American Wire Gauge (AWG) to Metric, Imperial Wire Gauge Conversion
Wire is a conductor that is used to transmit and carry electricity, data and signals. American Wire Gauge (AWG) is a standard measurement used to identify the diameter of wire sizes. Although the AWG system is the predominant industry standard in the United States, imperial and metric wire gauges are also used in various parts of the world. This article will provide a conversion table and explore the differences between American Wire Gauge, imperial wire gauge and metric wire gauge.
AWG to Metric Conversion
American Wire Gauge (AWG) is the most common wire measurement used in the United States. It measures the diameter of solid, round, nonferrous, electrically conductive wires. AWG sizes range from 0000 to 40, with each increment representing a decrease of 10% in the cross sectional area of the wire and an increase of 30% in electrical resistance.
To convert AWG wire sizes to metric units, simply locate the AWG number in the left column of the table below and find the corresponding metric size in the right column. The table also indicates the area of the wire in square millimeters.
AWG Size Metric Size Cross Section Area (mm2)
0000 50.00
000 3.25
00 2.05
0 1.29
1 0.81
2 0.51
3 0.32
4 0.20
5 0.13
6 0.08
7 0.05
8 0.03
9 0.02
10 0.01
11 0.007
12 0.005
13 0.004
14 0.003
15 0.002
16 0.0015
17 0.001
18 0.0007
19 0.0005
20 0.00035
21 0.00025
22 0.0002
23 0.00015
24 0.0001
25 0.00007
26 0.00005
27 0.000035
28 0.000025
29 0.00002
30 0.000015
31 0.00001
32 0.000007
33 0.000005
34 0.0000035
35 0.0000025
36 0.000002
37 0.0000015
38 0.000001
39 0.0000007
40 0.0000005
AWG to Imperial Conversion
In addition to American Wire Gauge (AWG), imperial wire gauges are also widely used in some parts of the world. This measurement is common in the United Kingdom and is used to describe wire sizes ranging from 1/0 (zero) to 40.
The imperial wire gauge scale is determined by the number of pounds force per square inch (psi) required to break a piece of wire 1/1000 of an inch thick. A higher imperial wire gauge number indicates a thinner wire, while a lower number indicates a thicker wire.
To convert AWG wire sizes to imperial units, simply locate the AWG number in the left column of the table below and find the corresponding imperial size in the right column. The table also indicates the area of the wire in square inches.
AWG Size Imperial Size Cross Section Area (in2)
0000 1.184
000 0.0747
00 0.0459
0 0.0286
1 0.0181
2 0.0114
3 0.00719
4 0.00452
5 0.00286
6 0.00178
7 0.00113
8 0.000707
9 0.000445
10 0.000283
11 0.000178
12 0.000113
13 0.00007
14 0.000044
15 0.000028
16 0.000018
17 0.000011
18 0.000007
19 0.000004
20 0.000003
21 0.000002
22 0.0000015
23 0.000001
24 0.0000007
25 0.0000005
26 0.0000003
27 0.0000002
28 0.00000015
29 0.0000001
30 0.00000007
31 0.00000005
32 0.00000004
33 0.00000003
34 0.00000002
35 0.000000015
36 0.00000001
37 0.000000007
38 0.000000005
39 0.0000000035
40 0.0000000025
Conclusion
American Wire Gauge (AWG) is the most widely used wire measurement standard in the United States. Although imperial and metric wire gauges are also used in some parts of the world, conversions between them and AWG are easy to make. This article provided a conversion table and an overview of the differences between American Wire Gauge, imperial wire gauge, and metric wire gauge.
