Cables
Reading time : 2 minutes
Published on 16 Apr 2020 - Updated on 09 Mar 2021
This page group information about wires and cables to help to choose correct diameter
When choosing power supply cables, most important parameter is wire diameter or section. It allows to know the maximum rated current and also to estimate voltage loss depending on wire length.
The gauge is a number between AWG0000 and AWG36.
Lower number means higher wire diameter (0000 is the thickest).
There are 39 standards gauges.
with :
- \( d \) wire diameter in mm
- \( n \) Cable AWG gauge
Gauges table
AWG | Diameter (mm) | Section (mm²) | Resistivity at 20°C (Ohm/km) | Resistivity at 60°C (Ohm/km) | Free air maximum current (A) | Casing maximum current (A) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
32 | 0.2 | 0.031 | 538.4 | 654.6 | 0.53 | 0.32 |
30 | 0.25 | 0.049 | 338.6 | 411.7 | 0.86 | 0.52 |
28 | 0.32 | 0.080 | 212.9 | 258.9 | 1.4 | 0.83 |
26 | 0.40 | 0.126 | 133.9 | 162.8 | 2.2 | 1.3 |
24 | 0.51 | 0.204 | 84.22 | 102.4 | 3.5 | 2.1 |
22 | 0.64 | 0.322 | 52.95 | 64.40 | 7.0 | 5.0 |
20 | 0.81 | 0.515 | 33.30 | 40.50 | 11.0 | 7.5 |
18 | 1.02 | 0.817 | 20.95 | 25.47 | 16 | 10 |
16 | 1.29 | 1.306 | 13.18 | 16.02 | 22 | 13 |
14 | 1.63 | 2.086 | 8.284 | 10.08 | 32 | 17 |
12 | 2.05 | 3.299 | 5.210 | 6.336 | 41 | 23 |
10 | 2.59 | 5.266 | 3.985 | 4.845 | 55 | 33 |
8 | 3.26 | 8.343 | 3.274 | 3.981 | 73 | 46 |
6 | 4.12 | 13.325 | 1.296 | 1.576 | 101 | 60 |
4 | 5.19 | 21.145 | 0.8136 | 0.991 | 135 | 80 |
2 | 6.54 | 33.576 | 0.5118 | 0.623 | 181 | 100 |
1 | 7.35 | 42.408 | 0.4035 | 0.494 | 211 | 125 |
0 | 8.25 | 53.429 | 0.3225 | 0.392 | 245 | 150 |
00 | 9.27 | 67.457 | 0.2556 | 0.311 | 283 | 175 |
000 | 10.40 | 84.906 | 0.2028 | 0.247 | 328 | 200 |
0000 | 11.68 | 107.092 | 0.1608 | 0.196 | 380 | 225 |