When comes to the topic of choosing the right wire gauge for your recessed downlight, especially when you want to design the led downlight system on your own, you may encounter multiple problems. Fortunately, Vertex, a professional downlight recessed light factory, would solve the related problem in this post.
What is Wire Gauge for the Led Recessed Downlight?
The wire gauge refers to the physical size of the wire, rated with a numerical designation that runs opposite to the diameter of the conductors. In simple terms, the larger the number of the wire gauge number is, the smaller the wire diameter is. The 6 sizes of wire are commonly used----14-, 12-, 10-, 8-, 6-, and 2-gauge wire.
16-gauge are used for light-duty extension cords supporting 13 amps. 14-gauge are used for light fixtures, lamps, and led recessed lighting circuits with 15 amps. 12-gauge are typically used in the kitchen, bathroom, outdoor receptacles, and 120-volt air conditioners supporting 20 amps.
| Size | Ampacity(A) |
| 12 Gauge | 30 |
| 14 Gauge | 25 |
| 16 Gauge | 18 |
| 18 Gauge | 16 |
| 20 Gauge | 11 |
| 22 Gauge | 7 |
| 24 Gauge | 3.5 |
| 26 Gauge | 2.2 |
16-gauge are used for light-duty extension cords supporting 13 amps. 14-gauge are used for light fixtures, lamps, and led recessed lighting circuits with 15 amps. 12-gauge are typically used in the kitchen, bathroom, outdoor receptacles, and 120-volt air conditioners supporting 20 amps.
What Gauge Wire for Led Recessed Lights
From the perspective of safety, the 12-2 cable is the common option for most led recessed lights systems. The 12-2 cable indicates that a 12-gauge cable with two insulated conductor wires and a ground wire is used. But, when comes to the recessed downlight indoor, you had better take the references from the state or city electrical codes you live in, in case the different requirements on the recessed ceiling.
Can You Use 16 Gauge Wire for LED Lights?
Yes, the 16 gauge wire is usually used for light-duty extension cords supporting 13 amps.
Can I Use 22 Gauge Wire for LED Lights?
The solid 20 and 22 AWG wire work for most systems using single color LED lights instead of multicolor downlights.
Is A Bigger Gauge Wire Better for Recessed Downlight Led?
As above mentioned, the smaller the gauge size, the thicker the wire. The thicker wire presents less resistance to current flow. But it is not all recessed down lights or recessed spot lights can adopt the thicker wire. Thick wire (12 or 14 gauge) is recommended for long wire runs, high power applications, and low-impedance speakers (4 or 6 ohms).
How Many Led Recessed Ceiling Lights Can You Put on 14 Gauge Wire?
The basic electrical formula “Watts = Volts x Amps," presents the equation Watts = 120 x 20 with a result of Watts = 2,400. Therefore, the 14 gauge wire could bear up to 2,400 watts.
Four Steps to Determining The Correct Wire Gauge for Led Recessed Downlight
●First Step: calculate the total wire length you need for the connection.
●Second Step: After calculating the total length, you need to calculate the amount of current that could flow through the wire. You should multiply the total length by the wattage per foot. For example, led recessed luminaires to consume about 4.4 watts per foot. If the lighting system requires 16 feet wire, you multiply 4.4 by 16, and you get 70.4 watts.
●Third Step: Divide the above total wattage by 12 to get the total amps or currents. Then, let the 70.4 watts be divided by 12, and you get 5.87 amps.
●Fourth Step: At last, you need to take the reference from the wire chart. The right wire gauge is at the intersection of the amps and feet. So, for 20 feet and 10 amps, the correct wire gauge is 12.
●Second Step: After calculating the total length, you need to calculate the amount of current that could flow through the wire. You should multiply the total length by the wattage per foot. For example, led recessed luminaires to consume about 4.4 watts per foot. If the lighting system requires 16 feet wire, you multiply 4.4 by 16, and you get 70.4 watts.
●Third Step: Divide the above total wattage by 12 to get the total amps or currents. Then, let the 70.4 watts be divided by 12, and you get 5.87 amps.
●Fourth Step: At last, you need to take the reference from the wire chart. The right wire gauge is at the intersection of the amps and feet. So, for 20 feet and 10 amps, the correct wire gauge is 12.
| American Wire Gauge(AWG) | ||||||||||
| Length (feet) |
Current(amps) | |||||||||
| 5 | 10 | 15 | 20 | 25 | 30 | 40 | 50 | 60 | 70 | |
| 15 | 16 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 4 |
| 20 | 14 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| 25 | 14 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| 30 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 40 | 12 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1/0 |
| 50 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1/0 | 1/0 |
| 60 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1/0 | 2/0 | 2/0 |
| 70 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1/0 | 2/0 | 2/0 | 3/0 |
| 80 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1/0 | 2/0 | 3/0 | 3/0 |
| 90 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1/0 | 2/0 | 3/0 | 3/0 | 4/0 |
Conclusion
All in all, the 12-2 cable is the ideal option for led downlights and recessed spotlights. Also, before you start to design and make your house lighting system on your own, you had better calculate the amps the lighting system needs. But the best option to make the perfect led downlights system is to consult your led downlights manufacturer or supplier.
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