AWG Current Capacity (Ampacity)
American Wire Gauge current ratings — diameter, resistance, chassis and power transmission ampacity.
Reference
Solid copper AWG — ratings assume ambient 60°C insulation.
AWG table
| AWG | Diameter (mm) | Area (mm²) | Ω / km | Chassis A | Transmission A |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0000 (4/0) | 11.684 | 107.2 | 0.161 | 380 | 302 |
| 000 (3/0) | 10.405 | 85.0 | 0.203 | 328 | 239 |
| 00 (2/0) | 9.266 | 67.4 | 0.256 | 283 | 190 |
| 0 (1/0) | 8.251 | 53.5 | 0.323 | 245 | 150 |
| 1 | 7.348 | 42.4 | 0.407 | 211 | 119 |
| 2 | 6.544 | 33.6 | 0.513 | 181 | 94 |
| 4 | 5.189 | 21.2 | 0.815 | 135 | 60 |
| 6 | 4.115 | 13.3 | 1.296 | 101 | 37 |
| 8 | 3.264 | 8.37 | 2.061 | 73 | 24 |
| 10 | 2.588 | 5.26 | 3.277 | 55 | 15 |
| 12 | 2.053 | 3.31 | 5.211 | 41 | 9.3 |
| 14 | 1.628 | 2.08 | 8.286 | 32 | 5.9 |
| 16 | 1.291 | 1.31 | 13.17 | 22 | 3.7 |
| 18 | 1.024 | 0.823 | 20.95 | 16 | 2.3 |
| 20 | 0.812 | 0.518 | 33.31 | 11 | 1.5 |
| 22 | 0.644 | 0.326 | 52.96 | 7 | 0.92 |
| 24 | 0.511 | 0.205 | 84.22 | 3.5 | 0.577 |
| 26 | 0.405 | 0.129 | 133.9 | 2.2 | 0.361 |
| 28 | 0.321 | 0.0810 | 212.9 | 1.4 | 0.226 |
| 30 | 0.255 | 0.0509 | 338.6 | 0.86 | 0.142 |
| 32 | 0.202 | 0.0320 | 538.3 | 0.53 | 0.091 |
Notes
- Apply NEC derating for bundled conductors, conduit fill, and elevated ambient temperature.
- Stranded wire has slightly higher resistance than solid (≈+2–5%) due to lay-length.
Frequently Asked Questions
Chassis vs power transmission?
Chassis figures assume short, well-cooled runs in open air. Power transmission figures are conservative for long runs inside bundles (NEC derating applies).
Common Use Cases
Wire sizing
Pick a safe gauge for a given load and run length.
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