What size do I look for it online? Like what gauge is it? Like 50? 100? What diameter is 1/4 inch? What is .8 diameter in inches? Also what does gauge mean?
You won't find it easily if you want solid copper, that will be at a local electric motor rewinding company specialty. Solid wire that size is only used in large industrial sized electric motor rotors, generator stators, and transformers.
The American Wire Gauge system was developed to create uniformity to wire sizes according to the wires ability to carry certain loads (also called Ampacity) Steel is also sold in gauged sizes. Gauge is like a ruler. It is used to determine the thickness of the wire. 1/4 inch converted to a decimal is .25 inches. #2 AWG is close to 1/4 inch. #2 is .26 inches in outside diameter. 700 MCM has an outside diameter of .837. that is one big honking heavy piece of copper. You are not going to find a solid piece of copper wire that thick. You may be able to buy a round bar of copper that size though. So when searching for it to buy, use the term round bar. Of course this is not considered wire because it will not have any insulation on it. Wire that size when used for grounding purposes does not have insulation on it anyway! Copper clad wire is usually steel wire that has a copper skin on it. (Used for grounding and overhead wires). It is stronger and cheaper than straight copper wire, yet gives the same conductivity as straight copper wire since electricity travels on the outside area of a conductor.
