Understanding battery cable gauge specs

MachSchnell

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Nov 27, 2009
Messages
37
I'm not clear on the different gauges of battery cable. Can anyone offer some help on what the actual gauges mean?

I'm thinking that 4 gauge is 1/4" of wire surrounded by insulation that makes the overall cable thicker than 1/4"

Is 1 gauge cable a 1" thick wire surrounded by thicker insulation?

And what would 1/0, 2/0, 3/0 and 4/0 break down to size-wise?

Thank for the help! :)
 

MachSchnell

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Nov 27, 2009
Messages
37
Re: Understanding battery cable gauge specs

Well, I did find this:
http://www.66pacific.com/calculators/wire_calc.aspx

Now I need to study a bit more. I guess 4 gauge wire is actually 1/4" in diameter, including the casing, and the wire is actually thinner.

...and I'm deducing that the amount of current a cable carries is not related to the diameter of the wire, but rather to the area of a cross-section of the wire.
 
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