Phone wire

[Majkhands]

As part of the electrically challenged, I have on hand 1000s of feet of 6 strand copper wire phone cable. I assume it is 18 Guage, it is heavy and difficult to bend short sections with my fingers.
If I strip the ends and twist them together on each end would they effectually become 12 Guage?
If that works how many amps would it carry. I would like to power circuits in my travel trailer.

 

[Forbisher]

As part of the electrically challenged, I have on hand 1000s of feet of 6 strand copper wire phone cable. I assume it is 18 Guage, it is heavy and difficult to bend short sections with my fingers.
If I strip the ends and twist them together on each end would they effectually become 12 Guage?
If that works how many amps would it carry. I would like to power circuits in my travel trailer.

This calculator has input for 1 2 3 or 4 parallel conductors.

Voltage Drop Calculator

This free voltage drop calculator estimates the voltage drop of an electrical circuit based on the wire size, distance, and anticipated load current.

www.calculator.net

 

[Sillyputty]

I assume it is 18 Guage

You need to know for certain the exact gauge of each (insulated?) wire in that 6 wire/strand bundle, and if they are the same size or different. The gauge may be listed on the insulated jacket. Here is a calculator that may help.

 

[Bud Martin]

Can we see the cable? There should be marking on the cable itself.
Are you talking about something like this?

6 Conductor Flat Modular Line Cord - Silver Satin - 1000 FT

1000 FT | Silver Satin | RJ12 | 6 Conductors | 26 AWG Copper Core Conductors | Straight Pinout

www.showmecables.com

 

[Majkhands]

You need to know for certain the exact gauge of each (insulated?) wire in that 6 wire/strand bundle, and if they are the same size or different. The gauge may be listed on the insulated jacket. Here is a calculator that may help.

Yes it is insulated. I will Guage it now that I know there maybe some value to it.
Thank you.

 

[Majkhands]

This calculator has input for 1 2 3 or 4 parallel conductors.

Voltage Drop Calculator

This free voltage drop calculator estimates the voltage drop of an electrical circuit based on the wire size, distance, and anticipated load current.

www.calculator.net

Thank you. A very helpful tool.

 

[JoeHam]

Don’t do it.

Phone wire is typically hard drawn copper wire, not stranded. Please confirm that is what you have.

The last place you want to use that to carry power is in a mobile application.

 

[Bud Martin]

Spend money on proper wires made for its usage.

 

[Majkhands]

Don’t do it.

Phone wire is typically hard drawn copper wire, not stranded. Please confirm that is what you have.

The last place you want to use that to carry power is in a mobile application.

Yes it is 8 single strand insulated wire.
The sheathing say "carol (R) 18 AFW Type CL2 E60233-8 (UL) 105c Sunlight resistant made in USA". Looking at the calculator, 18g is .04 x the 8 wires has the equivalent size of 1/0. I know I am missing something. As memory serves 1/0 is almost the diameter of my pinky.
My other confusion is the purpose if Rome single strand vs multi strand wire.

 

[Majkhands]

Can we see the cable? There should be marking on the cable itself.
Are you talking about something like this?

6 Conductor Flat Modular Line Cord - Silver Satin - 1000 FT

1000 FT | Silver Satin | RJ12 | 6 Conductors | 26 AWG Copper Core Conductors | Straight Pinout

www.showmecables.com

 

[Majkhands]

This site does not like my photos.
I typed the info below, but here it is again.
"carol (R) 18 AFW Type CL2 E60233-8 (UL) 105c Sunlight resistant made in USA"
Thank you.

 

[John Frum]

I assume it is 18 Guage, it is heavy and difficult to bend short sections with my fingers.

18 awg and difficult to bend do not reconcile.
Can you post a picture of the wire with a dime for scale.

6x 18 awg is effectively 10 awg.

Wire Combination Calculator

 

[GSXR1000]

is it worth it?

 

[Bud Martin]

carol (R) 18 AFW Type CL2 E60233-8 (UL) 105c Sunlight resistant.
AFW?

 

[GSXR1000]

18 awg and difficult to bend do not reconcile.
Can you post a picture of the wire with a dime for scale.

6x 18 awg is effectively 10 awg.

Wire Combination Calculator

telephone wire is 24 guage

 

[John Frum]

telephone wire is 24 guage

6x 24 awg is effectively 16 awg.

 

[chrisski]

is it worth it?

I’m going to go with depends—-I would not use it for my RV solar panel installation because I Want 10 gauge to avoid losses. I would use it to run a 40’ or 50’ length of positive and negative wire to power some charging ports in the back of the RV to avid a high voltage loss.

For outdoors, I like to use this PV WIre:

Solar PV Wire (Photovoltaic) | WireAndCableYourWay.com

We stock Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Wire in a variety of gauge sizes. Most of our SKUs are sold by the foot and in bulk. Order today for fast shipping!

www.wireandcableyourway.com

Once a string of panels hits a combiner, and the wire gets thicker, it’s not exposed to the elements, and I use xlp-use-2-rhh-rhw-2 wire:

USE-2/RHH/RHW-2 Copper Wire | WireAndCableYourWay.com

We stock XLP/USE-2/RHH/RHW-2 Copper Wire in a variety of gauge sizes. Most of our SKUs are sold by the foot and in bulk. Order today for fast shipping!

www.wireandcableyourway.com

 

[JoeHam]

I’m still going with don’t do it ?

The phone wire that is.

 

[jasonhc73]

AC works fine with solid copper because the electrons "don't travel". The energy is transmitted "back and forth" through the entire cross-section of the wire.

DC needs a multistrand wire because the electrons "do travel". Traveling electrons "travel" on the outer edge of the wire, not through the middle. The more strands the easier, and less resistant to traveling.

Will your phone wire work? Yes. Is it efficient, absolutely not.

Even though phone systems are DC, the voltage is 48V, but the amps are somewhere in the 0.02 area and 180-ohm resistance.
Resistance on a typical welding wire 1/0 is very low. 1/0 welding wire is good for 200 amps to 250 feet. This is due to practically 0 ohms.

 

[Sillyputty]

AC works fine with solid copper because the electrons "don't travel". The energy is transmitted "back and forth" through the entire cross-section of the wire.

DC needs a multistrand wire because the electrons "do travel". Traveling electrons "travel" on the outer edge of the wire, not through the middle. The more strands the easier, and less resistant to traveling.

I'm completely new to most electrical wiring requirements and only looking for accurate information (not a fight) - what you describe above seems contraindicated somewhat by this information, where DC does utilize all of the wires cross section (solid or stranded), and AC tends to use the outer layer of conductor (particularly noticeable in higher AC frequencies). I'm sure there's more to this I'm missing.