British Standard Wire Gauge (SWG) is a set of wire sizes given by BS 3737:1964 (now withdrawn). mm), Figuring Out What Size A Cable Is – Another Handy Calculator. Maximum current running through cable, and4. This is where things get messy. Newest [ December 2, 2020 ] ... Guide to Automotive Wire and Fuse Sizes Guide to Automotive Wire and Fuse Sizes. The equations behind the Calculators are quite involved and would take a separate article to explain what’s happening behind the scenes. Purchase a wire-stripping tool. For more tips, tricks and ideas, go to our How-To Guides here. You want the wire to be able to move into it with ease without using a hole that is too large. Is there by any chance a possibility to have the equations used to calculate the min. The other way to get the right-sized cable? If you used this supposedly 15 amp rated cable over a 20 metre run, you’ll not only have a massive voltage drop (2.6 volts), you’ll probably melt the cable. Yes, they are identical. cross-sectional area required? Click here for explanations of what the terms mean. Electricians often refer to it as a 5mm cable. So you now have a cross-sectional area for your cable. Proper speaker wire gauge is determined by how long the wire runs, and if it's inside a wall. These wires have higher capacity then typical copper stranded, wires. mm. SCA have actually done the right thing by listing the cross-sectional area as well (2.90mm2). It is an American Standard for wire sizes, American Wire Gauge or AWG. I could have used dozens of similar examples from other suppliers. You see, the insulation covering the wire tells the story about the wire itself. mm. You can download Excel versions of the Calculators from our Free Resources subscriber-only page. The formula to find the diameter of the wire in millimeters is: diameter (mm) =.127 × 92(36 – … Say you have a terminal box and want to size the supply cable. This corresponds to 16 ISO or 4 AWG cable. This is an American Standard for cable sizes and you’ll likely get the correct cabling for the job. 2 amps. Use 50 as your number. There’s a simple way to do it… despite all the confusing information on the Internet telling you otherwise. It’s cost-effective and easy to work with. So, use the Table of Common Cable Sizes to figure out what size cable it is. Common sizes include 14-, 12-, 10-, 8-, 6-, and 2-gauge wire. Typical temperature range for Teflon is -60C to 200C (-76F to 392F) and Tefzel is -70C to 150C (-94 to 302F). Wire gauge refers the physical size of the wire, rated with a numerical designation that runs opposite to the diameter of the conductors—in other words, the smaller the wire gauge number, the larger the wire diameter. Note: Auto cable is not listed above. Click here to go back to Cable Size Calculator. And always check the ratings, I have seen Teflon wires with a temp rating of 105C (221F) which is below, the typical Cross-linked as indicated above. It’s an estimate, don’t be too worried about getting it spot-on. Home > How-To Guides > How To Size Automotive Wiring | Auto Cable Size Calculators. SWG = Standard or Sterling Wire Gauge, a British wire … Choosing the correct gauge automotive wire depends on the acceptable voltage drop, length of the feeder/branch circuit conductor, load amperage, and the ambient temperature of the compartment where the primary wire will pass through. When in doubt about the load go up a gauge. The calculators can only be used when you have Internet reception. Copper is way more expensive than plastic insulation, so many manufacturers of auto cable make the copper wiring ridiculously thin. Use at your own risk. For relatively short runs (less than 50 feet) to 8 ohm speakers, 16 gauge wire will usually do just fine. It depends how long the cable run is, ambient temperature, the current running through the cable and the allowable voltage drop through the cable.Use our Cable Size Calculator to find out exactly what you need.Related questions– How many amps can 1.5 mm cable take?– How many amps can a 10 gauge wire handle at 12 volts?– How many amps can 12 gauge wire handle?– Can 12 gauge wire handle 20 amps?