Large diameter conductors used for main power distribution, battery banks, automotive starters, and heavy industrial machinery. These sizes are designed to carry hundreds of amperes with minimal voltage drop.
| AWG | Diameter (mm) | Area (mm²) | Max Ampacity (A) | Resistance (Ω/km) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0000 (4/0) | 11.68 | 107.2 | 380 | 0.161 |
| 000 (3/0) | 10.40 | 85.0 | 328 | 0.203 |
| 00 (2/0) | 9.27 | 67.4 | 283 | 0.256 |
| 0 (1/0) | 8.25 | 53.5 | 245 | 0.323 |
| 2 | 6.54 | 33.6 | 181 | 0.513 |
Commonly used in residential wiring, chassis wiring, power supplies, and general electrical equipment. Usually consists of multiple stranded copper wires for flexibility.
| AWG | Diameter (mm) | Area (mm²) | Max Ampacity (A) | Resistance (Ω/km) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 5.19 | 21.2 | 135 | 0.815 |
| 6 | 4.11 | 13.3 | 101 | 1.296 |
| 8 | 3.26 | 8.37 | 73 | 2.061 |
| 10 | 2.59 | 5.26 | 55 | 3.277 |
| 12 | 2.05 | 3.31 | 41 | 5.211 |
Used for low-current applications, signaling, control panels, automotive harnesses, and electronics. The resistance increases significantly at these smaller diameters.
| AWG | Diameter (mm) | Area (mm²) | Max Ampacity (A) | Resistance (Ω/km) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | 1.63 | 2.08 | 32 | 8.286 |
| 16 | 1.29 | 1.31 | 22 | 13.17 |
| 18 | 1.02 | 0.82 | 16 | 20.95 |
| 20 | 0.81 | 0.52 | 11 | 33.31 |
| 22 | 0.64 | 0.33 | 7 | 52.96 |
| 24 | 0.51 | 0.20 | 3.5 | 84.22 |
AWG is based on a logarithmic scale. Counterintuitively, a smaller AWG number indicates a larger wire. The cross-sectional area doubles every 3 gauge steps, and the diameter doubles every 6 steps.
| Rule of Thumb | Physical Effect | Example |
|---|---|---|
| + 3 AWG steps | Area halves, Resistance doubles | AWG 10 to AWG 13 |
| - 3 AWG steps | Area doubles, Resistance halves | AWG 10 to AWG 7 |
| - 6 AWG steps | Diameter doubles | AWG 10 to AWG 4 |
| + 10 AWG steps | Area & Weight decrease by 10x | AWG 2 to AWG 12 |