7 Tips for Choosing Wire Gauges for Your Custom Wire Harness

Do you want to start a wire harness manufacturing project?

Various businesses and enterprises need wire gauges for their products or projects. Wire harness manufacturing is a complex process and involves many steps. Unless you have a clear idea of things, your wire harness may not turn out as desired.

In this post, we will tell you nine things you need to be aware of wire harnesses. The information will help you design and manufacture the correct wire harness, which means success for your project. Our facts will involve wire size, materials, electrical properties, and more.

By the end of this article, you will become a pro on wire gauges manufacturing. You can then place an order with a reliable manufacturer for your custom wire harness.

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1.How Efficient is the Amplifier?

Cars come with dedicated amplifiers for enjoying your songs. However, different vehicles have different types of amplifiers. Some standard amplifiers are-

• A amplifiers
• B amplifiers
• C amplifiers
• D amplifiers

You can also find Class E, F, G, and H amplifiers. Now, each class has a different amplifier efficiency. What does amplifier efficiency mean?

Amplifier efficiency is the amount of electric signal that converts into sound. The rest converts to heat.

You need to know the efficiency of your amplifier, and only then can you choose the correct wire harness that matches the efficiency.

Amplifier efficiencies have a numerical percentage, and that will help you select the best wire harness matching that percentage. Also, ensure you decide on the correct wire gauge and material.

Alt- Amplifier for your wire gauge and wire harness

2.How Much Space and Wiring Length do You Need?

Cars have miles of cables and wires that make up the electrical system. Naturally, your wire harness manufacturing will need to meet the wiring requirements exactly.

You need to determine the space you need for wiring, and that will help you find out the wire length you need for your project. You can use tape t measure your old wire harness and order a new one.

Sometimes, you can also measure the distance between two electrical terminals. The wire joins, and that will also give you an idea of the wire length you need.

You can also refer to your product manual, and it may have details on the wire length you need. You can also consult professionals like our team and get a suggestion.

Choose the correct wire size for project success.

3. How Are Wire Gauge Calculated?

We talked about wire gauge in our first point. Now, we will tell you how to calculate the wire gauge of any wire. You may need to find it out for your wire harness manufacturing.

Wire gauge represents the diameter of the wire for single-stranded wires. You can use a tool to measure the diameter without any hassles.

However, calculating the gauge for stranded or braided wires is a bit complex. You have to find out the cross-sectional area of the strands, which will give you the gauge of the wire or its size.

For most wires, you can use mechanical or electronic tools to measure the gauge. Then you can order the same gauge wire harness for your project. Wire gauge is a crucial factor in the wire harness manufacturing process.

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4.What are Large and Small Gauged Wires Used For?

As you know, wires have different gauges, and that means they come in different sizes. You have small gauged wire along with large gauged wires. But how do you use them?

You need to know a few things before we go into wire applications. Large gauged wires can carry more current and have less resistance. Small gauged wires, on the other hand, take less recent and have more resistance.

Small gauged wires have many applications. You can find them in wire harnesses of cars and automobiles, and computer wire harnesses also use small gauged wires for sensitive components.

Large gauged wires are expected in service panels, sub-panels, and home appliances. You can also find them in large water heaters, electric furnaces, and electric heaters.

It would help if you chose the correct gauge for your wire harness manufacturing.

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5.How Much Amperage do You Require?

Amperage defines the current capacity of any wire. The amperage is the safe limit of existing a wire can carry. Amperage refers to the movement of electrons inside the wire, and it represents the charge the wire carries without any dangers.

Larger wires can carry more electrons, and as a result, they have higher amperages. An AWG 4 wire can transmit 59.626 amps of current. An AWG 40 wire, which is smaller in size, can carry 0.014mA of wind.

You should know the amperage your project requires. Then you can choose the correct wire harness. Otherwise, you can run into danger.

Sending more current over low-amperage wires can be unsafe, and it can melt the wire and the insulation. The situation can lead to electrical and fire hazards too. So always determine the amperage before you go into wire harness manufacturing.

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6. Choose the Right Resistance and Wire Size

Resistance is the measure of opposition to current transmission in a wire. We measure the resistance of a wire in Ohms. A wire with higher resistance will oppose the flow of electrons, which means the current passing through the wire will diminish.

Resistance is an essential factor for wire harness manufacturing. You need to measure resistance to choose the correct wire, and sending more current on a high-resistant connection can generate much heat.

Resistance also increases with distance. A longer wire will have more resistance than a shorter wire, which is inversely proportional to current. When resistance increases, the wind diminishes. If resistance comes down, then you can pass more current through the wire.

Along with resistance, choose the correct wire size. Take help from our above AWG discussions too.

7. Choose the Right Wire Material

Copper is the most common material found in wire harnesses. However, your application may not always benefit from copper.

Copper is expensive, and it’s also vulnerable to oxidation and corrosion. But it has the highest conductivity.

Aluminum wires are not prone to oxidation. However, they are not very good conductors.

In the same way, stainless steel or silver wires have different properties. You need to choose a suitable material based on the needs of your project.

Final Thoughts

Wire harness manufacturing is a challenging task. You need to be aware of many things. You need to choose the correct wire size and amperage. The length and resistance of the harness also matter, and then you need to consider the wire gauge and wire length.

Hopefully, our tips will help your wire harness manufacturing project become a success. You can also order your custom wire harnesses from us for high-quality results. We manufacture professional wire harnesses for a variety of projects. Contact us to learn more about our wire harness manufacturing.