Hi, this may seem like a strange question to the electrical experts. I have an opportunity to acquire a substantial amount of 18 gauge wire. If I combine two separate single lengths of 18 gauge wire by soldering them together at both ends will I then have the equivalent of a lower gauge number wire with more amp carrying capacity. Thank you, ClarkeSr
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Yes you would. Its called parallel feeders. Its done all the time in the electrical field to make wire pulling on large services easier. The key is that they be the same length. Don't put a large loop in one wire and not the other. If you need a 10' run, make both wires 10' before soldering them together. You would essentially double the amperage capacity of the 18 ga wire.
Bob
Hi Bob, thank you, based on your reply am I right in assuming that if I put three wires together it would triple the capacity and so on. Thanks again, Clarke
If you put two identical (gauge) wires in parallel, you subtract 3 from the original gauge of either wire to find the new gauge. Example: Put two #18 wires in parallel. Subtract 3. New equivalent gauge is #15. Since #15 gauge wire is not a normally-found size, you would use the average ampacity listed for #14 and #16 wire.
Hi Arthur, Thank you. Does that mean that if you put three identical wires in parallel you subtract four to get the new gauge and so on. Or, for three in parallel do you subtract five to get the new gauge. Regards, Clarke
For three in parallel, you'd take the the square root of the gauges, multiply it by a convenient prime number, divide it by 1000, and then raise that to the 3rd power. 
Actually, I'd prob ably use this Wire Combination Calculator.
It even has an interesting multi-size feature...
Three in parallel you subtract 5 from one of the (identical) gauges.
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