BOTC-SEG-0700

Support Engineering Guide (SEG):

Wire
Section

Table of Contents

Page

Definition

Fire rating standards

Plenum routines

Tinned requirements

Sizing terminology

Usage by current carrying capacity of the conductor

Colors for intra-rack NE power and chassis ground wire

16 AWG and physically smaller

14 AWG and physically larger

Issue

Revisions

Original release of Bill Oakes Engineering Guideline for Wire.

13

Revise into Word format.

Date
October 25, 1989
July 17, 2007

Acronyms: American Insulated Wire Corp (AIW), American Wire Gauge (AWG), Central Office (CO), Circular Mils
(CM), Enclosed Network Extension-RT/CEV/Hut/Prem (ENE), Network Element (NE), Transport Engineering
Guide (TEG).

Bill Oakes Telecom Consultants (BOTC)

bill.oakes@att.net, 831-476-0453
Copyright 1989. All rights reserved.
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BOTC-SEG-0700
1. Definition:
Wire is defined as single or multiple insulated conductors that are not surrounded by a common outer jacket. See
BOTC-SEG-0100 for Cable (defined as multiple insulated conductors surrounded by a common outer jacket).
2. Fire rating standards:
Wire is fire tested and rated by Underwriters Laboratories (UL) using the following classification system. Also see
National Electrical Code section 800-51.
A) CMP (UL 910 test): Plenum communications wire.
B) CMR (UL 1666 test): Riser communications wire. Preferred for all wire runs between floors.
C) CM or CL2 (UL 1581 or IEEE 383 test): General purpose communications wire. Minimum rating for wire in CO
or ENE. Acceptable for runs between floors if cable holes are properly firestopped.
D) CMX (UL VW-1 test): Residential communications wire (not for commercial use). Do not use in COs or ENEs.
3. Plenum routines:
Normal and emergency air circulation paths within a building are known as plenums. These paths can be
ductwork or open space (area above suspended ceiling or below a raised floor). Wire running within these areas
must be plenum rated CMP (first choice) or enclosed in flex conduit (if CMP rated wire is not available for the job
condition).
4. Tinned requirements:
Wire conductors plated with a tin alloy are referred to as Tinned. To provide durable, noise free connections,
tinned wire should be used for all solderless wire wrap or solderless insulation displacement terminations.
5. Sizing terminology:
The size of a wire is determined by its cross sectional area and classified using one of these two methods:
A) Circular Mils (CM): A wires CM value can be found by converting the diameter to 1/1000s of an inch and
squaring that number. For example, a diameter of .0201 or 20.1 thousands would be equal to 404.01 CM.
B) American Wire Gauge (AWG): AWG (formerly known as the Brown & Sharp system) is a series of numbers
that roughly represent the quantity of steps involved in manufacturing wire. Physically smaller wires require
more steps and have a higher number value. The three physically largest AWGs are designated with one
(physically smallest), two or four (physically largest) zeros and typically use the term aught (0 is called one
aught, 00 two aught, 0000 four aught). Each AWG designation has a specific CM value. For example, 24 AWG
equals 404.01 CM. AWG numbers are set up so that a drop in three numbers doubles the size and a drop in ten
numbers provides a wire ten times the size. Related to Cable (see BOTC-SEG-0100), AWG indicates the size of
individual insulated conductors. Even numbered 26, 24, 22, 20, 16, 14, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2, 0, 00 and 0000 AWGs are
normally used for CO/ENE engineering purposes (odd numbered AWGs not used).
16 AWG and physically smaller wire is usually one solid conductor (see section 8). 14 AWG and physically larger
wire is stranded for improved flexibility. If a wire is stranded (made up of multiple solid conductors twisted
together), each strands CM value needs to be determined separately and then multiplied by the number of strands.
For example, 24194 L-2 and L-4 flex stranded (see section 9) 6 AWG wire consists of 65 strands of .0201 inch
diameter wire so the CM value would be 26,260 (20.1 thousands squared times 65). 24194 L-3 regular stranded 6
AWG consists of 7 strands of .0612 inch diameter wire so the CM value would be 26,220 (61.2 thousands squared
times 7). This is why stranded wire has a larger overall diameter than solid wire even though they have the same
AWG rating. For requirements physically larger than 0000 AWG, three sizes of stranded wire can be used: 350,000
CM (350 KCM), 500,000 CM (500 KCM), 750,000 CM (750 KCM).
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6. Usage by current carrying capacity of the conductor:
Current carrying capacity (known as ampacity) of wire is an important factor in the design of CO/ENE transport
system power connections. Per National Electrical Code (NEC) requirements, upstream fuses must be at least 125
percent of LIST 2 (maximum/peak) amperage drain for the supported equipment (see BOTC-SEG-0500 section X).
For any given NE power circuit design, wire must always have more current carrying capacity than the upstream
fuse so that the wire does not become a fuse itself (if equipment drain exceeds LIST 2, fuse fails first and wire is not
overloaded). Wire size requirements for each NE system will be shown on the associated BOTC-TEG.
