Gauge of wire for 110v?

[Danscu]

Hi
Could anyone let me know which gauge of wire I require to carry 110v AC?

Thanks
Dan

 

[Jon-A-Tron]

Depends on the current or load not the voltage. What's it for? I've got a 17th edition book kicking around somewhere..

 

[davey d]

The main factor is the current, not so much the voltage.

On an arcade/pinball machine I typically use 3x1.5mm although you might get away with 3x1mm

 

[SUPERSPRINT]

Indeed the current is the deciding factor. For normal lengths, 1.5mm2 will take 10amps 2.5mm2 20amps etc 1.0mm2 6amps

If power in watts,

Watts % voltage = amps.

 

[Danscu]

I should have said what it was for - its just to tap into the 110v to connect up to the lights in the topper of a twin sega sitdown cab. The wires had previously been snipped and removed.

 

[bomjac]

I should have said what it was for - its just to tap into the 110v to connect up to the lights in the topper of a twin sega sitdown cab. The wires had previously been snipped and removed.

0.5mm will more than be enough to do you - but tbh just use whatever you have and it will be fine for such a small current.

https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Index/Cable_Index/Flex_White_1/index.html

 

[big10p]

Whenever I need to wire something up to a mains current/voltage, I just strip the wires out from any old length of mains cable I have lying around. Then again, I'm cheap.

 

[IanH]

Whenever I need to wire something up to a mains current/voltage, I just strip the wires out from any old length of mains cable I have lying around. Then again, I'm cheap. 

Me too.......

 

[Jon-A-Tron]

Ok. So if it's for a light fitting here is how to work out what cable and protection to use.

Not sure what fitting is in that topper but lets say it's 2 x 40w fittings. 80w total.

Current = Power / Voltage = 80 / 110 = 0.73amps

So you would want to protect the circuit with a fuse just above this value, so 1 amp fuse. You'll want to do this, if not already fitted, if you are going direct off the transformer so that you don't weaken the transformer every time a bulb blows.

The cable needs to carry more than the size of the fuse you use so the cable linked above should be sufficient (says it carries 3 amps)

Obviously plug in your own values depending on what you have in that topper and adjust accordingly.

 

[bomjac]

Correct Johntron, but there is a chance the 1 amp fuse could blow when a fluorescent light is powered on (most cabs use fluorescent tubes). Part of the light circuit is a ballast. The ballat is an inductor which can have high current when first powered up. So use either a 1 amp slo-blow or 3 amp quick blow.

Also - originally the question was about "guage". AWG is he US standard cable size - I would be happy to use any size larger than 24 AWG ? 0.5mm). Note that as AWG gets smaller, the cable diameter goes up.

https://www.google.com.sa/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/awg-wire-gauge-d_731.html&ved=0ahUKEwjTh-OSvLPWAhWFORQKHdCbAWUQFggvMAI&usg=AFQjCNGmQw5dUbF9PnSazEVBK2kMV9yXxg

bomjac2017-09-20 10:44:59