A practical guide to AWG wire gauges, ampacity ratings, and how to select the correct conductor size for residential, commercial, and low-voltage electrical circuits — including NEC derating rules.
The AWG system is counterintuitive: the smaller the number, the larger the wire. A 2 AWG wire is much thicker than a 14 AWG wire. This is because AWG numbers originally referred to the number of drawing dies the wire was pulled through — more draws made thinner wire.
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