Yes you need to consider total Amps that will be drawn by the load. It seems like a LOT of people miss the simple point that the MOST IMPORTANT consideration to any of these auto electric projects is insuring you match the proper size fuse for the AGW wire size you install. For 6 volt automotive systems typically a wire gauge 2 sizes larger than what is shown should be used. Using these two numbers, Amps and length, locate the nearest gauge value in the chart below. Then measure the distance that the wire will travel (length) including the length of the return to ground (the ground wire running to the chassis or back to a ground block or battery. To choose an adequate wire gauge, determine the amp draw (amperage) that the wire circuit will carry. But when choosing between two potential gauge sizes in the gray area of estimated gauge calculations or references, it’s always better to go with the larger gauge. Alternately using an oversized wire gauge does not have a downside and may provide better performance of the accessory, however, overkill in itself has the downside of wasted money and valuable space. Installing too small a wire gauge decreases performance and may create a potential safety hazard. A 3-foot wire length will have less resistance than a 20-foot wire and therefore a longer length of wire may require an increase in the wire gauge to provide adequate voltage to the accessory. For that reason, it is important to factor in the length of wire when determining the wire gauge. All wire has inherent resistance and the longer the wire, the greater the resistance and the greater the voltage drop over the length of wire. 13.8 volts is a better value to use for wire gauge calculations though it will generally result in about the same gauge as 12 volts. When the vehicle is running, the alternator will increase the automotive voltage up to about 13.8 volts. Older batteries will probably show a lower voltage. 6.4 volts for a 6-volt lead-acid battery. The actual resting voltage of a fully charged, 6-cell automotive lead acid battery is about 12.7 volts or about 2.1 volts per cell. More current draw (higher amperage) requires a larger wire gauge to safely power the accessory.Īutomotive wiring is not exactly 12 volt. To find the required wire gauge for a specific application, you must know the current draw of the accessory on the circuit and the total wire length between the accessory and the power source. The larger the wire, the smaller the gauge number. Wire uses the measurement of gauge to determine the size of the wire. 12 Volt Wiring Gauge Requirements at specific Amps to length for Automotive Electrical Systems …
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