A) Ampacity ratings for 16 AWG and physically smaller: Used for low current NE shelf to fuse panel in the
same relay rack. These ratings are based on historic Bell System Practice (BSP) 800-610-152: 11 amps for 16
AWG, 8 amps for 18 AWG, 6 amps for 20 AWG, 4 amps for 22 AWG, 2.8 amps for 24 AWG.
B) Ampacity ratings for 14 AWG and physically larger: Used for relay rack fuse panel to BDFB (sum of LIST 2
for all NE shelves in rack), high current NE shelf direct to BDFB or high current NE shelf to fuse panel in the same
relay rack. These ratings are based on NEC table 310-16 (90 degrees centigrade column): 535 amps for 750 KCM,
430 amps for 500 KCM, 350 amps for 350 KCM, 260 amps for 0000 AWG, 195 amps for 00 AWG, 170 amps for 0
AWG, 130 amps for 2 AWG, 95 amps for 4 AWG, 75 amps for 6 AWG, 55 amps for 8 AWG, 40 amps for 10 AWG, 30
amps for 12 AWG, 25 amps for 14 AWG. Table 310-16 and some Service Provider/Telco documentation have an
asterisk against 10, 12, 14 AWG indicating a maximum upstream fuse size of 30, 20, 15 amps respectively.
7. Colors for intra-rack NE power and chassis ground wire:
Based on traditional industry and Service Provider/Telco internal methods, BOTC-TEGs normally show NE shelf to
relay rack fuse panel power wiring as Red (battery lead), Black (return lead) and NE shelf to rack ground (chassis
ground lead) as Black or Green for 16 AWG and physically smaller conditions. Black is used for 20, 22 or 24 AWG
chassis ground since this short wire segment can be cut from the already required battery/return wire pair and
Green is not available (see section 8). 16 AWG chassis ground can be Black or Green (both available per section 8).
For circuits that use 14 AWG or physically larger wire, special colors (Black, Red, Green) have been found to create
availability problems for engineering vendors. Distributors usually demand large minimum orders for colored
wire in this AWG range. Vendors find it hard to justify these large purchases when the runs are short (NE shelf to
rack fuse panel) and this wire cannot be used for other power applications since the rack fuse panel to BDFB color
standard is Gray (also known as Slate). Even through Black, Red, Green are manufactured (see section 9), BOTC
recommends using Gray for 14 AWG or physically larger intra-rack NE power and chassis ground. This eliminates
the availability issue since most distributors sell the gray version on a per foot basis.
8. 16 AWG and physically smaller:
For many years (back to the Bell System days) 20, 22, 24 AWG BH2 insulation wire and 16 AWG AM3 insulation
wire has been used for CO/ENE engineering. BH2 product lines were originally manufactured by AT&T, then
Lucent, then Avaya and finally Commscope. AM3 wire has always been manufactured by AIW but was distributed
by Commscope under their own part number series. Commscope discontinued all of their wire product lines in
March 2006. For these small wire conditions, BOTC recommends the following manufacturers. If generic
equivalents are used they should meet or exceed the attributes of these wires and the standards shown in
Telcordia GR-492-CORE.
A) 16 AWG: AIW (www.aiwc.com) 16AM3 base wire. Part number 18639 Black single; 24924 Green single;
18652 Red-Black single; 30860 Black/Red-Black pair; 31052 Yellow/Yellow-Green, Red/Red-Green quad (2 pair).
B) 20, 22, 24 AWG: General Cable (www.generalcable.com) BH2 equivalent wire. Part number 7529123
Black/Red-Black 20 AWG pair; 7529127 Black/Red-Black 22 AWG pair; 7529128 Black/Red-Black 24 AWG pair;
7529126 Yellow/Yellow-Green, Red/Red-Green 24 AWG quad (2 pair).
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9. 14 AWG and physically larger:
This section provides BOTC recommended AIW (www.aiwc.com) 24194 series part numbers for 14 AWG and
physically larger wire. If generic equivalents are used they should meet or exceed the attributes of these wires and
the standards shown in Telcordia GR-347-CORE.
Halogen/lead wire insulation contains chemicals that will produce corrosive smoke under a burn condition
(damages electronic equipment). Lead also creates a disposal issue on removal jobs due to the toxic/hazardous
waste classification. 24194 series wire insulation does not contain halogen/lead. AIW previously manufactured
5482-H and 20921 series wire that does have halogen/lead insulation. Even though 5482-H /20921 production
has ended, some distributors may still have remaining stock. BOTC recommends that engineering vendors not use
5482-H/20921 series wire unless specifically directed to do so by Service Provider/Telco personnel (for example,
required 24194 AWG cannot be obtained in time for individual job dates).
Tyco Electronics Power division (formerly part of Lucent) still owns the 24194 name and product specification but
the wire is actually manufactured by AIW under a Tyco license. Prior to the Tyco agreement, AIW used TelcoFlex
as the name for its own series of non-halogen/lead wire. TelcoFlex had a Roman numeral suffix that equated to
the Arabic numeral suffix used for 24194 Lists. For example, TelcoFlex IV is now 24194 L-4. Due to its marketing
investment in the TelcoFlex name, AIW continues to print both designations (TelcoFlex and 24194) on the wire.
24194 List
L-3
For regular
bending.
Insulation has
outer braid.

