Buy quality pure copper , stick to the NEC ampacity chart, and when in doubt, go one size thicker (lower AWG number). Don’t rely on cheap Amazon listings – check the actual AWG markings on the insulation.
| AWG | Diameter (mm) | Diameter (in) | Resistance (Ω/1000 ft) | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 10 | 2.588 | 0.1019 | 1.018 | | 12 | 2.052 | 0.0808 | 1.59 | | 14 | 1.628 | 0.0641 | 2.52 | | 16 | 1.291 | 0.0508 | 4.09 | | 18 | 1.024 | 0.0403 | 6.51 | | 20 | 0.8128 | 0.0320 | 10.4 | | 22 | 0.6438 | 0.0254 | 16.5 | | 24 | 0.5109 | 0.0201 | 26.2 | | 26 | 0.4059 | 0.0160 | 41.7 | | 28 | 0.3219 | 0.0127 | 66.4 | | 30 | 0.2559 | 0.0101 | 105.8 | awg wire gauge sizes
The system is the standard for measuring the diameter of round, solid, nonferrous, electrically conducting wire used in North America. ⚡ Quick Summary Buy quality pure copper , stick to the
This review is based on real electrical work – saved me from melted wires and tripped breakers. ⚡ Quick Summary This review is based on
The most critical rule of AWG is its : as the gauge number increases, the wire diameter decreases. For example: 0000 AWG (4/0) : The thickest standard gauge at ~11.684 mm.