I have a metal encased electrical wire, I think its 14/3, how can I be sure. I don't have the romex yellow (12 gauge) or white (14 gauge) which makes it easy to determine. Is there data on the wires telling me what gauge they are?
How can I tell if the wires are 14 gauge or 12 gauge?
Sep 19, 2007
8 Replies
Compare it to a wire that you know is either 12 or 14.
Or use a wire stripper: if you put 12-gauge wire into the 14-gauge hole on a stripper, the teeth will cut through the insulation, and bite on the conductor. Conversely, the teeth on the 12-gauge hole will not cut all the way through the insulation on a 14-gauge wire.
Metal encased in what? EMT conduit, BX, Greenfield, or ?????? You are much too vague. Did you try to read the wires themselves? In Conduit they are usually labelled. Or put a micrometer on the copper wire ends.
-- Or use a wire stripper:
...with the power off of course!!
If you compare it to another wire, bend it. 14 bends easier than 12.
No need to bend it. A visual comparison is easily enough to tell the difference.
on 9/19/2007 8:04 PM Doug Miller said the following:
If one has samples of both.
You need only one sample -- as long as you know what it is.
If you can trace them to a breaker, a 14 should be on a 15 amp. Of course that's not conclusive since a 12 could be on a 15 amp or a 20 amp, but if the work was done correct to start with, a 14 wouldn't be on 20 amp.
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