Learn more about the five main components of choosing the right automotive or electrical wire by reading on. Understanding the basics of automotive and electrical wire is the first step toward selecting the right product, especially considering how many options are available. The automotive cable suppliers most commonly used are aluminium and copper. Aluminum wire is less conductive, flexible, and corrosive than copper wire.

Nevertheless, copper wire tends to be heavier and more price sensitive, so taking advantage of a reliable distributor is imperative. Aluminum is lighter and cheaper, but it’s also less durable and more susceptible to corrosion and increased electrical resistance. The total amperage of the wire is the current flowing through the cable manufacturing. If you plan to overload a wire, make sure it is clearly labelled, because overloading a wire can be extremely dangerous to your staff as well as your customers.

The next consideration is the wire gauge of an automobile. For reference, here is our 12 VDC wire sizing chart: the smaller the gauge, the farther your wire needs to travel in your design or repair. You can use our Battery Cable Load Charts to determine the appropriate battery cable depending on the voltage required.

Solderless connections, which are the most common, are made from terminals, usually crimp terminals. If you are going to use hot metal solder, you may not know what kind of connections you need, so be sure to ask. In order to keep your shop organized and make common repair and construction jobs easy to do, color code your automotive wire by type.