How to Identify the Wire Gauge

 Knowing the gauge of electrical wires is essential for an electrician. This tells the electrician how many amperes a wire can actually carry without heating up. If the current trying to pass through a specific wire is higher than the rated current for that particular wire gauge, the current passing through will generate heat throughout the line, causing the wire and its insulation to deteriorate and, over time, the risk of an electrical fire.

The house requires much more electricity than individual appliances; this is why a wire passing through a light pole is much larger than the wiring inside the house. 

Expose the wire

Before exposing the wires of a circuit box or socket, always make sure the power is off by trying to turn on the light, checking the plug with a plug-in device or using a voltage tester. Never touch bare wire with your bare hands; long-nose pliers have insulated handles just for this purpose, so always do this practice.

To reach the wires, first remove the faceplate or cover of the electrical box. Inside, you will see several wires connected to a switch, a light socket, a plug or often even several wires connected together with an electrical connector. Use the appropriate screwdriver to loosen them or unscrew the connector to disassemble the wires.

Determine wire size

In recent years, the colour of the wire has been used to indicate the AWG size of the wires inside it, while the insulation of the wire itself indicates the polarity of the wire, whether it is neutral or hot. To determine the diameter or gauge of the wires, however, a common wire stripper can be used. Most wire strippers are equipped with a series of round holes labelled with AWG dimensions into which wires can be inserted. In this way, not only can you strip wires of a specific size, but you can also determine the wire gauge.

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