[K3CAL] Warning item

[n3yr]

Thanks. Timely. Terse. Clear. Les (the old one) N3YR 



Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE smartphone

-------- Original message --------
From: Jim Tetlow <k3uga at comcast.net> 
Date: 05/10/2016  6:49 PM  (GMT-05:00) 
To: k3cal <k3cal at mailman.qth.net> 
Subject: [K3CAL] Warning item 

Check your wire! Since most automobile, zip and speaker wires or pairs are manufactured, lets say not in this country; one can be fooled easily.

Most zip wires (red and black) found even in auto stores are not the AWG (american wire gauge) number as advertised, even though it looks to be so by the physical size of the insulation. 

If it advertised 12 gauge, you will find its 14 or most likely 16 gauge, and is usually what would be considered speaker wire, not power wiring. There is no standard for the voltage rating on the insulation, and check with a magnet, may be copper plated steel wire.

Insulation value for 12volt (13.8v) is not critical but the conductor size an material other than copper are! 12 volt circuits carry on the average 10 times the current as 120volt circuits do, so the proper  size of the conductor is important for the fuse protection you want to provide. 

Wont go into depth here, but if your wire is labeled on the jacket every 24 inches or less, manufacture, conductor size, voltage and type of insulation, you are pretty safe....if copper.

If there is no label on the insulation beware, you are taking a chance unless you are running speakers. 

Good buys are only good buys if you are buying apples and getting apples, not raisins.

Oh yes, the auto industry has its own standard for current carry capacity, slightly higher than UL, but 12 awg copper is still 12 awg copper not 16 gauge.

Sent from my iPad,
Best Regards, 73,
Jim Tetlow
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