Ask your advisor to recommend the proper gauge for your installation. To me 10 gauge is extreme overkill (14 AWG would be fine) but if you don't mind the small extra cost and have the ability to install that heavy a cable, then why not. Thick wire (12 or 14 gauge) is recommended for long wire runs, high power applications, and low-impedance speakers (4 or 6 ohms). For relatively short runs (less than 50 feet) to 8 ohm speakers, 16 gauge wire will usually do just fine. To avoid this, we’ll pick a wire gauge 2 sizes up: 18 -> 16 -> 14 gauge. The 12 gauge wire coming from the right is connected to the panel and is no longer used. Is it OK to use romex wiring that is 12 gauge but has a smaller ground wire? Not by a long shot, especially for a whole house job. Wire gauge is a measurement of wire diameter. Southwire Armoured Electrical Cable Copper Electrical Wire Gauge 14/3. The gauge of the wire dictates the amount of current that can safely pass through the electrical wire. For example, a 14/3 cord contains 14-gauge wire and has three conductions inside. I gave it a dedicated 15 amp circuit and ran it with 12 gauge wire. So for that example, 14 turns in one inch means the wire is 1/14" diameter, without insulation. There's no problem, and it is permitted by code. 14 AWG) refers to how many turns per inch the bare wire covers. Since it's thicker it can handle more "load". Usually 14 has yellow insulation and 12 has white. In this case, the wire gauge is fourteen (lower numbers mean larger wires) and the three indicates that there are three conductor wires in addition to a non-insulated ground wire. Electrical current is measured as ampacity. In the gauge system the higher the number the thinner the steel. Moreover, fatter wires provide room for growth—that is, they allow homeowners to increase electricity use without the need to rewire. The stove only requires 15amps so the 14 should be ok on that front: 22 gauge is only good for signal, like sensors. The numbers are often referred to as just “gauge,” so 14AWG wire is the same as 14-gauge wire. Confusion can be reduced if, down in the panel, you splice on a short length (pigtail) of 14 gauge wire to the incoming 12 gague wire in order to attach to the breaker. I could make all the ceiling fan/lights for all 4 bedrooms on one 15A 14/2 circuit … Wanting to get wire for my DCS layout, I bought some 2 conductor wire from Amazon that is labeled : "14 Gauge Red Black Stranded 2 Conductor Speaker Wire" -- on the left below) BUT it seems thinner and much less substantial and much less stiff than some 14 AWG wire I bought at Lowe’s some months ago (the stripped wire on the right below). It is a nuisance having two kinds of wire around. The motor struggled to start and stalled easily when using. If you want to know more, like what is AWG or American Wire Gauge, see below. Gauge is typically listed along with the number of conducting wires in the cord. Choosing the correct wire gauge within your home, wires that run from the electrical distribution panel (load center) to various appliances, and electrical outlets (receptacles) is crucial. it doesn't sound like your contractor is doing anything outrageous, unless the run length vs. amperage max. The wire gauge indicates the electrical wire sizing, as defined by the American Wire (AWG) system. Each bedroom will have a ceiling mounted fan/light and 4-7 duplex receptacles (depending on the bedroom size). Common sizes include 14-, 12-, 10-, 8-, 6-, and 2-gauge wire. As an example, 12 gauge steel is thicker and stronger than 14 gauge steel. A rating of 14/3 refers to the gauge of the wire and how many conductors are in the cable. The wires that power the receptacles and light fixtures in a typical house are either 12- or thinner 14-gauge, and those in lamp cords are even thinner 18-gauge ones. The scale for wire thickness ascends in reverse order by two. Understanding the differences in wire gauge sizes can often be confusing. I'm doing my own electrical work in my remodel. The amperage of the cable has to be greater than the size of the breaker. When selecting a gauge of wire for your electric fencing system, keep in mind if a wire is larger in diameter, it has more surface are over which the electricity can travel. Here are the facts. For those who may need a simple example, we do this all of the time - The house itself receives power from 0 gauge wire into the distribution box, and from there we put in an appropriate sized breaker, and use 12 gauge or 14 gauge wiring from there on in. 5,605 Posts #2 • May 2, 2006 Distortion may be measurable, but not audible with a jump to the thicker 14AWG. ) is thicker than 14 gauge from the switch then 14 gauge steel framing a 20, as gauge... Able to carry up to 15 amps of current bedroom size ) cold and. Is, they allow homeowners to increase electricity use without the need rewire... 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