What gauge?

I'm in the process of wiring my control box, and just wanted to hear what the consensus of what gauge wire people are using for what. but more specifically, what gauge wire are you using for your pump connections?

for me,
Power in 10AWG
switches and relays 14AWG
DC ends of the SSR's 24AWG

Pumps 12AWG? ( Have not wired them up yet)

30 amp I assume?

10 for 220 stuff
14 for 110 stuff, pumps pull like 1 amp
20-24 for temp probes and dc stuff, rated for 300 volts, radio shack has a colored 3 pack

The answer depends completely upon amperage. What is the maximum amount of current that you might draw for each application?

For my march pumps, I used 14 AWG. It has way more than enough ampacity for it.

Okay, I was going to use 14 for my pumps (march 809) but was concerned that 14 might be too light.

14 on the pump. That is what it came with.
12 on the rest of the 110v
10 on the 240v heater elements (each)
8 on the main 240v feed.

EarthBound said:

The answer depends completely upon amperage. What is the maximum amount of current that you might draw for each application?

For my march pumps, I used 14 AWG. It has way more than enough ampacity for it.

Click to expand...

It has nothing to do with what you think your devices will draw, but rather what size overload protection you are using for said devices.

Bernie Brewer said:

It has nothing to do with what you think your devices will draw, but rather what size overload protection you are using for said devices.

Click to expand...

Yeah this! Your primary fusing and/or circuit breakers protect your wire. If you are tapping and downsizing wire you need to fuse for the wire. Then you add overload protection for the specific load if needed.

Bernie Brewer said:

It has nothing to do with what you think your devices will draw, but rather what size overload protection you are using for said devices.

Click to expand...

Your point is valid, as usual, but I wouldn't say it has nothing to do with it. They all go hand-in-hand: size of breaker, size of fuse, gauge of wire, and the potential load. The potential load is the potential amount of current the devices will draw, and everything is in terms of this load. The question I asked was beside the point, I suppose, because my point was that the answer to his initial question depends upon an amount of amperage. I guess the right question to have asked is, "What size breaker do you have installed for this circuit?"

For the pumps I am running a 5A in line fuse, the main power is a 30A breaker. I guess I should use the same gauge wire as the in line fuses are, which is 12 I think.

I use 2A slow blow fuses for my pumps. Nothing beats a nice slow blow.

Bsquared said:

For the pumps I am running a 5A in line fuse, the main power is a 30A breaker. I guess I should use the same gauge wire as the in line fuses are, which is 12 I think.

Click to expand...

Electrical wiring is usually
10 for 30 amp draw
12 for 20 amp draw
8 for 40 to 50 amps draw

Just depends on how much total load you are expecting on that circuit.

EarthBound said:

The answer depends completely upon amperage. What is the maximum amount of current that you might draw for each application?

For my march pumps, I used 14 AWG. It has way more than enough ampacity for it.

Click to expand...

And length of run. Of course your runs will be short and not of much influence on a brewstand.

nate456789 said:

Electrical wiring is usually
10 for 30 amp draw
12 for 20 amp draw
8 for 40 to 50 amps draw

Just depends on how much total load you are expecting on that circuit.

Click to expand...

Yes, I guess I meant to write that my power supply comes in on 10 from a 30A breaker. And yes, the run is not more than 3feet to power the pumps.

jeepinjeepin said:

And length of run.

Click to expand...

Especially with DC.