has a low ampacity and can withstand only 13 amps. Thus, it’s usually used in light-duty extension cords. It can be used to connect home theater speakers to a circuit too.

18

18awg coax cable

An 18-AWG gauge has a diameter of 0.04 inches (1mm). It can only handle up to 10 amps. Therefore, we recommend using it for low-amp lighting and lamp cords. If you use it for any high-demand device, it will certainly overheat and melt.

What is the difference between 14 and 16 AWG?

The main difference between a 14-AWG and a 16-AWG one lies in its size. 14 AWG is thicker and thus has lesser electrical resistance. As a result, it allows the current to flow freely without overheating your circuit.

But that doesn’t mean a 16-AWG is useless. It ultimately comes down to what you plan to install into your circuit. Usually, you can find 16-AWG in extension cords. On the other hand, the 14-AWG ones are used mainly to connect lighting to a power source.

How do the different sizes work?

The American Wire Gauge is the most commonly used system in the US. As a consumer passionate about home improvement, you should at least know its basics.

While complicated formulae hide behind the AWG standard, you don’t need to worry about them. It’s enough to know how the AWG numbers affect the specs of your wires. This value ranges from 1 to 40.

The lower the number, the wider the cable’s diameter is. And the wider it is, the more current it can handle without overloading.

It is especially important when you purchase high-wattage appliances such as portable heaters. Choosing the wrong size can endanger your entire home.

Why does the value matter?

Although knowing these specs might seem pointless at first, you’ll need this information when you change your wiring in any way. If you don’t select the proper product, your circuit might catch fire.

Two 16 AWG Speaker Cables

What makes one AWG size different from another is the amount of current it can handle. It is because of electrical resistance. Every type of metal provides some degree of resistance to the current that passes through it.

The thinner the wire is, the higher the resistance will be. If a strong current passes through a very thin wire, it will heat up quickly. If left unchecked, your wiring might melt. When it does, it might lead to the dangerous arcing phenomenon.

It occurs when the current ‘jumps’ from one conductor to another. When this happens, it can create extremely hard temperatures – enough to start a fire.

When shopping, you must consider the type of appliance you’ll plug into the circuit. Placing a high-demand appliance into a low-amp circuit can be life-threatening. The device will try to draw more power from it.

However, thin wires can’t withstand this demand and will melt eventually. On the other hand, plugging low-demand devices into high-amp wires is generally safe – the device will only draw as much current as it needs.

How does length affect voltage?

Unfortunately, the length of your wiring also affects the overall performance of the circuit. The longer it is, the greater its electrical resistance will be. Not only can this lead to overheating if the wire is particularly long, but it can also lead to voltage drops.

According to the National Electrical Code, your voltage drop should never exceed 3 %. Thus, each AWG size has a recommended maximum length.

Keep in mind that these values are different for 120-volt and 240-volt circuits. For instance, a 14-AWG wire shouldn’t exceed 50 feet in a 120-volt circuit and 100 feet if it is in a 240-volt one.

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