• A used spool of speaker wire.speaker wire image by Paolo from Fotolia.com
  
  Standard 22-gauge wire is commonly used for low voltage applications, such as speaker wires and thermostat wires. In commercial applications 22-gauge wire is often used to communicate from one automation controller to the other. The 22-gauge wire has special requirements because of its low voltage use across the various applications for which it is used.
  
  

Wire Material

• The wire material required for 22-gauge wire is copper, aluminum or gold. The wire is made of very thin strands that are twisted together to form the full thickness of the wire.
  
  

Wire Coating

• The wire is required to contain a coating of nonmetallic sheathing that is a combination of plastic and wax. The coating prevents the voltage from the wire from arching against other metal objects and also prevents shorting out when next to other wires.
  
  

22-Gauge Wire Clearances

• Standard 22-gauge wire runs must comply with National Electric Code (NEC) standards if the wires are run from room to room. You must secure the wires through the ceiling joists, or, if the ceiling is 8-feet tall, you may attach the wire to the bottom of the ceiling joists with wire rings or nail-in harnesses.