# Measuring wire gauge



## Roger123 (Sep 23, 2007)

What tool(s) do you guys use to measure wire gauge size when it is not printed on the conductor's jacket or the jacket is not visible?


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## Speedy Petey (Jan 10, 2007)

Here are some previous replies:

http://www.electriciantalk.com/showthread.php?t=1254


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

They make a little set of plastic gauges that you can slip in if there's some exposed conductor to get them around. I got a set years ago, but they're not as helpful as you might think. The lugs smash the conductor into a bit of an oval. Here's one such gauge http://www.professionalequipment.co...107017/electrical-accessories/?hcs=wire gauge The actual old-school Brown and Sharpe wire gauges are metal.


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## Roger123 (Sep 23, 2007)

Thanks Marc,

What I'm looking for is something bigger for #4awg and larger. Needed something on the last quote where feeders were suppling sub-panels from a meter base/disco panel and the outer jackets were not visible. Needed to know the wire gauge so I could calculate the feeders size to each unit. So, I took my tape measure and just measured the diameter and went to home depot around the corner and came up with #2 conductors. Guess, that is not the best way to determine wire size.:no:


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

I see plastic calipers at these traveling tent tool sales places a lot for all of two or three dollars. I think you could measure the conductor with one of those plastic calipers, and match it up with the chart of conductor diameters.


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## Speedy Petey (Jan 10, 2007)

General and others make a plastic dial calipers. I agree that would be your best bet at an accurate sizing. Then just use the Conductor Properties in Table 8 of Chapter 9 of the NEC.


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## Roger123 (Sep 23, 2007)

Thanks Marc & Petey,

That is what I will do.


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