L-4
For tight
bending.
Insulation has
outer braid.

L-2
For power
room battery or
rectifier
connections.
Insulation does
not have outer
braid.

Size:
AWG
KCM
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
00
0000
350
500
750
8
6
4
2
0
00
0000
350
500
750
8
6
4
2
0
00
0000
350
500
750

Number of strands/
diameter of each
strand in inches
7/.0242
7/.0305
7/.0385
7/.0486
7/.0612
7/.0772
7/.0974
19/.0745
19/.0837
19/.1055
37/.0973
37/.1162
61/.1109
41/.0201
65/.0201
105/.0201
168/.0201
266/.0201
342/.0201
532/.0201
855/.0201
1221/.0201
1850/.0201
41/.0201
65/.0201
105/.0201
168/.0201
266/.0201
342/.0201
532/.0201
874/.0201
1221/.0201
1850/.0201

Outside
diameter
in inches
.195
.215
.245
.310
.350
.395
.470
.595
.640
.745
.925
1.055
1.270
.335
.365
.445
.485
.630
.705
.815
1.015
1.175
1.395
.295
.325
.405
.445
.575
.650
.765
.960
1.120
1.340

AIW part numbers based on color of outer

braid (L-3, L-4) or insulation (L-2):
Gray
Green
Red
Black
W39757 W39791 W39790 W39789
W39758 W39797 W39796 W39795
W39759 W39803 W39802 W39801
W39760 W39809 W39808 W39807
W39761 W39815 W39814 W39813
W39762 W39821 W39820 W39819
W39763 W39826 W39786 W39825
W39764 W39782 W39831 W39830
W39765 W39837 W39836 W39835
W39766 W39843 W39842 W39841
W39767 W39849 W39848 W39847
W39768 W39855 W39854 W39853
W39769 W39861 W39860 W39859
W39770 W39998 W39997 W39996
W39771 W40004 W40003 W40002
W39772 W40010 W40009 W40008
W39773 W40016 W40015 W40014
W39774 W40022 W40021 W40020
W39775 W40028 W40027 W40026
W39776 W40034 W40033 W40032
W39777 W40040 W40039 W40038
W39778 W40046 W40045 W40044
W39779 W40052 W40051 W40050
W39747 W39870 W39869 W39868
W39748 W39876 W39875 W39874
W39749 W39882 W39881 W39880
W39750 W39888 W39887 W39886
W39751 W39894 W39893 W39892
W39752 W39900 W39899 W39898
W39753 W39905 W39904 W39784
W39754 W39910 W39909 W39780
W39755 W39916 W39915 W39914
W39756 W39921 W39920 W39785