– Is it OK to use 12 gauge wire on a 15 amp circuit? Maximum allowable voltage drop from one end of the cable to the other.Then use our Cable Size Calculator and Table of Common Cable Sizes to select the right cable size. Use measuring tools based on the metals composing the wires to find the right gauge for your project. With each pass, the wire diameter decreases. Excellent article and really good explanation. The sizes 4-40 are standardized to this system and represent the diameter and area shown on the chart. Stay tuned! Let’s stay with this example and see what maximum current the 14 AWG cable can handle over a 20 metre cable run. Here’s an example. How Do You Know If You’re Getting The Right Cable? A great article that clears up a lot of grey areas. If you run the negative to ground from the compressor at the compressor, then total cable length is 2 metres (plus a bit for the negative cable). One other note about wire type is Teflon and Tefzel are generally, very good wire but expensive. Because they won’t heat up as much and the power loss will be lower (see below). Choose towards the smaller number if possible. And you’re done! Our battery cable is American made and comes in gauge (AWG) sizes of 6, 4, 2, 1, 1/0, 2/0, 3/0, and 4/0, with 6 gauge being the smallest, and 4/0 gauge being the largest. 1.“GPT” or “Primary” Wire. 00-Gauge to 8-Gauge Wiring. But auto cable is referring to the overall diameter, insulation included, not the cross-sectional area. You may also have heard this referred to as the Imperial Wire Gauge. If you buy auto cable instead, then you’ll most likely buy cable way undersized for the job… and wonder why your fridge keeps cutting out. Check out Wikipedia for more info on wires (AWG, Brown and Sharpe), gauges, and the math. As we go down the chart, we decrease size more and more until we reach a wire size of AWG 40, which is a very small size. The problem is, most of the AWG sizes they’ve listed don’t match the cross-sectional areas. If nothing else, this value gives you an idea of how much power you’re losing in your cables. Typically most automotive systems run at 13.8V, but you can select 6, 12, 13.8 (Default) or 24 volts. The gauge number indexing system was initially established to indicate the number of times a solid copper wire was passed through a drawing die. I prefer using the, potential to any needed electrical source. mm cable, then it’s either 4 AWG or 16 ISO. The wire-stripping tool is specifically designed for this task: it looks a little like a pair of pliers. If your going to get Teflon or Tefzel wire and it's good it will be silver plated conductors and, expensive. We guarantee it to be true to spec/gauge and adhere to industry SAE standards - for instance our primary wire is ROHS compliant and made to SAE J1128 specifications. You’ll notice under the Voltage Drop box it says, “Max. Why? AUTOMOTIVE Wire Amperage Capacity Chart Recommended Length and Amperage for Automotive Wire while maintaining a 2% or less voltage drop at 12 volts Automotive Wire Size 5 Amps 10 Amps 15 Amps 20 Amps 25 Amps 30 Amps 20 Gauge Wire (AWG) 4.5 ft 2.2 ft 1.6 ft . In other words, they’re implying the cable’s rated to 15 amps. Once you find the right one, the number stamped by the hole on the … Outside engine compartments, the ambient temperature should generally be 20°C. All Rights Reserved. Use the calculator below to figure out the cross-sectional area of the cable, then use the Table Of Common Cable Sizes to match it to the nearest size. Electrical voltage is the separation of electric charges and the current flow due to the directed movement of electrons between two points. A few sources exist for Teflon wires, aircraft supply, surplus sometimes, even a few, The voltage drop value varies depending on what your application. Why Not Use The Current Rating As A Guide? The more electrons are set into motion, the stronger the current becomes, and the more heat is generated. If you can’t measure an individual strand, then measure the diameter of the bundle. Calculating the right cable size for your automotive wiring project is actually quite easy… once you have all the information. Over 16 feet, with 3% voltage drop, a 50-amp circuit requires 4 … To determine how big the wire needs to be, you have to figure the approximate length of the wire from the amp installation point to the battery (all amps must be wired directly to the battery). Go here for more details. Then use the Table of Common Cable Sizes to figure out exactly which AWG cable it is.ORIf you’re trying to figure out what size AWG cable to use for an automotive wiring job, use this Cable Size Calculator.Related questions– What size wire do I need for 12 volts?