By Dave Rongey Summary:
Electrical Wiring Question:
What GAGE wire or wire size is appropriate to handle up to 1200 watts of home current on a 120 volt, 20 amp circuit Name : P A.
Electrical Troubleshooting Question:
What gauge wire or wire size is appropriate to handle up to 1200 watts of home current on a 120volt, 20 amp circuit?
Name P A.
Hi P A. - Great Electrical Repair Question! For home wiring the following apply: #12 wire is rated for 1920 Watts at 120 volts. #14 wire is rated for 1440 Watts at 120 volts. These are rated at 80% load factors.
I don't know what your application is, however if you are installing a device that specifies a 120 volt, 20 amp circuit then you should use #12 wire. Some devices specify the circuit breaker or fuse size based upon the electrical device protection requirement.
Please pay close attention to the device electrical specifications.
As always, it is recommended to hire a licensed electrician when installing new circuits. I love to get feed back so let me know if this helps you, and if you have any further questions.
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wire size for 1200 watts - 373
Check Out What Others Are Sharing at Ask the Electrician: It is a very nice site with allot of useful information. Steve from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Skill Level:
Intermediate to Advanced - Electrical Repairs and Circuit Wiring is Best Performed by a Licensed Electrical Contractor.
Tools Required:
Basic Electricians Pouch of Hand Tools, a Voltage Tester and a Multi Meter.
Estimated Time:
Depends on personal level experience, ability to work with tools, work with electrical wiring, and the available access to the project area. Precaution:
Identify the project circuit, turn it OFF and Tag it with a Note before working with the wiring.
Important:
Modifying existing electrical circuits or installing additional electrical wiring should be done according to local and national electrical codes with a permit and be inspected.
This is a testing tool that is a Non-contact tester that I use to easily Detect Voltage in Cables, Cords, Circuit Breakers, Lighting Fixtures, Switches, Outlets and Wires. Simply insert the end of the tester into an outlet, lamp socket, or hold the end of the tester against the wire you wish to test. Very handy and easy to use.
This is great to troubleshoot a problem with outlet circuit wiring, is also used by most inspectors to test for power and check the polarity of circuit wiring.
It detects probable improper wiring conditions in standard 110-125 VAC outlets
Provides 6 probable wiring conditions that are quick and easy to read for ultimate efficiency
Lights indicate if wiring is correct and indicator light chart is included
Tests standard 3-wire outlets UL Listed Light indicates if wiring is incorrect, Very handy and easy to use.
A wire stripping tool used to safely strip electrical wires.
This handy tool has multiple uses:
The wire gauges are shown on the side of the tool so you know which slot to use for stripping insulation.
The end of the tool can be used to grip and bend wire which is handy for attaching wire onto the screw terminals of switches and outlets.
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