AWG stands for American Wire Gauge. The smaller the number, the larger the wire. Google "American Wire Gauge" and learn more than you really want to know ;--)
Here something on shields and OEM (stock) PCs from another thread:
All three conductors in a power cord are connected to the plug at each end. One to hot, one to neutral and one to ground. In addition, the cord may have a shield. This is usually a metal braided tube, or a metal foil layer, right under the outer jacket and surrounding the three insulated conductors. It will capture any stray RFI in the air and "drain" it to ground, by being connected to the ground pin of the AC plug.
If the shield is ONLY connected at ONE END (the ground pin of the AC plug) it simply CANNOT conduct any current. If the other end of the shield is also connected to the ground pin of the IEC plug, the result is that you have two separate wires (the "shield-wire", and the ground conductor-wire) connected TOGETHER at BOTH ENDS of the PC. If you draw a diagram of this, it's what's called (in circuit terminology) a LOOP -- in this case a GROUND LOOP. A ground loop can act like an antenna that will pick up electromagnetic radiation -- mostly 60 cycle AC from the cord itself, or other nearby sources of AC, and you get that lovely 60 cycle HUM that drives you crazy!
Some PCs (like Cardas for instance) employ a double floating shield. There are two concentric shields insulated from each other. One end of one shield is connected ONLY to the AC plug ground pin. The other end of the OTHER shield is connected ONLY to the IEC ground pin. Sort of "yin yang shields" ;--)
And while we're on the subject of PCs, most OEM (stands for: original equipment manufacturer, the stuff that came in the box with your equipment!) power cords aren't that bad. For one thing, the conductors are WELDED to the plugs before the molded casing goes on, so it's a great connection, but usually they are about one or two conductor sizes (AWG) too small for my taste.
The second problem is that they are (generally) unshielded; although in defense of the manufacturer, let me explain that if they WERE shielded, the shield would have to be connected to the ground pin of the plugs AT EACH END! Otherwise, the manufacturer couldn't get UL Approval on his product. If the shield IS connected at BOTH ends (as mentioned above), guess what?? You have a giant ground loop!! So even though all digital equipment (DACs, processors, CDPs) should be supplied with shielded power cords to keep them from radiating digital RFI (hash) into the air, they usually are not. Therefore, I feel that OEM cords on that kind of equipment should be replaced with PCs that have a "floating" shield (which I described above.)
For the DIY inclined:
If you got a shielded OEM cord with your digital equipment (it will say "shielded" on the jacket), then do this: cut off the IEC connector and strip back the jacket AND THE SHIELD an inch or so. Slide some matching black shrink tubing over it and connect the conductors to a new IEC plug of good quality. Voila! You have an OEM PC with a floating shield!