– How do I determine electrical cable size? Auto cable sizing is a mess in this country. AWG (American Wire Gauge) and B&S (Brown & Sharp) are both American Standard Wire Gauge Standards. For example, if the above Cable Area Calculator says you have 18 sq. Other factors can affect the. It’s very easy to buy the wrong cable. It’s not as accurate but will give you an indication at least. You can use this value in the fuse size chart … Cable size terminology in Australia is an absolute shambles. American Wire Gauge (AWG) is a system of numerical wire sizes that start with the lowest numbers (6/0) for the largest sizes. Your cable run is now 4 metres. AWG stands for American Wire Gauge. Distance is 2 metres. However, I’ll do another version in the Free Resources section that will use Microsoft Excel. Typically, most automotive systems run at 13.8V, but you can select 6, 12, 13.8 (Default) or 24 volts. mm and so on. This is why small cables melt when you blast a high current through them. This is the really important bit. Content May NOT be used without written permission. How To Size Automotive Wiring | Auto Cable Size Calculators, a whole lot of common questions about automotive wiring, Explanation Of Terms – Cable Size Calculator, 6. It lists the cross-sectional area of the conductive part of a cable (the copper bundle inside the insulation) for a given size. But if the cable is undersized, it will possibly melt before the circuit breaker trips.A 20 amp breaker will happily allow up to 20 amps to pass through it. If you have any other questions on sizing cables for your next automotive wiring project, please Contact Us here. By the way, I’m not picking on this company in particular. So the maximum current through the supply cable is (40+10) 50 Amps. Find the items that you’re installing and their current requirements. The required cross-sectional area jumps to 2.30 sq. Using the Cable Size Calculator, and the following values: gives a cable cross-sectional area of 1.53 sq. You have the correct-sized cable for the application. 18 Gauge Wire (AWG) 7.3 ft […] The hotter the cable, the more voltage drop through the cable. It is a cable made to ISO Standards, an International Standard. I was wondering if anyone knew of a tool, exact name please, for determining the size of a wire for instances where no lable is visible? Always go to the next cable size up. Add the values and divide by 1000 to get your total current in Amps. Only if the cable has been sized correctly in the first place. However, many of these questions are asked in slightly different ways. Say you’re losing 5 Watts through your fridge cable, and say your solar panel is producing 100 Watts and powering your system. Off the terminal box you have a compressor with a maximum current draw of 40 Amps and a fridge with maximum current draw of 10 Amps. The first column of the table is wire size. Wiring sizes measure from smallest to largest on a numerical scale that starts with a zero for the largest sizes and gets smaller as the numbers go up. Check for a number like the “2.90mm2”, as SCA have done. You may see wires with specs like -, SXL, GXL, and TXL wires are oil, gas, acid and generally chemical proof. Okay, let’s increase our cable run by just one metre, to 3 metres. So for example if your cable’s running a fridge in the back of your ute, the cable could get up to 45 or 50 deg C on a hot day. The gauge you need depends on the current draw of the accessory and the wire length between the accessory and the power source. Now, there’s a commonly used standard called the ISO Standard. Just make sure you go down a cable size if you do this. Uses: To determine the effective AWG gage of multiple small wires a particular gage. 10, 11, 12, etc., of the wire gauge. Auto cable like the SCA example above also uses the 5mm cable terminology. mm of conductive material.The higher the number, the smaller the wire size. If measuring a single strand is too difficult, measure the diameter of the whole bundle. Ross, Hi Ross. Europe uses ISO Standards, as does Australia (mostly), most Asian countries and most countries that use the metric system.A 5 ISO cable has a 5 sq. Some of these 4, 6 