COPPER WIRE TABLE

Gauge Diameter

Area Resistance

Weight

Fusing

Bundle Breaking

AWG

mils

sq. inches

ohms

Pounds

Current

Current

pounds

(*)
-4
-3
-2
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
22
24
26
28
30
32
34
36
38
40

460.0
409.6
364.8
324.9
257.6
204.3
162.0
128.5
101.9
80.8
64.1
50.8
40.3
32.0
25.3
20.1
15.9
12.6
10.0
8.0
6.3
5.0
4.0
3.1

0.16619
0.131795
0.104518
8.29E-02
5.21E-02
3.28E-02
2.06E-02
1.30E-02
8.15E-03
5.13E-03
3.23E-03
2.03E-03
1.28E-03
8.02E-04
5.05E-04
3.17E-04
2.00E-04
1.26E-04
7.89E-05
4.96E-05
3.12E-05
1.96E-05
1.23E-05
7.77E-06

0.049
0.062
0.078
0.098
0.157
0.249
0.396
0.629
1.000
1.591
2.529
4.022
6.395
10.17
16.17
25.71
40.88
65.00
103.36
164.34
261.32
415.51
660.69
1050.5

640
508
402
319
201
126
79.4
49.9
31.4
19.8
12.4
7.81
4.91
3.09
1.94
1.22
0.77
0.48
0.30
0.19
0.12
0.076
0.048
0.030

3182.5
2674.5
2247.6
1888.8
1333.9
942.0
665.3
469.8
331.8
234.3
165.5
116.9
82.5
58.3
41.2
29.1
20.5
14.5
10.2
7.2
5.1
3.6
2.5
1.8

214.4
170.0
134.8
106.9
67.24
42.29
26.60
16.73
10.52
6.62
4.16
2.62
1.65
1.03
0.651
0.409
0.257
0.162
0.102
0.064
0.040
0.025
0.016
0.010

6232
4942
3919
3108
1955
1229
773
486
306
192
121
76.1
47.8
30.1
18.9
11.9
7.48
4.71
2.96
1.86
1.17
0.74
0.46
0.29

(*) Use -4 for 0000 gauge, -3 for 000 gauge, -2 for 00 gauge
Wire Gauge:

6 AWG

Wire Run Length (feet):

15 feet

Wire Current (amperes):

50 amperes

Wire Resistance (ohms)

0.0059 ohms

Wire Weight (pounds)

1.19 pounds

Voltage drop (volts)

0.30 volts

Wire Area (square mils)

20.62 mils

APPROXIMATE Temp Rise (in a small bundle):

Valid For #12 through #30, less than 100 amps ONLY.
PVC Insulation 15 mils thick.

28 F
15 C

1. Gauge is American Wire Gauge, sometimes called the Birmingham and Stubbs gauge (B&S gauge)
2 Diameter is the diameter of the wire itself in thousandths of an inch. Values shown are for
SOLID copper wire. Stranded wire will generally be 10% to 15% thicker.
3. Area is the cross sectional area of the wire in square inches. Note that for smaller wire sizes that
the exponential notation is used. For example, AWG 38 wire has an area of 1.24E-5, which is
0.0000124 square inches.
4. Resistance is the resistance in ohms of 1000 feet of wire. To get the resistance per foot, simply
divide the listed number by 1000.
5. Weight is the weight in pounds of 1000 feet of bare wire. To estimate the weight with insulation,
add approximately 25%.
6. Fusing is the current in amperes at which the wire will melt. Note that this is only an approximation
and ambient temperature, proximity to other heat sources, and other factors have not been considered.
7. Bundle is the recommended maximum current for any wire in a small bundle with other wires.
(Compiled from FAA documents and other sources.)
8. Break is the dead-weight breaking strength in pounds.
Brought to you courtesy of

RST Engineering, Grass Valley CA 95945

530.272.2203

sales@rst-engr.com