wire
Wire is the means by which electricity is conveyed in circuits. It can take many forms. Usually there is a plastic covering called the insulation which can be removed with wire-strippers to reveal the conductor inside. Wires can be joined to each other and to other things by soldering or by other mechanical means.
Wire thickness is measured in AWG (American Wire Gauge) units. The bigger the gauge, the smaller the wire is. At MakingThings we use 30 gauge wire for tiny low current connections that are never going to need to physically flex, for example between two points on a printed circuit board. We use 22 gauge wire for connections that are going to need to be moved around a bit and for carrying moderate amounts of current (i.e. up to 2A for short distances). Finally, we use 18 or 16 gauge wire for high current needs.
We also try to use color coding for as many of the basic kinds of wiring as we can:
The advantage to doing this is that it reduces the chances of confusing the wires and potentially damaging equipment.
Wire thickness is measured in AWG (American Wire Gauge) units. The bigger the gauge, the smaller the wire is. At MakingThings we use 30 gauge wire for tiny low current connections that are never going to need to physically flex, for example between two points on a printed circuit board. We use 22 gauge wire for connections that are going to need to be moved around a bit and for carrying moderate amounts of current (i.e. up to 2A for short distances). Finally, we use 18 or 16 gauge wire for high current needs.
We also try to use color coding for as many of the basic kinds of wiring as we can:
- ORANGE - +V
- RED - 5V
- BLACK - 0V
The advantage to doing this is that it reduces the chances of confusing the wires and potentially damaging equipment.
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