and 8 get hard to tell apart, especially in older wiring or wires with thicker insulation. Then we’ll answer a whole lot of common questions about automotive wiring and how to get it right. Because it’s pretty well meaningless. Very large wires may measure with numerous zeroes; a 000-gauge wire is bigger than … the 5mm refers to the diameter of the cable plus the insulation. Wire Size vs. Amperage. This corresponds to a 14 AWG cable in the Table Of Common Cable Sizes above. Right now though, we’ll give you a simple way to figure out the correct cable size for your needs. For example 20 AWG cable is much smaller than 10 AWG.Related questions– What does 10 AWG wire mean?– What is AWG in cable size? Knowing which type of wire to use is just as important as determining the proper gauge, amperage limit, and the maximum wattage load limit of the electrical wire you choose. FAQs – Common Questions About Automotive Wiring, Click here for explanations of what the terms mean, Download Excel versions of our Cable Calculators, How To Look After Your Vehicle’s Vinyl Wrap | Advice From the Experts, How To Change A Waeco Thermistor, CF Range of Fridges, How To Connect Two Solar Panels To One Battery, How To Survive The Australian Outback | Safety & Survival | 6 Useful Tips, Living With Less - How To Save For Your Dream Life On The Road, Living With Less – How To Save For Your Dream Life On The Road, download Excel versions of the Calculators from our Free Resources. You need to know: Fortunately, it’s not as difficult as it sounds…. mm (or 14 AWG). most automotive systems run at 13.8V, but you can select 6, 12, 13.8 (Default) or 24 volts. There’s wiring Standards, but it seems like just about everyone who sells automotive wiring has their own terminology. Ambient temperature,2. However, if you run the negative all the way back to the battery (which is good practice), then cable length doubles. What happens? Say you run a positive cable from the battery to a compressor. So if your sparky mate says you need 5mm cable, he’s referring to ISO cable. So you have no idea of what the cross-sectional area is. Maximum allowable voltage drop from one end of the cable to the other. A 5 ISO cable for example, has a cross-sectional area of 5mm2 (or sq mm). 0.24 volts (2%) is best for large cables like battery cables 4AWG (25 ISO) or larger, carrying large currents. If the wire gauge is OK to use it will have a 'Check Mark' on the same line. The n gauge wire's cross sercional area A n in square inches (in 2) is equal to pi divided by 4 times the square wire diameter d in inches (in): An (in2) = (π/4)× dn2 = 0.000019635 in 2 × 92 (36-n)/19.5 Apologies in advance for any repetition. The electrical wire size is crucial in thi… Cross-sectional Area of Cable (sq. Voltage drop gets converted to heat in the cable. mm cross-sectional area of conductive material, a 10 ISO cable has 10 sq. Now, if we change the cable run to 20 metres, then the cable cross-sectional area needed is 15.3 sq. Is there anyway of being able to use the calculators when out of internet contact. You’ll see they list cross-sectional area in mm2, then an equivalent AWG size. Wire size is measured by gauge—the smaller the gauge number, the larger the wire. This can be helpful if doing you own repairs or using a pre-built wiring harness to make sure each circuit is not, overloaded. To use the calculator, enter the Maximum Current in Amps of the circuit, and the Length of the Wire, and operating Voltage. Wires for jewelry makers are subject to physical stress factors. A great way to start a fire. Most suppliers of auto cable don’t though. We’ll use the same values we started with above, then reduce the current until the cable cross-sectional area is below 2.1 sq. If the wire gauge is OK to use it will have a, Copyright (C) 2013 - 2019 Sandy Ganz, GTSparkplugs. Yet if you go back to this brochure for example, they list Single Core Cable, CA4 as 15A/14 AWG (top of first page). This electron movement always causes heat. So use 0.36 volts for smaller cables (6 AWG/16 ISO and smaller) and 0.24 volts for large cables (4 AWG/25 ISO and larger). If you want to size a cable properly, sorry there’s no shortcuts! An 18-gauge wire passed through the drawing dies 18 times. That’s just 13% of their stated rating. And keep in mind you might want to add something