But the insulation and temperature rating can make all the difference in the world. The thickness of the conductors is technically the same. Thick wires can withstand larger volumes of current because their low resistance reduces the chances of overheating.Ī higher temperature rating allows a 10-gauge wire to withstand more than 30 amps of electricity because the cable has superior heat resistance. Thin wires have a higher resistance which makes them more likely to overheat. This is why it is so important to use the correct wire size. The wires will overheat and melt the insulation if the resistance is significant enough. The greater the resistance, the higher the heat. Electricity generates heat when it flows through a conductor. The most significant threat to a thin wire is overheating. They don’t look at the temperature rating and insulation because they don’t realize that these factors affect the wire’s ability to conduct electricity safely. Many homeowners base their selection on the gauge. Thin wires in an application with a heavy electrical draw are a time bomb. They don’t realize that those thin wires have deteriorated, and you cannot trust them to function adequately the next time you operate your devices. These occurrences discourage them from buying thicker wires because they don’t want to deal with the expense. Some people get complacent because they used a thinner wire to run equipment with extensive electrical requirements, and the wire survived. Get a thicker line the moment the opportunity arises. But you can’t make this practice a habit. In other words, if you have an emergency, you could make do with a 10-gauge cable for a little while. However, 10AWG can also handle 40 amps for a short period. As such, your application may force you to buy 10-gauge conductors because thicker wires won’t fit in the available space or the conduits you have on hand. You don’t have to restrict your selection to 10AWG.Īdmittedly, thicker wires are also more expensive and less flexible. If you want to run applications that exceed the limits of a 10AWG wire, get a thicker wire. Don’t take any unnecessary risks by reaching or even exceeding the maximum amperage. Even though 10-gauge conductors can withstand more than 30amps, you should keep the flowing current below that threshold to protect the wires. The objective is to save your life and protect your property. Therefore, you cannot afford to downplay the importance of determining the appropriate amperage for this wire size. However, the insulation will eventually melt. In fact, you can transmit a hundred or more amps if you want. 10-Gauge Wire Can Transmit More Than 30 AmpsĪ 10-gauge wire can technically transmit more than 30 amps. To get a better understanding of a 10AWG wire’s amperage, you have to keep the following in mind: 1). If you have aluminum (or copper-clad aluminum), it can carry 25A at 60 degrees C, 30A at 75 degrees C, and 35A at 90 degrees C. In the above chart, you can see that 10AWG copper wire can accommodate 30A at 60 degrees C, 35A at 75 degrees C, and 40A at 90 degrees C. However, you can still overwhelm them if your application uses electricity in amounts that exceed the conductor’s capacity.
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