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Ask an Expert Forum Connect 2 different wire gauge; is the smaller gauge affecting the capacity of the bigger wire gauge?
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Connect 2 different wire gauge; is the smaller gauge affecting the capacity of the bigger wire gauge?

maolemieux
maolemieux over 6 years ago

Hello, I would like first to thank anyone taking the time to read this or help. I was wondering how to calculate how many amp I can use by connecting 2 different wire gauge. I am on a 12v dc circuit and would ie to connect a 12v led module to a battery for a long distance. The led modules come with a 22 awg gauge cable from the factory. I would like to run it for a long distance to the power source (battery or power supply) I plan to use awg 16 wire connected to the led module so I can make a big distance safely. I will solder the awg 16 to the awg 22 of the led module. I usually know how to calculate the max amp that I can run for a single wire gauge by looking at spec of wire. However I am not sure if the 22 awg wire gauge from the led will limit my 16 awg? Is the 16 awg maximum amp capacity is limited by the 22 awg or will the 16 awg be able to use it's full amp capacity?

 

So to calculate how far I can get with the awg 16 can I just calculate the 22 awg capacity and add to the 16 awg capacity or I need to calculate the 16 awg capacity as if it was a 22 awg?

 

 

I am sorry my english is not great I live in montreal and speak french

 

Thank again for any help

cheers

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Top Replies

  • Gough Lui
    Gough Lui over 6 years ago +5 suggested
    Your question is an interesting one can be solved by a little bit of thought - but the short answer is that each gauge and type of wire has its own maximum current capacity (ampacity) and connecting the…
  • jw0752
    jw0752 over 6 years ago +3 suggested
    Hi Mao, It sounds like you have an interesting project. Can you tell us what the current draw of the LED module is? Also how far is the long distance that you refer to? One thing that you can do is to…
  • jw0752
    jw0752 over 6 years ago in reply to maolemieux +2 suggested
    Hi Mao, You can always trust the voltage drop and the current to tell you what is happening. You said that you had a 7% voltage drop at the load end. If you began with 12 volts this would mean a drop of…
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  • colporteur
    0 colporteur over 5 years ago

    ML, I have attached a rough drawing to assist in my explanation of what you are trying to analyse. In my example there is a signal source on the left feeding a connection of three pieces of wire (A,B &C).

    image

    Each piece of wire has physical characteristics that impact it electrical properties (i.e. it ability to pass signal). Of the three electrical properties resistance, capacitance and inductance, I will speak to resistance. For this discussion lets keep all the wires the same type of metal. Again different metal different electrical properties. The smaller the gauge of wire (i.e. AWG 8 vs AWG 10) the larger the conductors, the lower the resistance. The gauge size compared to resistance values being opposite can be confusing.

     

    The resistance of the conductor, limits the amount of current the conductor can carry. If you attempt to move more current through the conductor that fessible the metal will heat up (because of resistance) and may melt the insulation. The current flowing through the conductor resistance causes some of the signal (voltage) to be lost. We start with a signal at the source but depending on the electrical properties of the conductor the signal at J1 will be reduced and reduced again further at J2 & J3.

     

    Let's examine this scenario. The first conductor A is large, with B being smaller and C being smaller still. The limiting factor for the circuit is the size of the smallest conductor. The initial conductors may handle the current but if the smallest can't it become a fuse and will open from overheating.

     

    Let's look at the signal. You start with an supply value at the source, that you want to arrive at the destination. As the signal passes through each conductor it is getting reduced. The amount of reduction is dependent on the resistance. If the conductors are long, and the gauge makes the conductors small, there is a lot of resistance for the signal to pass through.

     

    A perfect example of resistance at work is the extension cord. Most people purchase an extension cord based on price. Wow, I got a 50ft extension cord for $15. What people fail to look at is the gauge of the cord. 50ft of AWG 18 has more resistance than 50ft AWG 14. Rarely do 50ft 12AWG extension cords go on sale.

     

    The consumer runs their weed wacker on an extension cord of 50ft but a small conductor. That is hard on the motor and the cord. The voltage at the end of the weed wacker is going to be reduced because of the current flowing through the resistance of the smaller 18AWG wire vs 14AWG wire.

     

    If each piece of wire was a pipe of varying size, the fluid that flows out the end is limited by the smallest pipe. That is why the feed pipes to the house are larger than the pipes that go to each of the taps. If not when you flush the toilet, the shower pressure drop since water has to come from some where if the feed is the same diameter as the taps.

     

    The electrical properties discussed centre around the equation for ohms laws.

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  • colporteur
    0 colporteur over 5 years ago

    ML, I have attached a rough drawing to assist in my explanation of what you are trying to analyse. In my example there is a signal source on the left feeding a connection of three pieces of wire (A,B &C).

    image

    Each piece of wire has physical characteristics that impact it electrical properties (i.e. it ability to pass signal). Of the three electrical properties resistance, capacitance and inductance, I will speak to resistance. For this discussion lets keep all the wires the same type of metal. Again different metal different electrical properties. The smaller the gauge of wire (i.e. AWG 8 vs AWG 10) the larger the conductors, the lower the resistance. The gauge size compared to resistance values being opposite can be confusing.

     

    The resistance of the conductor, limits the amount of current the conductor can carry. If you attempt to move more current through the conductor that fessible the metal will heat up (because of resistance) and may melt the insulation. The current flowing through the conductor resistance causes some of the signal (voltage) to be lost. We start with a signal at the source but depending on the electrical properties of the conductor the signal at J1 will be reduced and reduced again further at J2 & J3.

     

    Let's examine this scenario. The first conductor A is large, with B being smaller and C being smaller still. The limiting factor for the circuit is the size of the smallest conductor. The initial conductors may handle the current but if the smallest can't it become a fuse and will open from overheating.

     

    Let's look at the signal. You start with an supply value at the source, that you want to arrive at the destination. As the signal passes through each conductor it is getting reduced. The amount of reduction is dependent on the resistance. If the conductors are long, and the gauge makes the conductors small, there is a lot of resistance for the signal to pass through.

     

    A perfect example of resistance at work is the extension cord. Most people purchase an extension cord based on price. Wow, I got a 50ft extension cord for $15. What people fail to look at is the gauge of the cord. 50ft of AWG 18 has more resistance than 50ft AWG 14. Rarely do 50ft 12AWG extension cords go on sale.

     

    The consumer runs their weed wacker on an extension cord of 50ft but a small conductor. That is hard on the motor and the cord. The voltage at the end of the weed wacker is going to be reduced because of the current flowing through the resistance of the smaller 18AWG wire vs 14AWG wire.

     

    If each piece of wire was a pipe of varying size, the fluid that flows out the end is limited by the smallest pipe. That is why the feed pipes to the house are larger than the pipes that go to each of the taps. If not when you flush the toilet, the shower pressure drop since water has to come from some where if the feed is the same diameter as the taps.

     

    The electrical properties discussed centre around the equation for ohms laws.

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