Tesla UMC wire guage

[my313]

The Tesla UMC cable size seems much smaller compared to a standard 6/3 wire. If its 6 AWG then either they may be using a special insulation jacket to be more flexible and to reduce size. I tend to believe its the 8 AWG size...any thoughts?

 

[ucmndd]

The main conductors are definitely much smaller than 6awg. Devices like this aren’t regulated by the NEC like your house wiring is.

 

[Sophias_dad]

Remember that the UMC only carries a max of 32 amps, so they can definitely use 8 awg even if they had to follow NEC rules. Since they don't, they might even be able to use 10AWG or somewhere in between(9AWG). Since the cable itself is definitely a custom build I imagine they could ask for a bezillion feet of 9AWG and they'd get it.

 

[davewill]

Appliances like the UMC don't have the same requirements that in the wall wiring does. In particular, the 80% rule doesn't apply. Also, a cord in open air can be smaller for the same amperage. Finally, Tesla cheats by using two smaller wires in place of one larger one for the two main conductors to make the cable thinner and more flexible.

 

[miimura]

I have not seen a Gen2 Mobile Connector cable cut open, but I'm pretty sure that the Gen1 cable used paired smaller gauge fine stranded wire for the two main conductors. In other words, if 8ga (8.37mm^2) is the required wire cross section, they could use two 11ga (4.17mm^2 each) wires and end up with a smaller diameter, more flexible cable that can carry the same current.