The Golden State: Where & How to Live, Secure, Visit, Enjoy and Thrive in California

Practical Electricity And House Wiring

From this it is evident that the right size of wire must be selected therefore for two purposes: to avoid heating, and to avoid voltage loss. Actually the two are so tied together that if we properly avoid the one, we will automatically avoid the other.

Proper Sizes.—The Code permits nothing smaller than No. 14 to be used for ordinary wiring purposes, which has led to the general use of No. 14 for all ordinary house wiring, even in cases where a heavier size would be better. Today however there is a very definite trend towards using No. 12 instead; it costs very little more and means less wasted power, and more efficient operation of electrical devices. The wise owner will use No. 12 as a minimum. Where the amperage or the distance is greater than usual, still larger sizes are required and Chapter 21 will cover the matter in detail.

Splicing And Soldering Wires

Connections to Terminals.—Where a wire is to be fastened to a terminal, as on a switch or receptacle, the insulation must be carefully removed. A sharp knife is used for the purpose, and it must be held at an angle, as in sharpening a pencil. If it is held at right angles to the wire, so that when the insulation is removed the wire will have the appearance shown in "a" of Fig. 59, it is very easy to cut a small nick into the conductor all the way around so that when it is bent, it may break off partially or completely.

If it is properly held at an angle so that the wire will have the appearance shown in "b" of Fig. 59, nicks are not so apt to be made.

In fastening wire to a terminal, as on a switch or receptacle, bend a loop on the end of the conductor with a pair of long-nose pliers, so that when the terminal screw is tightened, contact will be made with a comparatively long area of wire, instead of one point as would be the case if the wire were merely laid straight under the terminal screw.