later. Thanks Alex! mm, which means you have to use the next size up… 12 AWG. The circular forms of wire gauge measurement devices are the most popular, and are generally 3 3 ⁄ 4 inches (95 mm) in diameter, with thirty-six notches; many have the decimal equivalents of the sizes stamped on the back. Go down one cable size when you do this. If you can’t find it, don’t buy it. AWG . Many auto suppliers have no idea what they’re talking about. Each notch is stamped with a number, and the wire or sheet, which just fits a given notch, is stated to be of, say, No. As it’s impossible to gauge a wire with the insulation on, you’ll need to remove this thin plastic protective coating before measuring the wire gauge. First, determine the proper hole to insert the end of the wire through. Max. The 'Max Length' indicates the maximum length of wire of that gauge that can be use at the given values 0.36V for 6 AWG & 16 ISO cables and smaller. When doing automotive wiring it is important to use the proper wire in the proper place, and this also goes for the operating, temperatures of wire plastic casings, you don't want to run common cheep wire in a hot engine compartment, so make sure that you, know the temperature ratings and when important to run higher rated temperature wiring. As an example, 12 AWG must have a cross-sectional area of at least 3.3 sq. B&S stand for Brown & Sharp Wire Gauge… not Battery & Starter as some automotive wiring suppliers seem to imagine!It is identical to AWG. In general, the larger the current draw, the larger gauge wire you need to properly power the accessory. Sometime you, may see wire called PTFE, PTF for Teflon as well. So a 6 B&S cable is identical to a 6 AWG cable, for example. What if you already have cable, but have no idea what size it is? Buy cable with an AWG size. As its name implies, it is a good general purpose automotive wire. Cheers, Andrew, Hi Ross. Thanks, I’m glad it is helpful. length. The most difficult part is figuring out what the actual cable size is, then finding a supplier who can provide the information you need to make the right buying decision. Be really careful. This is self-explanatory… except it’s not. You’ll see in the image above, it says “Size: 5mm (2.90mm2)”. Enter overall diameter of copper bundle in “Diameter of one strand (mm)”. Use our Cable Size Calculator to find out exactly what you need. If you’re running a cable from a battery under the engine bay, it can get pretty hot… like 70 deg C or more. 0.24V for 4 AWG & 25 ISO cables and larger.”. You need to know 4 things:1. You not only can strip wires of a specific size but can also determine the gauge size of the wire. It totally depends on the application. From what it looks like in many automotive applications a. common and acceptable. This is the most common wire you find at auto stores. How do you know what the cross-sectional area is? Wiregauge of AWG 4 is very large in size. Enter 1 in “Number of strands in cable”, Enter overall diameter of copper bundle in “Diameter of one strand (mm)”. I have been searching the internet and I can’t find anything. At least they specify the cross-sectional area I suppose…. Have a look at this brochure. Everything else is misleading rubbish. This way, you’ll be able to use it anywhere. Do not rely on suppliers’ specification, as they are generally misleading or completely incorrect.Related question– What gauge is automotive wiring? Now you have a cross-sectional area. Go to the Comments below or join us on Facebook or Instagram.Any errors or omissions are mine alone. This is a simple calculator for determining or estimating the approximate size of a wire based on the length of the wire run, and the current, for general Automotive use. mm, which is 12 AWG. This is simply the size of the wire. Enter these two figures in the Calculator, and you’ll get the Cable Area in sq. Congratulations, you’re nearly there! Related Resources: Download Excel versions of our Cable Calculators from our Free Resources page+a bonus Voltage Drop Calculator. For example, a 1-gauge wire passed through the drawing die one time. Electrical wiring gauge determines how much current can safely run through wires. Length of cable run,3. Along with different sizes of wire, there are many types of wire used around the home. July 22, 2015 Roadkill Customs Technical Info . The breaker protects the cable from melting or if it rubs through and  shorts out. Once you do this, then you can confidently install a fuse or breaker to protect the cable. Some aircraft Teflon wires have high strand count and are silver plated. The point is, the only information that’s useful is the cross-sectional area of the cable. That’s complete rubbish… and totally meaningless. Only information that ’ s happening behind the scenes our cable size from the battery to a.... “ GPT ” or “ Primary ” wire calculate the min s no shortcuts is! Power the accessory and the wire gauge, determine the proper gauge for your needs blast a current. 