Licensed electricians should ideally handle electrical work. It also helps to be personally aware of important aspects of your circuit breaker, such as having a good rating for the project. To select the right one, professionals use different charts as their reference.
In the USA, the chart that is considered standard is the American Wire Gauge. It is commonly referred to as AWG. Also known as the Brown & Sharpe, the AWG is a system that prescribes specific diameters of solid round wires. You’ll hear the rating referred to as the gauge used as electric conductors. The capacity is the maximum current that it can safely handle.
You should note that the AWG numbering system does not directly represent the actual size. The higher the AWG number, the thinner or smaller it is. The thinner it is, the less power it is rated to handle. A 2 AWG can carry more current than a 14-rated one.
You can use the following chart to understand it better and determine the diameter of the AWG number. Whether you’re looking for 20, 30, 40, or 50 amp wire sizes, the chart below should help you out:
| AWG | Diameter (inches) | Diameter (millimeters) |
| 0000 | 0.46 | 11.68 |
| 000 | 0.4096 | 10.4 |
| 00 | 0.3648 | 9.266 |
| 0 | 0.3249 | 8.251 |
| 1 | 0.2893 | 7.348 |
| 2 | 0.2576 | 6.544 |
| 3 | 0.2294 | 5.827 |
| 4 | 0.2043 | 5.189 |
| 5 | 0.1819 | 4.621 |
| 6 | 0.162 | 4.115 |
| 7 | 0.1443 | 3.665 |
| 8 | 0.1285 | 3.264 |
| 9 | 0.1144 | 2.906 |
| 10 | 0.1019 | 2.588 |
| 11 | 0.09074 | 2.305 |
| 12 | 0.08081 | 2.053 |
| 13 | 0.07196 | 1.828 |
| 14 | 0.06408 | 1.628 |
| 15 | 0.05707 | 1.45 |
| 16 | 0.05082 | 1.291 |
| 17 | 0.04526 | 1.149 |
| 18 | 0.0403 | 1.024 |
| 19 | 0.03589 | 0.9116 |
| 20 | 0.03196 | 0.8118 |
| 21 | 0.02846 | 0.7229 |
| 22 | 0.02535 | 0.6438 |
| 23 | 0.02257 | 0.5733 |
| 24 | 0.0201 | 0.5106 |
| 25 | 0.0179 | 0.4547 |
| 26 | 0.01594 | 0.4049 |
| 27 | 0.0142 | 0.3606 |
| 28 | 0.01264 | 0.3211 |
| 29 | 0.01126 | 0.2859 |
| 30 | 0.01002 | 0.2546 |
| 31 | 0.00893 | 0.2268 |
| 32 | 0.00795 | 0.2019 |
| 33 | 0.00708 | 0.1798 |
| 34 | 0.00631 | 0.1601 |
| 35 | 0.00562 | 0.1426 |
| 36 | 0.005 | 0.127 |
| 37 | 0.00445 | 0.1131 |
| 38 | 0.00397 | 0.1007 |
| 39 | 0.00353 | 0.08969 |
| 40 | 0.00314 | 0.07986 |
As you can see, the largest in terms of diameter is 0000. The smallest is 40. It means the 0000 has a bigger capacity than one with a 40-rating. It also means that the 0000 allows more energy to flow through it.
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Before we get into the basics of reading a wire size chart, let’s see what factors affect the gauge. How much current it can carry will depend on various factors like the thickness and material. Sheathing and insulation play a role as well. Now let’s look at the steps needed to read wire size charts:
What Happens if You Use One That Is Too Small?
People believe as long as both ends of a wire fit a connector. They can use it for their connections with no issue. Unfortunately, this is not the case for breakers. Those unaware of its importance often use too small wires to connect their breakers. They want to save money since thinner products tend to be cheaper. This is partly because less material is used.
Sadly, this only leads to costly mistakes for them.
If you use larger ones on your breaker, the only effect is on your budget. This is because you spend more than you need to since larger wires cost more. It does not affect your breaker, nor will it cause damage to it. The wire can handle the current that flows through it.
But if you use one that is too small, the following can happen:
- Melting – the smaller the wire, the less current it can handle and the higher its resistance to energy flow. But if it is too small for your breaker and its rating, the current flows are more than what it is designed to handle. Since they have high resistance, heat is generated. This will eventually be enough to melt it if the power is too strong.
- Performance Drops – any appliance or equipment connected to the circuit with the too-small wire will not operate at peak efficiency. This is because it receives only a fraction of the energy required to run at full performance.
- May Damage Equipment – aside from affecting its performance, using a smaller diameter can eventually damage your equipment. Power being supplied improperly can cause them to go bust.
- Can Start Fires – this is the worst that can happen when it is too small to handle the current it receives. Circuit breakers can trip along with other safety measures. An overload has the potential to cause fires if the wrong one is used.
These scenarios are avoidable if you use the right type for a circuit breaker or air conditioner. You’ll also need to know the difference between copper wires and ones made of aluminum to have your electrical conduits working. It won’t just be an inconvenience if you don’t. It’ll be a disaster!
