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I called a guy crazy for using 22 gauge wire on a 400 foot run, then I ate my words
Last month I was on a job in Tucson wiring up a gate contact for a client's back fence, and the run was about 400 feet from the panel. I grabbed my usual 18 gauge and started pulling when the old timer helping me told me to stop and use 22 gauge instead. I laughed at him because everyone knows bigger wire equals less voltage drop, right? He said the keypad only draws about 20 milliamps and at that low current, 22 gauge is plenty, and 18 gauge was actually overkill and a waste of money. I argued with him for 10 minutes before he pulled out his meter and showed me the math on his phone. We ran the 22 and the keypad has been working fine for 6 weeks now with zero issues. That day taught me I was just repeating stuff I heard instead of actually doing the math. Has anyone else had an old timer flip your whole understanding of wire sizing on its head?
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