He pointed to the critical column: Resistance per 1,000 ft.
Grandpa led him to a faded poster on the wall—a chart of AWG sizes. “Look here,” he said, tapping the numbers. “See how 0000 AWG is as thick as your thumb? That’s for a factory’s main feeder. Now trace down: 10 AWG is a pinky finger. 14 AWG is a spaghetti noodle. And 22 AWG?” He laughed. “That’s thinner than a hair. That’s for a phone line, not power.” awg wire sizes
He tossed it in the trash and rummaged in a glass jar. He pulled out a much thicker, chunkier cable. “This is 10-gauge. Your jukebox draws 30 amps on start-up. The 16 AWG is only good for about 10 amps. It’s not about ‘fitting,’ Leo. It’s about American Wire Gauge.” He pointed to the critical column: Resistance per 1,000 ft