⚡ Optional Grouping of Wires for Emergency Use Practical SWG Combinations

When a critical circuit fails and the exact wire gauge isn’t in stock, technicians sometimes combine multiple smaller strands to approximate the current carrying capacity of a larger wire purely as a short term emergency workaround. This article explains the logic, rules of thumb, and a ready to use reference table of approximate SWG (Standard Wire Gauge) combinations so you can keep the lights on safely while you source the proper conductor. The combinations reproduced below come from the working note titled “Optional group of wires for emergency uses” .

Hint: Avoid making these “temporary bundles” your permanent solution. Replace with a single, correct gauge wire at the earliest opportunity.

🎛️ Why & When to Use Emergency Wire Grouping

In industrial floors, maintenance bays, and field service calls, outages rarely wait for perfect inventory. Grouping wires lets you bridge downtime, restore control circuits, or energize a low duty motor while conforming to basic safety principles. The guiding idea is simple: multiple parallel conductors share current. If each smaller strand is rated for a fraction of the load, the bundle’s combined cross section approaches the target gauge.

✅ Golden Practices (Use These Every Time)

Keep bundle lengths as short as practical; long runs raise resistance and voltage drop.
Ensure identical length and similar condition for all strands in the bundle to promote even current sharing.
Use tight, low resistance terminations (proper ferrules/lugs). Avoid loose twisting alone.
Protect with a correct fuse/MCB sized to the weakest strand, not the theoretical sum.
Clearly label the assembly as TEMPORARY and schedule a replacement.

Hint: Parallel strands should be routed together and secured (tape/ties/sleeves) to avoid unequal heating or accidental separation.

⚠️ What This Table Is (and Isn’t)

The matrix below is a practical equivalence guide, compiled for quick field judgment. It is not a design grade calculation for permanent wiring. Conductor metallurgy, strand insulation, ambient temperature, installation method, and duty cycle all affect ampacity. Treat these groupings as stop gap solutions, then replace with the proper single-gauge conductor and verify protections.

Pro Tip ✨: For quick checks in the field, jot the needed target SWG, then use this rule of thumb: two sizes down ≈ double strands, three sizes down ≈ triple strands, and confirm with the table below for finer cases.

📊 Approximate Equivalent Combinations (SWG → Bundled Options)

Use this chart to pick bundles for 1st group, 2nd group, or 3rd group options depending on availability. Source: working table titled Optional group of wires for emergency uses .

SWG	1st Group	2nd Group	3rd Group
10	14+15½+15½	14+14+16½	16+16+16+16
11	15+15+17	14+16+17½	16½+16½+17+17
12	15+15	16½+16½+16½	17½+17½+17½+17½
13	16+16	17½+17½+17½	17+17+18½
13½	16½+16½	16+17	17½+18+18
14	17+17	16+18	19+19+19+19
14½	18½+18½+18½	19½+19½+19½+19½	17+17½
15	17½+17½	17+18	20+20+20+20
15½	18+18	19+19+20	19+19½+19½
16	18+19	18½+18½	19½+20+20 or 21+21+21+21
16½	18½+19	19½+20½+21½	21½+21½+21½+21½
17	19+19 or 19+19½	21+21+21	20+21+22
17½	19+21	19½+20	21½+21½+21½
18	20+21	20½+20½	23+23+23+23
18½	21+21½ or 21+21	22+23+23	22½+22½+23
19	21½+22½	21+23	22+22 or 23+23+24
19½	22+22½ or 22+23	23+24+25	24+24+24
20	22+24	22½+23	25+25+25
20½	23+23	24+26+26	22½+24
21	24+24	26+26+26	22½+25
21½	24+25	23+26	28+28+28+28
22	25+26 or 25+25	26+27+27	24+27
22½	25+27	27+28+29	28+28+28
23	26+28 or 26+27	27+27	29+29+29
24	27+28	29+30+31	—
25	28+29	—	—

01:00

🧮 How to Read & Apply the Table

Suppose you need a SWG 14 conductor but only have smaller wires. The table shows feasible bundles such as 17+17 (first group) or 19+19+19+19 (third group). Choose the option that best matches your stock and the physical constraints of your route and terminations. Remember that more strands can improve current sharing but demand better terminations and more space under a lug.

🔌 Quick Field Workflow

Identify target SWG (from drawing/nameplate or your normal reference).
Open this table, pick a listed bundle for that SWG.
Cut equal lengths, strip, and terminate with ferrules/lugs rated for parallel use.
Size protective device to the lowest strand rating; verify warm up on first run.
Label as TEMPORARY and schedule a permanent fix.

Hint: When two alternatives are shown (e.g., “19½+20+20 or 21+21+21+21”), choose the one that gives better mechanical fit in your terminal while staying within thermal limits.

🧯 Safety & Compliance Checklist

🧰 Use heat shrink or sleeves to bind the parallel strands • 🧲 Keep bends gentle to avoid work hardening • 🧪 Watch insulation temperature class • 🧠 De-rate in hot enclosures • 🧿 Never mix copper & aluminium in the same bundle

📐 Worked Examples

Example A: Replacing SWG 17 for a Small Control Coil

From the table, possible bundles include 19+19 or 19+19½ (1st group) and 21+21+21 (2nd group). If your terminal can’t accept three inputs comfortably, the two-strand solution (19+19½) may be cleaner. After installation, monitor coil temperature for the first duty cycle and confirm breaker behavior on inrush.

Example B: Temporary Feed Where Only Very Thin Wire Exists

For SWG 21½, a robust third-group option is 28+28+28+28. Mechanically this is bulky; ensure your lug or terminal bar allows four entries or shift to a ferrule sleeve designed for parallel conductors. Keep the run short and protected from abrasion.

🛠️ Practical Tips to Improve Reliability

Terminate once, clamp once: Aim for a single shared ferrule per end so strands can’t loosen unevenly.
Match strand metal & age: Oxidized conductors elevate contact resistance; cut back to bright copper.
Avoid mixing gauges wildly: Stay close within the recommendations shown; it keeps current sharing fair.
Secure the bundle path: Parallel conductors should not flap or separate under vibration.

Summary: The combinations above are a field ready triage toolkit for maintenance teams. They allow you to approximate a missing SWG by bundling smaller wires, with options traded between availability and mechanical practicality. Always log the intervention and plan the permanent replacement. (Combinations referenced from the working note cited earlier.)

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Ready to use reference table of approximate SWG (Standard Wire Gauge) combinations so you can keep the lights on safely while you source