Q: Weidmuller manufactures electrical terminal blocks for automation control systems and power distribution. Do you have a chart that compares the U.S. standard for wire gauge (awg) to European circular mils?
Ed Promin
Weidmuller Inc.
Richmond, VA
A: While there is no legal standard wire gauge for copper conductors in the United States, the awg is the widely accepted de facto standard. While specific diameters are assigned for 36 awg and 40 awg, all other gauges are loosely associated with the number of steps in the drawing process (see table).
Donna Ballast is a communications analyst at the University of Texas
at Austin and a bicsi registered communications distribution designer (rcdd). Questions can be sent to her at Cabling Installation & Maintenance or at PO Drawer 7580, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78713; tel: (512) 471-0112, fax: (512) 471-8883, e-mail: [email protected].
