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DanGair

Aug 18, 2008, 5:15 AM

Post #1 of 5 (4748 views)

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Electrical Wire Sizing

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Is electrical wire sold by AWG sizing (i,e, #12, #14, etc,) or metric? I'm preparing to install a PV solar system near Puerto Vallarta (PV near PV!) and will be buying all my wire there and need to now if I'll have to convert all of the sizing to metric.

Thanks!
MexDog

johanson / Moderator

Aug 18, 2008, 6:16 AM

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Re: [DanGair] Electrical Wire Sizing

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Although you could confirm this in Rolly's Home, Garden etc construction forum I know that in my newer house they used #10 for pumps and number 12 and 14 for wiring inside my house in Mexico.

So to the best of my knowledge one uses the same system here as there. The only real problem I have with my photovoltaic system is that the controls were built to US not Mexican specifications, and we couldn't get the system to have the capability to sell back to the grid until be begged CFE to lower the voltage in our neighborhood. Remember that that at 127 +/- 10% is very different than for example what Seattle City Light considers normal 115 to 127 volts.

When my line voltage was only 4% above 127 volts, I would could not sell back to the CFE.

No I do not feed the grid yet. I still need permission. But it would appear I can do so now because rather than having 132 volts during the day, which is very acceptable by Mexican standards my line voltage is about 10 volts lower which is acceptable in both the US and Mexico

Rolly

Aug 18, 2008, 7:34 AM

Post #3 of 5 (4738 views)

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Re: [DanGair] Electrical Wire Sizing

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It's AWG.

Rolly Pirate

DanGair

Aug 18, 2008, 8:20 AM

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Re: [johanson] Electrical Wire Sizing

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Thanks. My system is not grid tied so this isn't an issue, although I'll keep it in mind and consider connecting to the grid to sell back if I eventually grow the system to the point of producing any significant amount of spare KW's.
MexDog

johanson / Moderator

Aug 18, 2008, 8:23 AM

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Re: [Rolly] Electrical Wire Sizing

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I dropped by an electric shop a few minutes ago and as Rolly said its AWG (American Wire Gauge) however immediately after the AWG number was the size in mm which I understand is the way the rest of the world does it. Correct me if I'm wrong Rolly

(This post was edited by johanson on Aug 18, 2008, 8:24 AM)