Welding cable sizes

[walleye1]

Whats the differance between #2 cable #1 cable and the ones that are like 2/0 3/0 4/0 cable types?, have been checking out ebay for some reasonable prices, does anyone out there have a good source? thanks for any help!!

[SignWave]

Hey Walleye,
the difference in the numbers is the amunt of current they will handle.

I have a code book around and if you can wait a bit I'll dig out the ampacity chart and post it here for you.

[TexasSilhouette]

See page 14 of http://www.millerwelds.com/pdf/safet...eng_200704.pdf

[TexasSilhouette]

There is a chart here http://www.aiwc.com/catalogsection/c...ding_Cable.pdf that shows the physical size differences. 1/0 is said "one ought" 2/0 "two ought" etc. 4 cable is bigger than eight, 2 bigger than 4, two ought bigger than one ought.

[SkidSteerSteve]

It's the gauge of the cable. Similar to the gauge measurement of other metals. The best place to find decent prices on anything copper is about five years ago There's a reason it looks similar to gold.

SSS

[SignWave]

Hey ya Walleye,
Okay. heres a rough guide to the allowable ampacities for conductors of a given size.

The information is based on figures supplied by the Canadian Electrical Code.
The information is also based on nylon jacketed or cross linked insulation ( a mix of HDPE and Nylon) and no more than 3 conductors to make up a wire.
If the cable you are looking for is say for making ground clamps, or electrode leads, the figures may change , but im sure the difference is negligible. So here goes:
#18 awg (lamp cord)= 10amps
#14 awg (typical house wire) = 15amps
#12 20amps
#10 30amps
# 8 (stove cable size) = 40amps
# 6 (feed to your 251 or syncro 200) = 65 amps
# 4 70amps (conservative)
# 3 80 amps
# 2 100amps
# 1 110amps
0 (one ought) = 125amps
00 (two ought) = 145amps
000 = 165amps
0000 = 195amps
250 Kcmil* = 215amps
300 Kcmil* = 240amps
350 Kcmil* = 260amps
400 Kcmil* = 320amps
anything bigger than this and you'll need a hydraulic bender and a forklift to drag it around...

*Kcmil stand for "thousnads of circular mils" ie 250Kcmil=250,000.00Mils or thousanths of an inch..
The calculations for Kcmils are beyond what needs to be discussed here.All the figures if put here are based on an insulation type called "TW"and copper wire. if you're thinking in aluminum, shif the numbers down so the amps go to the next largest wire size.. (thats ball park , but very close). TW is a standard type wire that gets used in most applications. If I assume correctly, you're thinking of wire to make up ground clamps that such. Perhaps a flexible extension cord??? These are made from a silicon/rubber mix and in Canada they are known as S.O.W.J or S.O.W (sow((female pig)) cord)or S.O.J. The lettering stands for: Silicon jacketed, water and oil resistant. if it doesnt say "W" it is not recommended for wet locations.. very important or you could get a good belt or worse.. I hope this info helps. And yeah Skidsteer is right.. the best price for wire is about 5 years ago.. those greedy bastar.....s

and todays useless information challenge: all metals conduct electricity, but some conduct better than others. So in loose order: they rank from best to worse...
Silver #1 (1.00)
Copper#2 (1.08)
Gold #3 (1.4)
Aluminum#4 (1.8)
Platinum #5 (7.0)
Lead #6 (13.5) the numbers in brackets signify the amount of resistance in ohms when a given amount of current is passed through a wire of given diameter and given length.
If I remember right and dont quote me, I thinks its one volt through one foot of wire that is one thousandth of a inch in dia.

hope this helps ya out.

Regards, Rich

[BDJ]

I'm with you on the copper prices OUTRAGEOUS, seen on the news 2 guys stole about $20,000 worth of wire and got caught with it when they tried to sell it for scrap. They also cut LIVE transmission lines to get it. Thanks for the info guys I always wondered about those ampacities in relation to wire sizes

[HMW]

I work for an electric utillity and we've had them cut down a chain link fence into a substation to steal reels of wire. We had pics of some goof b all that actually cut into a live piece and blew his arm off. Big dumby

[Sberry]

The numbers are significantly different than NEC numbers, this question should include the machine they are intended to run on.

[SignWave]

PLEASE NOTE:

The numbers that I provided to you in this thread are based on insulation type
TW and not more that three conductors making up a "wire"
TW is considered a low grade "everyday" type of insulation that would most likely be used to wire up lighting in a high rise or other commercial type application where the wire(s) are run through conduit that is encased in concrete. (ie rigid pipe or EMT- electrical metalic tubing)

Should you want to find a wire for a different application- such as a rubberjacketed extension cord, the figures in my post above could be applied safely to that cable.