How Do You Size Electrical House Wire?
The typical electrical wiring for a home can vary from 12-2 to 14-3 gauge wiring depending on the use for the wire. The more voltage needed, the larger the wire to handle the load to avoid tripping the system or causing a fire hazard. Wire is measured in size or gauge, and the smaller the gauge, the larger the wire. Using a standard electrical formula will help you determine the right size and gauge wire for your project. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Determine what the size of the wire is by first calculating the voltage drop index (VDI), which is a reference number based on the resistance of the wire. The VDI is the amount of current running through the wire (amps) multiplied by the number of feet of the wire run one way. That amount is divided by the figure obtained when you multiply the acceptable voltage drop for your project, a percentage, by the voltage, which is the amount of power running through the wire. The formula is:
VDI = (amps * feet) / (volt drop% * voltage)
Refer to the wiring chart at altestore.com or another website for the proper size/gauge wire according to the VDI.
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Write down on the paper the numbers needed to plug into the formula to determine the VDI, based on your specific project.
For example, the formula for the size wiring needed to power an outlet that is 150 feet away from the service panel where there are 20 amps, 4 percent voltage drop and 24 volts:
VDI = (20 * 150) / (4 * 24)
VDI = 3000 / 96
VDI = 31.25Rounded down to the nearest whole number the VDI for this project would be 31.
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Using the electrical chart, the size/gauge wire needed based on a VDI of 31 would be 2.
So the wiring needed for a standard outlet would be 12-2 wiring, which has three wires inside the cable: one wire for hot, one for neutral, and one for grounding.
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Tips & Warnings
Avoid an electrical short or fire by never using an electrical wire that is to small to carry the amount of current needed to safely operate any device.
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