American Wire Gauge (AWG) Reference
AWG is the standard wire sizing system in North America. The gauge number is inversely proportional to wire diameter — smaller numbers = thicker wire. This chart covers the most commonly used sizes for power wiring, electronics, and industrial applications.
AWG Wire Specifications — Solid Copper
| AWG | Diameter (in) | Diameter (mm) | Area (kcmil) | Resistance (Ω/1000ft) | Max Amps (chassis) | Max Amps (power trans.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0000 (4/0) | 0.4600 | 11.684 | 211.6 | 0.0490 | 380 | 302 |
| 000 (3/0) | 0.4096 | 10.404 | 167.8 | 0.0618 | 328 | 239 |
| 00 (2/0) | 0.3648 | 9.266 | 133.1 | 0.0779 | 283 | 190 |
| 0 (1/0) | 0.3249 | 8.252 | 105.5 | 0.0983 | 245 | 150 |
| 1 | 0.2893 | 7.348 | 83.7 | 0.1239 | 211 | 119 |
| 2 | 0.2576 | 6.544 | 66.4 | 0.1563 | 181 | 94 |
| 4 | 0.2043 | 5.189 | 41.7 | 0.2485 | 135 | 60 |
| 6 | 0.1620 | 4.115 | 26.3 | 0.3951 | 101 | 37 |
| 8 | 0.1285 | 3.264 | 16.5 | 0.6282 | 73 | 24 |
| 10 | 0.1019 | 2.588 | 10.4 | 0.9989 | 55 | 15 |
| 12 | 0.0808 | 2.053 | 6.53 | 1.588 | 41 | 9.3 |
| 14 | 0.0641 | 1.628 | 4.11 | 2.525 | 32 | 5.9 |
| 16 | 0.0508 | 1.291 | 2.58 | 4.016 | 22 | 3.7 |
| 18 | 0.0403 | 1.024 | 1.62 | 6.385 | 16 | 2.3 |
| 20 | 0.0320 | 0.812 | 1.02 | 10.15 | 11 | 1.5 |
| 22 | 0.0253 | 0.644 | 0.642 | 16.14 | 7 | 0.92 |
| 24 | 0.0201 | 0.511 | 0.404 | 25.67 | 3.5 | 0.577 |
| 26 | 0.0159 | 0.405 | 0.254 | 40.81 | 2.2 | 0.361 |
| 28 | 0.0126 | 0.321 | 0.160 | 64.90 | 1.4 | 0.226 |
| 30 | 0.0100 | 0.255 | 0.101 | 103.2 | 0.86 | 0.142 |
Common Residential Wire Sizes (NEC)
| Circuit | Wire Size (AWG) | Breaker (Amps) | Typical Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| General lighting | 14 | 15A | Lights, receptacles (low load) |
| General purpose | 12 | 20A | Most outlets, kitchen small appliances |
| Large appliances | 10 | 30A | Dryers, water heaters, A/C units |
| Cooking range | 6 | 50A | Electric range, oven |
| Sub-panel feeder | 4 or 2 | 60–100A | Garage, workshop sub-panel |
| Service entrance | 2/0 or 4/0 | 150–200A | Main service panel |
Key AWG Rules
- Every 3 gauge steps doubles the cross-sectional area (and roughly doubles the ampacity). So 10 AWG has about double the area of 13 AWG.
- Every 6 gauge steps doubles the diameter.
- Stranded wire has the same AWG rating as solid wire of the same total cross-sectional area, but slightly larger overall diameter due to air gaps between strands.
- Voltage drop matters for long runs. Even if ampacity is adequate, long wire runs lose voltage. Keep voltage drop below 3% for branch circuits, 5% total (feeder + branch).
- Derate for bundled/enclosed wires. NEC requires ampacity derating when multiple current-carrying conductors are bundled together (heat can’t dissipate).
Related: Sheet Metal Gauge Chart | Drill Size Chart | Unit Converter