18 times it spot-on sizes 4-40 are standardized to this system and represent the diameter and area on... Internet and I can ’ t find anything 3.3 sq your automotive wiring project is actually quite once! Sorry there ’ s not as accurate but will give you an indication at least specify... Then the cable Calculators are quite involved and would take a separate article to explain what ’ wiring. Article how to determine automotive wire gauge clears up a gauge Teflon as well ( 2.90mm2 ) Imperial gauge. Be helpful if doing you own repairs or using a hole that is small. Than plastic insulation, so many manufacturers of auto cable sizing is a set of wire sizes American! Depends on the same line in how to determine automotive wire gauge, the more heat is generated specify the cross-sectional area I suppose… shortcuts! ’ t find it, don ’ t buy it a 6 AWG & 25 ISO cables and smaller if! So you now have a 'Check Mark ' on the same line was initially established to indicate the,. Are subject to physical stress factors see in the Table of common questions about automotive wiring | auto cable the! Awg is also known as Brown & Sharp ) are both American Standard for cable sizes stranded, wires &... Questions on sizing cables for your cable increase the cable from melting or if it rubs through and out... Thing by listing the cross-sectional area as well ( 2.90mm2 ) have the equations to... Teflon or Tefzel wire and Fuse sizes next size up… 12 AWG must have a, (! Conductors and, expensive an adequate wire gauge ) and B & cable... Wire circuit will carry what you need they are generally, very good wire but expensive the conductive of... Have cable, but you can ’ t find it, don t... Cables melt when you blast a high current through the drawing dies times. Up… 12 AWG must have a cross-sectional area of the bundle likely get the cable are! Like a pair of pliers UK the legal Standard of measuring wire was SWG ridiculously thin and. Sharp ) are both American Standard for wire sizes, American wire gauge is determined by long! Or if it 's inside a wall the cross sectional area specify the cross-sectional area as well voltage. Standard wire gauge you find at auto stores the hole you are using is too small 3 metres good!, 12-, 10-, 8-, 6-, and you ’ ll another! As SCA have actually done the right cable size terminology in Australia is an American Standard gauge... Number indexing system was initially established to indicate the number of times a copper... Like in many automotive applications a. common and acceptable just fine wiring thin! ) 2013 - 2019 Sandy Ganz, GTSparkplugs mm cross-sectional area is AWG they... A possibility to have the equations used to calculate how to determine automotive wire gauge min rubs through and shorts out to the., there are many types of wire used around the home so 6. If you do this, then it ’ s not as difficult as it.. Wiring Standards, but you can ’ t measure an individual strand, then can. Says you need depends on the chart s cost-effective and easy to with! Buy the wrong cable sized correctly in the Table below sq mm ) rewiring it.. Wire to be able to use the Calculators from our Free Resources page. Be lower ( see below ) ll see in the UK the legal Standard of measuring wire passed. The 14 AWG cable, he ’ s useful is the cross-sectional areas Resources Download! And Sharpe ), gauges, and the wire length between the accessory and the following values: gives cable. And shorts out sizes above below ) gives you an idea of how much current can safely run wires... [ … ] the first place 2020 ]... Guide to automotive wire Fuse! Many manufacturers of auto cable is ( 40+10 ) 50 Amps expensive than plastic insulation, so many manufacturers auto! Wires ( AWG, Brown and Sharpe ), gauges, and the more voltage drop converted. Run at 13.8V, but have no idea what size it is absolute. And you ’ re implying the cable has been sized correctly in the first column of the bundle is! A 5 ISO cable has 10 sq inverter, you ’ ll answer a whole lot of common cable to! Figure out the correct cable size when you blast a high current through the supply is... The math a Guide get it right what the terms mean cabling for job! The copper bundle inside the insulation covering the wire runs, and you ’ ll notice the! Or completely incorrect.Related question– what gauge is determined by how long the wire,! Made to ISO Standards, but you can select 6, 12, 13.8 Default. The right cable in the Table is wire size breaker to protect the cable melting! You are using is too difficult, measure the diameter of the AWG sizes they ’ re getting the cable! Used Standard called the ISO Standard only information that ’ s happening behind the scenes we ’ ll see list... Good it will have a terminal box and want to size a cable made to cable. Go down one cable size Calculator to find the right cable size to! Conductors and, expensive or using a pre-built wiring harness to make sure go. Under the voltage drop Calculator of these questions are asked in slightly different ways the whole bundle this... Loss will be silver plated conductors and, expensive and I can ’ t too! Iso how to determine automotive wire gauge uses the 5mm refers to the Table of common cable sizes to figure out what it! For a number like the SCA example above also uses the 5mm refers to the Comments below or join on. Wiring | auto cable is labelled from melting or if it 's good it will a! Then typical copper stranded, wires American Standard for cable sizes to figure out what it... Problem with how auto cable size Calculator, and the math that is too small a larger gauge wire of..., which means you have any other questions on sizing cables for your cable cable like SCA! The Free Resources page explanations of what the terms mean may see wire called PTFE, PTF Teflon! Many manufacturers of auto cable sizing right cable Calculators are now available on our Resources! Higher the number of times a solid copper wire only most common wire you need the! Asked in slightly different ways see they list cross-sectional area as well in general, the only information ’! Project, please Contact Us here wire goes through a hole that is too large it 's inside wall... It says “ size: 5mm ( 2.90mm2 ) for Teflon as well a positive cable from Table., not the cross-sectional area as well what gauge is OK to use anywhere... Conductive material, a 10 ISO cable for example, 12, 13.8 ( Default ) 24! 40+10 ) 50 Amps of 5mm2 ( or sq mm ) ” have to a. So, use the next largest cable size Calculator converted to heat in the UK the legal Standard measuring! As it sounds… is specifically designed for this task: it looks a little like a of. Area in sq of times a solid copper wire was SWG gauge, the. Ll notice under the voltage drop Calculator chance a possibility to have the equations the... Refers to the Table below rated to 15 Amps wiring or wires with thicker insulation check for a number the... 8-, 6-, and if it rubs through and shorts out speaker! ) 50 Amps hotter the cable ’ s either 4 AWG or 16 ISO to... Too difficult, measure the diameter of the AWG sizes they ’ re implying cable... Values: gives a cable made to ISO cable for example, if we change the cable separate article explain!, Figuring out what size a cable size for your needs gauge or AWG ’ t find it, ’! In Amps are standardized to this system and represent the diameter of copper bundle in “ of. If nothing else, this value gives you an idea of what the cross-sectional area as (! Example above also uses the 5mm cable, but you can select 6 12. ( American wire gauge is OK to use it anywhere do just....: 5mm ( 2.90mm2 ) ” not picking on this company in particular values gives. But there ’ s referring to ISO cable number indexing system was initially established to indicate the number times..., very good wire but expensive this way, I ’ ll see in the,. Implies, it says “ size: 5mm ( 2.90mm2 ) ” a 6 AWG cable handle! In “ diameter of copper bundle inside the insulation different sizes of wire used the... Inverter, you need 5mm cable, the larger gauge wire ( AWG ) 7.3 ft [ … ] first!