What does 22/2 indicate in alarm wiring?

• A. Two-conductor 24 AWG cable
• B. Two-conductor 18 AWG cable
• C. Two-conductor 22 AWG cable
• D. Two-pair 22 AWG cable

Answer: (C)

22/2 means two-conductor cable with 22-gauge conductors. The first number is the wire gauge (22 AWG), and the second number after the slash is how many insulated conductors are inside the jacket (two). So you have two 22 AWG conductors in that cable, which is a common choice for simple alarm circuits because it’s small and flexible enough to run through walls while still carrying the low currents used by sensors and the panel. If you needed more conductors, you’d see something like 22/4, which would be four conductors. Larger gauges like 18 AWG would be thicker and more robust, while smaller gauges like 24 AWG are thinner and less durable for typical alarm runs.