Choosing the right AWG for Server Power Cables?
When getting power cables for servers, there are various AWG (American Wire Gauge) choices to make. The ones I have noticed are 18 and 14; 14 is thicker so will be a little more stiff. But, I am also wondering how I determine if I really need the heavy duty or thicker 14 AWG cables, or if 18 would be fine?
In my particular case, this is for 6 foot runs from a power strip to servers. The power will be run at 208v single phase. Using this online calculator, it looks like maybe at most .1 volts would be dropped which sounds negligible (assuming copper).
Are there other concerns here? For instance:
- Maximum rating
- Bundled temperature (I have vertical PDUs, so doesn't apply to me, but still is this a concern?)
How do I know which AWG I actually need for my server's power cables?
DISCLAIMER: This is personal opinion/knowledge from an IT admin, not an electrician.
Wire gauge is chosen for many reasons, but typically for people like us it is based on amperage used/needed. There's probably lots of other reasons/rules, but for you and I that's basically it.
Kyle, you can look here if you haven't already: http://www.powerstream.com/Wire_Size.htm
Also:
This Wikipedia Article has a nice table that outlines the exact specifications of the different AWG ratings.
The one to look out for is ampacity at various temperatures. Considering the draw of most modern power supplies, I'd imagine that an 18 or 16 would be fine in most cases, but many servers ship with 14s, so that's what I tend to stick with.
