<div dir="ltr">To All from wikipedia<br>Increasing gauge numbers denote decreasing wire diameters, which is similar to many other non-<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SI" title="SI" class="">metric</a> gauging systems. This gauge system originated in the number of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wire_drawing" title="Wire drawing">drawing operations</a> used to produce a given gauge of wire. Very fine wire (for example, 30 gauge) required more passes through the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Draw_plate" title="Draw plate">drawing dies</a>
than did 0 gauge wire. Manufacturers of wire formerly had proprietary
wire gauge systems; the development of standardized wire gauges
rationalized selection of wire for a particular purpose.<b> In short gauge is only a number nothing else</b><br></div><div class="gmail_extra"><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Tue, Dec 2, 2014 at 2:20 PM, <a href="mailto:boB@midnitesolar.com">boB@midnitesolar.com</a> <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:boB@midnitesolar.com" target="_blank">boB@midnitesolar.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div text="#000000" bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
<div><br>
The only thing I can think that AWG/KCMIL means is that it is a
ratio ?<span class="HOEnZb"><font color="#888888"><br>
<br>
boB</font></span><div><div class="h5"><br>
<br>
<br>
On 12/2/2014 4:18 PM, <a href="mailto:boB@midnitesolar.com" target="_blank">boB@midnitesolar.com</a> wrote:<br>
</div></div></div><div><div class="h5">
<blockquote type="cite">
<div><br>
I'm pretty sure that Daniel Young's explanation of surface area
explains the discrepancy.<br>
<br>
The surface area of a larger wire does not grow as fast as its
cross sectional area so<br>
it does not cool as well. It can carry more current but its
surface and temperature<br>
rise is going to be higher if you simply put more amps through
it proportional<br>
to the wire area. <br>
<br>
But the wire table does not show multiple wires in parallel
and/or the distance<br>
between them. Or is there such a table ? If the distance
between them are high<br>
enough so that the heat can be dissipated, then you ~should~ be
able to get<br>
3 times the ampacity of all 3 wires in parallel ? Shouldn't he
?<br>
<br>
What exactly does the title of that column mean ? AWG/KCMIL ?<br>
AWG and KCMIL are different. AWG goes higher as the wire gets
smaller.<br>
KCMIL (area) gets higher as the wire gets bigger.<br>
<br>
boB<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
On 12/2/2014 3:32 PM, Larry wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite">
<div>Hey boB,<br>
<br>
This is the reference table I was using. They show 325 AWG and
325kCM refer to the same diameter cable but I should have used
kcm for clarity. <br>
<br>
If all insulation/temp rating is the same we are back to my
original question. Anyone else able to explain this? To be
safe I am leaning toward using the combined CM number to size
for current rather than 3 times the ampacity as that just
makes no sense to me. <br>
<br>
<img src="cid:part1.09020901.01090104@midnitesolar.com" alt=""><br>
On 12/2/14 3:54 PM, <a href="mailto:boB@midnitesolar.com" target="_blank">boB@midnitesolar.com</a>
wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite">
<div><br>
The "area" of the conductor will be 3 times and you would
think that the NEC Ampacity would also be 3 times<br>
that of one conductor. But one LARGE conductor with the
same area might not be as high as you think<br>
because of insulation. I would think that ampacity of 3
cables in parallel would be 3 times. But probably<br>
not when you take a single cable of the 3X area out of the
NEC table. (I haven't looked at this to verify)<br>
<br>
Also, Larry, 325 AWG 750 AWG (gauge) wire is a bit too
small for this, don't you think ?<br>
<br>
I know... You mean circular mils...<br>
boB<br>
<br>
<br>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite">
<br>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
<br>
<br>
<fieldset></fieldset>
<br>
<pre>_______________________________________________
List sponsored by Redwood Alliance
List Address: <a href="mailto:RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org" target="_blank">RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org</a>
Change listserver email address & settings:
<a href="http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org" target="_blank">http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org</a>
List-Archive: <a href="http://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/maillist.html" target="_blank">http://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/maillist.html</a>
List rules & etiquette:
<a href="http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm" target="_blank">www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm</a>
Check out or update participant bios:
<a href="http://www.members.re-wrenches.org" target="_blank">www.members.re-wrenches.org</a>
</pre>
</blockquote>
<br>
</blockquote>
<br>
</div></div></div>
<br>_______________________________________________<br>
List sponsored by Redwood Alliance<br>
<br>
List Address: <a href="mailto:RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org">RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org</a><br>
<br>
Change listserver email address & settings:<br>
<a href="http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org" target="_blank">http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org</a><br>
<br>
List-Archive: <a href="http://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/maillist.html" target="_blank">http://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/maillist.html</a><br>
<br>
List rules & etiquette:<br>
<a href="http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm" target="_blank">www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm</a><br>
<br>
Check out or update participant bios:<br>
<a href="http://www.members.re-wrenches.org" target="_blank">www.members.re-wrenches.org</a><br>
<br>
<br></blockquote></div><br></div>