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Wire Types and Sizes
16 questions By Tony R. Kuphaldt
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Question 16 of 16
Find a piece of wire or electrical cable and bring it with you to class for discussion. Identify as much information as you can about your conductor prior to discussion:
- • Gauge
- • Ampacity
- • Voltage rating of insulation
- • Temperature rating of insulation
- • Insulation type (plastic, Teflon, silicone, etc.)
- • Insulation service (conduit, wireway, direct burial, etc.)
Reveal answerIf possible, find a manufacturer’s datasheet for your type of wire to discuss with your classmates.
Notes:The purpose of this question is to get students to kinesthetically interact with the subject matter. It may seem silly to have students engage in a “show and tell” exercise, but I have found that activities such as this greatly help some students. For those learners who are kinesthetic in nature, it is a great help to actually touch real components while they’re learning about their function. Of course, this question also provides an excellent opportunity for them to practice interpreting component markings, use a multimeter, access datasheets, etc.
