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Question:

how do you measure an electrical wire?

we need to know how an electrical wire is measured. When you say for example a stranded tw wire 2mm2 does it mean 2mm square or 2 square mm meaning the area of the wire? does the measurement or size indicated in the insulation includes the insulation itself when measuring the wire? how about a stranded wire? basically the question is please explain the size of thw or tw wire stranded or solid wire indicated on the insulation. And how it is measured. does the insulation included in the measurement or just the copper wire inside that is measured.

Answer:

strandings of the wires equal a gauge. ex: 7strands of 30gauge wire equals 22 gauge. gauge is a size of either a solid wire or smaller stranded wires to equal that size
The diameter of the conductor is generally going to be given in either gauge (AWG) or square millimeters. This is describing the size of the electrical conductor only, not including the outer insulation. Most wire specs will also include a measurement for O.D., which is outer diameter or overall diameter. This measurement will include all insulation and jacketing, and will be the total diameter of the cable. Stranded wires will be specified in terms of the overall gauge of the wire. For instance, a 22 AWG stranded wire might be marked as: 22 AWG (7x30) which means it's a 22 AWG stranded wire, made up of 7 strands of 30 AWG solid wire. See link below for more info, and conversions between AWG and square mm.

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