Stuff you Need to Know About Wire

Authored by: Phil - Orvac Electronics

Wire is only electricity hose and gets it from one place to another. The simple deal is that you can’t put 500 gallons a minute through a drinking straw without a mess. The same applies to wire and selecting the right type for your particular application.

We have included some charts that will help you select the right wire for your application.

It is important that you know how many WATTS you are running through the wire and the length of the run. You can always go bigger than you need to be safe, but if you go smaller the result can be FIRE because the wire just melts. This is Not good if that wire is running through the frame of your house, car, boat or RV.

It is also necessary to use the correct fuse to protect against overload and you should calculate the fuse to blow at about 80% of the wires capability.

You should also take great care in the type of terminations that you use because an incorrect termination can cause noise and possible arching.

You can either solder these terminations or crimp them with the correct tool.

Soldering is the economical way to go but it is easier said than done to solder large gauge wire properly and not get a cold solder joint.

Crimping is generally more effective if you are not skilled at soldering. We have the crimp tools that you will need and they range in price from around $50 to over $250. One of our sales people will be happy to help you select the appropriate tool for your particular needs.

We will be happy to offer suggestions, but the responsibility of proper installation is the responsibility of the customer. If you have concerns about the correct installation we would strongly suggest that you contact a professional with direct knowledge of your particular project.