wire guage simple question

[chopped]

I was wondering if this would hold true.
If I wanted to have a 10 gauge wire but run two 14 gauge ones on the same terminal. would this amount to a 7 gauge?Ive seen people double up conductors before to gain the lower gauge.
Thanks

 

[CurlyDave]

Usually this is not allowed by the electrical code.

 

[rus_geek]

14 AWG carries approximately half the current of 9 or 11 AWG, depending on the reference table, so it'd be pretty close to your 10 AWG requirement. I'm not 100% positive if you can do simple "addition" of capacities when it comes to running multiple separate conductors, but it logically makes sense to me. You should individually fuse each conductor, too.

To throw a different set of numbers at it:
The resistance of 10AWG wire is 1.018 ohms per 1000 feet.
Two 14AWG have a resistance of 1.2878 ohms per 1000 feet. Greater voltage drop.
A 14AWG and 12AWG in parallel have .995 ohms per 1000 feet.

-r-

 

[ren1pa]

Wire gauge is a measure of diameter. In order to increase the gauge from 14 to 7 you would require increasing the diameter from 0.0641", to 0.1443".

14 gauge = 0.0641" diameter.
7 gauge = 0.1443" diameter.

Another example:
If you wrap 6, of your 14 gauge wires around a center 14 gauge wire, you would triple the diameter to 0.01923", resulting in a "4.5 gauge" wire.

4 gauge = 0.2043" diameter.
5 gauge = 0.1819" diameter.

See also:
American wire gauge - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Hope this helps.

rr

 

[rus_geek]

...I'll mention a practical thought...

Haven't you been around long enough to know those aren't allowed?

You have a point, though. We addressed the "can you" moreso than the "should you" aspect. But it gives me an excuse to use obscure math . . .


-r-

 

[hr3]

The question for "chopped" should be "Are you taking ac or dc voltage"..It does matter..

 

[ModMech]

Actually.....

Wire gauge is not a measure of diameter, but one of (cross sectional) AREA. In fact, most other countries use "square millimeters" and not "gauge" to specify wire.

When referring to sheet stock, "gauge" does in fact, refer to thickness of the material but not for wire - specifically.

The table I use for ampacity is here: American Wire Gauge table and AWG Electrical Current Load Limits with skin depth frequencies

If you double the area, you effectively double the current carrying.

If you double the diameter, you increase the current carrying by as much as 4 times, because the area is 4 times greater.

Examples:

16 AWG = 0.0508" diameter, R(adius) = 0.0254, A(rea) = 2*pi*R^2 = 0.004054"
16 AWG carries 3.7 Amps (power)

10 AWG = 0.1016 (apx 2 x 16 AWG), R = 0.05080, A = 0.016215 (apx 4 times more area and 1/4 of the ohms/1000ft))
10 AWG carries 15 Amps (power), more than four times the 16 AWG because of the reduced resistance.

 

[Hozen]

10ga carries a lot more than 15 amps... and 16ga will carry more than 3.7.

AC vs DC does matter to some degree (but, not really).

Most electricians you talk to will tell you 14ga will carry 15A, 12ga carries 20A, 10ga 30A. This is all in the context of romex carrying AC and fairly short runs (aka, not 300 feet).

A 7ga wire (not standard btw) is between 6 and 8 and if we assume it's stranded and not solid and copper and not aluminum, you're looking at around 50A capacity roughly.

It also depends on whether the wire insulation is rated for 60C or 90C. The higher the rating, the more amps it can safely carry.

Others have already touched on it, but using two small wires is pretty much a hack. Plus, in this case, 10ga wire can be picked up at any local home depot or lowes and is fairly cheap.

I think you'd get better/more accurate responses if you describe what you're planning to do.

 

[Soundguy]

If I needed a 10ga wire to run from my tractor alt to my bat terminal.. or wherever.. from a lamp switch to a lamp, I'd use one fuse for the PAIR of wires, treating them as 1 wire, I'd also solder them vs crimp connectors.

BTDT have plenty of old tractors with wire harnes made from 14awg brake wire loom lines,with a double line from the generator instead of a 10awg which is what i would prefer..

I would not do this on a roadmobile..

soundguy

14 AWG carries approximately half the current of 9 or 11 AWG, depending on the reference table, so it'd be pretty close to your 10 AWG requirement. I'm not 100% positive if you can do simple "addition" of capacities when it comes to running multiple separate conductors, but it logically makes sense to me. You should individually fuse each conductor, too.

To throw a different set of numbers at it:
The resistance of 10AWG wire is 1.018 ohms per 1000 feet.
Two 14AWG have a resistance of 1.2878 ohms per 1000 feet. Greater voltage drop.
A 14AWG and 12AWG in parallel have .995 ohms per 1000 feet.

-r-

 

[rus_geek]

Only reason I recommend separate fusing, is what if one of the two conductors takes some damage? You can dump *all* of the current to a single conductor but still be within the operating range of the fuse.

-rus-

If I needed a 10ga wire to run from my tractor alt to my bat terminal.. or wherever.. from a lamp switch to a lamp, I'd use one fuse for the PAIR of wires, treating them as 1 wire, I'd also solder them vs crimp connectors.

BTDT have plenty of old tractors with wire harnes made from 14awg brake wire loom lines,with a double line from the generator instead of a 10awg which is what i would prefer..

I would not do this on a roadmobile..

soundguy