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Wire Gauge for electrical installation?


muddyplugger

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Really sorry to be thick here, but I'm a self confessed idiot regards automotive electrics. :unsure:

I am going to wire in my new horn and it is to have a 20amp in-line fuse.

My question is what size wire do I need for such an installation? I have digested the information on the internet and I am still not much the wiser!! I believe a 10 guage wire may be correct, but physical size is that? Is it 10mm or 20mm? And I presume I measure the wire itself and not the pvc sleeve too?

I really need to be educated :blink:

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if it's fused at 20Amp's, I take it it is only pulling about 15A ?

For a reasoanble safety margin I'd go for the following from Vehicle Wiring Products based on a 15A constant draw:

Ref 25. Thinwall 28/0.30mm, 2mm2, 25amps

http://www.vehicle-wiring-products.co.uk/V...les/cables.html

That way you got a bit of a safety margin till the fuse blows

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from the link above

Ref 16. Thinwall 32/0.20mm, 1mm2, 16.5amps.

26p per M. £13.93 per 100M reel. Plain colours also available in 30M reels @ 4.29.

Typical applications: Side & tail lights, alarms, reversing & rear fog lamps, electric aerial, HORNS general wiring.

more than good enough as a horn is intermittent /occasional use only. with a 15amp fuse :i-m_so_happy:

Edited by western
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As I said, I take it it is only pulling 15A ;) if you got a current meter cable of 25A then it would be worth doing a test so that you can match the fuse and wire to the true current usage, does the horn have noted on it what the current it draws?

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As I said, I take it it is only pulling 15A ;) if you got a current meter cable of 25A then it would be worth doing a test so that you can match the fuse and wire to the true current usage, does the horn have noted on it what the current it draws?

Thanks for this info guys

in reply to minivin, the horn (Nautilus compact air horn) does not say what current it draws, but it has a 12V 30A relay and says to wire a 20A in-line fuse from the battery.

So the reference of: 'Ref 25. Thinwall 28/0.30mm, 2mm2, 25amps.' is the likely wire.

There is a wiring diagram, so now armed with the correct materials I am able to follow the instructions to wire this thing in! Fingers crossed! :lol:

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Thanks for this info guys

in reply to minivin, the horn (Nautilus compact air horn) does not say what current it draws, but it has a 12V 30A relay and says to wire a 20A in-line fuse from the battery.

So the reference of: 'Ref 25. Thinwall 28/0.30mm, 2mm2, 25amps.' is the likely wire.

There is a wiring diagram, so now armed with the correct materials I am able to follow the instructions to wire this thing in! Fingers crossed! :lol:

ah air horns :lol: that'll be why it needed to be a higher current due to the blower, yup the wire guage sounds fine now :)

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