Keep the wire-size notation attached to the selected build
A cable RFQ should identify the conductor size and the notation used for it. Write the required AWG size or nominal conductor area in mm², then describe the conductor, insulation and core arrangement separately.
AWG is a wire-gauge designation. A value in mm² expresses an area. ASTM B258's public scope concerns standard nominal diameters and cross-sectional areas of AWG sizes of solid round electrical conductors. That scope is narrower than a specification for a complete insulated or stranded cable, so a gauge label alone does not identify the whole product.
A cable title can list several available sizes. Select the intended option in your enquiry instead of copying every size from the title. When requesting an alternative, state whether the original notation must be retained or whether a proposed different construction is open for review.
Separate four details that are easily mixed up
Conductor size
Give the nominal conductor size exactly as required by the project or chosen product. Keep the unit or AWG suffix beside the number.
Conductor construction
Identify the material and solid or stranded construction. Where a strand count and strand diameter are specified, carry that information into the RFQ as a separate field.
Number of cores or pairs
State how many insulated conductors or pairs the cable needs. Explain any different size used for a particular core, drain or earth conductor instead of leaving a shorthand expression ambiguous.
Finished dimensions
Give the overall diameter or dimensional constraint separately from conductor size. Add the completed length and measurement points when ordering a prepared lead or assembly.
An insulation or jacket dimension is a different specification field from conductor area. Ask for the actual finished dimensions when the cable must pass through an enclosure, gland or limited routing space.
Do not turn a size label into a current-rating promise
For an enquiry, state the intended electrical duty and installation conditions alongside the size. Ask for the product-specific rating and the documentation relevant to the project. Do not infer the complete assembly rating from conductor size or from a connector reference shown in a photograph.
If your equipment drawing specifies AWG and a catalogue option is described in mm², keep both references visible in the discussion. Request confirmation of the proposed construction and its suitability for the drawing rather than treating a rounded conversion as an automatically approved substitute.
The same discipline applies when comparing quotations: retain the actual offered wire reference, conductor construction and selected dimensions. A short description such as “equipment cable” may conceal differences that matter to assembly or acceptance.
An RFQ format that avoids ambiguity
Use one line per field so that sizes, units and assembly dimensions remain distinct:
- Catalogue reference
- The exact product link and selected option.
- Conductor size
- The required AWG designation or nominal mm² value, with the original project notation retained.
- Construction
- Conductor material, solid or stranded build, insulation and sheath requirements.
- Arrangement
- Core or pair count, identification and any unequal conductor sizes.
- Dimensions
- Finished length, dimensional limits, prepared ends and tolerances where required.
- Project information
- Application, quantity, destination, drawing revision and requested documents.
This format helps the technical and purchasing teams review the same construction before commercial terms are agreed.
Read the source description before copying a size into the RFQ
Start with the equipment drawing or the exact selected catalogue option. Product-family titles may contain a sequence of sizes, while a drawing may describe one specific conductor. Preserve the original notation and keep its unit visible. If there is a conflict between the title, selected option and drawing, put that conflict in the enquiry rather than choosing a value silently.
For a multicore cable, identify whether the size applies to every core or to a particular group of conductors. If the design uses more than one size, describe each group separately. Include pair arrangement or identification details where the project uses them. A written list or labelled drawing makes the intended arrangement easier to review than a compact string of numbers without units.
Where a conductor is described by strand count and strand diameter, retain both pieces of information with the offered construction. Do not replace a specified stranding description with a nominal size alone if the original project requires that construction. Ask for clarification when a catalogue field is incomplete or several constructions appear under the same product-family heading.
Distinguish loose wire, complete cable and finished lead
Before comparing size information, state the form of the purchase. A single insulated wire request can focus on its conductor and insulation fields. A complete cable request needs the whole arrangement, including cores, pairs, shield and sheath where applicable. A finished lead adds the connections, terminations and assembly dimensions.
| Requested form | Size information to keep together |
|---|---|
| Individual wire | Conductor notation, material, construction and selected insulation. |
| Multicore cable | Conductor size for each group, core or pair count, and completed cable dimensions. |
| Prepared lead | The cable specification plus end preparation, finished length and drawing reference. |
| Branching assembly | Specifications for the trunk and each branch, with labelled connections and lengths. |
The purpose is to identify what is being offered. A size entry that is adequate for one component can be incomplete for the larger assembly. Keep the specification hierarchy visible so the quotation can be reviewed at the correct level.
Review substitutions as an explicit technical change
A supplier may describe an available option in a different notation from the original drawing. Ask for the offered nominal size, construction and product reference together. State whether alternatives are permitted and who will review them. The quotation should identify the proposed build so purchasing can compare it against the original requirement.
If a conversion is needed for a project calculation, use the appropriate technical reference and retain the original design designation. In a commercial request, avoid turning a rounded display value into agreement on a substitute product. Keep the final offered conductor and complete cable specification in the record rather than relying on a conversion label alone.
Dimensional changes can also affect the enquiry. Ask for any relevant finished-diameter information where the route, connector, termination or enclosure entry imposes a limit. Keep these required interface dimensions visible to the team reviewing the alternative, and request confirmation for the actual proposed assembly.
Two practical enquiry examples
Example A: a selected single-core equipment wire
In this hypothetical request, the design already identifies a wire size and insulation requirement. The RFQ includes the catalogue link, selected size, conductor construction, colours, supply form and quantity. If cut lengths are requested, it also states the measurement and tolerance. The technical question is whether the offered product matches those details, rather than which of several sizes in the family title is intended.
When reviewing the answer, check that the quoted reference identifies one selected option. Retain any deviation or open question as a separate item. This helps prevent an attractive price for a different family option from being compared as though it were the same requested wire.
Example B: a multicore connection with prepared ends
Here the hypothetical project specifies a core arrangement, end connections and finished length. The enquiry identifies the nominal size of each conductor group and includes a drawing that shows the end views. The cable construction, outer dimensions and terminations remain part of the same assembly reference.
If a supplier proposes a different cable, request a description of each difference and its effect on the stated interface requirements. Keep a reviewed drawing revision with the final quotation. These examples describe a document structure, not a suitable size or electrical design for a particular installation.
A final check before comparing quotations
- Does each offer identify one actual product and selected size?
- Are the units or AWG designation retained beside every size entry?
- Are material and stranding stated where required by the project?
- Are core count, pair arrangement and unequal conductor sizes clear?
- Are finished diameter and length recorded separately?
- Are requested terminations and dimensions part of the quoted reference?
- Are substitutions and unresolved fields clearly identified?
- Does the final quotation refer to the current drawing revision?
Share this comparison with the technical reviewer when an offer differs from the original specification. Record the approved reference before an order is confirmed, and retain the source documents needed to check the delivered configuration.
What if the nominal size is the only known detail?
Send that confirmed information and describe the application, then identify the remaining fields as open. A clear partial specification is useful when its limits are visible. The next discussion can focus on the missing construction and interface details instead of treating an incomplete size label as a finished specification.
Find a reference and prepare the next step
Before forwarding the enquiry, check the attachments as well as the message. Make sure the listed drawing revision is the one actually attached, the selected size is visible in the specification and the quantities refer to the intended version. This small document check keeps technical and purchasing conversations tied to the same reference.
Browse Electrical Wire for individual wire options or Control, Shielded & Multicore Cable for relevant cable constructions. The Cable Selection Guide brings size together with materials and interfaces.
Notation reference: ASTM B258 public scope, covering nominal dimensions of AWG solid round conductors. No conversion table or current-rating table is reproduced here.