How many wires in Romex v. extension cord?

Leah Frances

Sorry Dave, for the complicated Title.
Please settle a dispute between me and DH. How many wires are in a Romex cable? My understanding is that 12/2 = white, black, and ground. 12/3 = white, black, red, and ground. Right?

DH has found some extension cord that he wants to use as speaker wire (don't ask...) it is labeled 14/3. What does that mean? Why aren't they standardized?

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nap

How many do you want in the Romex? If it is XX/2 =G there are 3. If it is XX/3 + g there are 4. You can also get 2 circuit with 2 neutrals + g so it would have 5. I don't know if they make more but it would be possible.

to your 2 types of NM (Romex is a TM'd name used to be owned by the Rome Wire Co and now owned by South wire (I think)) you count and color would be correct. The ground would be bare

extension cord or SO cord counts the ground within the number so a 12/3 SO cord would have a black, a white and a green insulated conductor

and they are standardized. NM doesn't count the ground and SO cord does. Isn't that standardized?

Leah Frances

So NM cable 14/3 = four wires inside
extension cord 14/3 = three wires inside?

Doesn't that seem weird to anyone else?

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If I could only remember to THINK about what I was doing before I did it.

nap

Lyes


yes

I guess it's just a trade thing. I'm thinking it goes back to when NM didn't have ground wire in them and then they tossed in the un-insulated wire.

so, rather than calling 12/2 NM 12/3 NM when you put the ground wire in, to avoid confusion, they called it 12/2 WG (with ground).

the ground wire in SO could be used to carry current if need be. The ground in NM cannot as it is not insulated other than the outer sheath.

Leah Frances

Thanks, but I still think it's stupid.

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If I could only remember to THINK about what I was doing before I did it.

Leah Frances

Ok. Here's another question. DH wants to "combine" each of the wires in the 14/3 extension cord and wants to know what that equals.

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If I could only remember to THINK about what I was doing before I did it.

Leah Frances

Yes, I know this is STUPID.

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If I could only remember to THINK about what I was doing before I did it.

nap

Not sure what you mean. Are you asking what size of wire he would have if he interconnected all 3 #14 wires together into 1?

Leah Frances

That is exactly what he wants to do.

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nap

well, let's see.

#14 wire is 4110 circular mils so 3 times that would be 12330 circular mils. #10 wire is 10380 circular mils and #8 is 16510 circular mils so that would put him at about a #9 wire.

frenchelectrican

let me try that in metric verison .,

2.5mm² X 3 = 7.5mm² so the size will be roughly between #10 and #8 AWG size

and I know you will ask me if I have any wire size close to that size if 8mm² the answer is no unless you get into electric motor or transfomer that about it.

Merci,Marc

Yoyizit

If he twists them together over their whole length he might get somewhat equal current sharing and if he has a DVM and a 100w incand. lamp he can check how equal.

fpeftw

They're counting the insulated conductors.

Leah Frances

He wants to use it as speaker wire. Sheesh.

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If I could only remember to THINK about what I was doing before I did it.

DangerMouse

Sure seems overkill for speaker wire!

DM

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