atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums Wiring - Telecom Carriers - Trunks & Services Cabling Telephones Systems Wiring wire guage question

Those pesky doorstikes! Under 50ft 24g single pair usually works. From 50 to 120ft double pairing. Of course you could always keep some CL2 around.

Guess the only question I have left on this is if you have to double up, triple up, or quaduple up you still have to pull the wire so why not pull the proper gauge for the job to begin with? With that I'll leave you with button and buzzers, I can understand that!
Y'all have a good one.
Bill

An interesting side note -- in the 70's when copper prices rose steeply, they started making Romex house wiring out of aluminum. However, unlike copper, aluminum conducts through the core. So, when they put on switches and outlets desined for the surface-conducting copper, there was resistance and therefore heat between the core and the device. Lots of house fires! Nowadays, when you get aluminum Romex, it has a thin copper plating.

[This message has been edited by chuck (edited April 02, 2004).]

Don't have anything to say about this post. Just wanted to drag up the oldest "Real" post i could find.(Everybody else is!!!)

Chuck:

While we stray on this subject...........

Aluminum wiring for general circuit wiring started in the mid-60's. When it was determined that it had deficiencies, the "copper coated" aluminum wire was developed as a solution.

This wire, known as "copper-clad aluminum" lasted about five years, but using it in electrical wiring was outlawed YEARS ago, some time in the '70's in most places. The only LEGAL aluminum wire allowed these days is #8 and larger. Any copper-clad aluminum wire that you see newly-installed is not allowed.

Anyway, back to the original subject as JustBill mentioned, if the device calls for 18AWG, just do it. No need to stock #18 wire in a telecom house, go to Home Depot and buy it by the foot. Do what you are asked and be compliant. That way, you did what you were asked to do instead of trying to "trick" a piece of whatever wire you have on the truck into doing the job.

Door strikes work on whatever you give them, as long as the length is reasonable.

Here I go again directing you all to my signature....................

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Ed
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How come there's always enough time to go back and fix it a second time?

[This message has been edited by ev607797 (edited August 16, 2005).]

I would join you in your quest but....
its already hard enough to get these newbees to not do that. Lucky it only runs in waves LOL

Aluminum conducts through the core? I'm going to have to call BS on that one.

Oxidation of the aluminum surface of the wire is the trouble. This reduces the surface contact area of the wire and the terminals. Increased current to area ratio makes for higher power dissipation (heat) at the point of contact.

Sorry about misspelling ratio

[This message has been edited by RedTail (edited September 17, 2005).]

I think everyone might be overlooking something. Isn't 18g wire used in most low volt applications stranded? Therefore having a whole lot more surface area than double or tripled solid core cat3/5.

A constant current (DC) flows evenly thru the cross section area of a conductor. Current in a conductor generates magnetic lines of force around the conductor. Magnetic lines of force crossing a conductor generate voltage/current in the conductor. As current increases the MLF expand. As current decreases the MLF contract. The voltage generated by the MLF is in opposition to the change in current in the conductor. When an Alternating Current (AC) reverses direction, all of the magnetic lines of force collapse to the center of the conductor. When AC is flowing thru a conductor, the parts of the conductor farther from the center of the conductor have less resistance to the flow of the current. Stranded conductors do have more surface area but the current flow is just the same as solid. A copper tube will care more AC signal than a solid copper rod of the same cross section area.