AWG Cable Sizes

Aluminum Wire


American Wire Gauge


The table below lists the Aluminum wire Characteristics for different gauges of the American Wire Gauge [AWG].
The American Wire Gauge provides a means of specifying wire diameters.
For each different AWG [wire size] the table provides;
the Diameter [in mils], Diameter [in Circular mils], the resistance per 1000 foot, the Fusing current, and Pounds per Foot [number of feet required to weigh 1 pound].
Read the notes below the table to determine how the Ampacity was derived. The larger the AWG number, the smaller diameter wire.
The table is based on an ambient temperature of 25oC. Conductor size is based one or more of the following considerations:
Current carrying capacity [inducing a rise in wire temperature, in high-voltage lines], Short circuit current, or Voltage drop [long low voltage lines].





AWG Aluminum Wire Table
AWG Diam. (mils) Circular mils Ohms/1000ft Fusing Current Pounds/1000ft
0000 460 212000 0.0804 - 195.0
000 410 168000 0.101 - 154.0
00 365 133000 0.128 - 122.0
0 324.85 105000 0.161 - 97.0
1 289 83700 0.203 - 76.9
2 258 66400 0.256 - 61.0
3 229 52600 0.323 - 48.4
4 204 41700 0.408 - 38.4
5 182 33100 0.514 - 30.4
6 162 26300 0.648 495.0 24.1
7 144 20800 0.817 416.0 19.1
8 128 16500 1.03 349.0 15.2
9 114 13100 1.30 299.0 12.0
10 102 10400 1.64 247.0 9.55
11 90 8230 2.07 207.0 7.57
12 81 6530 2.61 174.0 6.0
13 72.0 5180 3.29 146.0 4.76
14 64 4110 4.14 123.0 3.78
15 57 3260 5.22 103.0 2.99
16 51 2580 6.59 88.80 2.37
17 45 2050 8.31 72.90 1.88
18 40 1620 10.5 61.40 1.49
19 36 1290 13.2 51.60 1.18
20 32.0 1020 16.7 43.20 0.939
21 28.5 810 21.0 - 0.745
22 25.3 642 26.5 30.50 0.591
23 22.6 509 33.4 - 0.468
24 20.1 404 42.1 21.60 0.371
25 17.9 320 53.1 - 0.295
26 15.9 254 67.0 15.20 0.234
27 14.2 202 84.4 - 0.185
28 12.6 160 106 10.70 0.147
29 11.3 127 134 - 0.117
30 10.0 101 169 7.580 0.0924
31 8.9 79.7 213 - 0.0733
32 8.0 63.2 269 5.320 0.0581
33 7.1 50.1 339 - 0.0461
34 6.3 39.8 428 3.790 0.0365
35 5.6 31.5 540 - 0.0290
36 5.0 25.0 681 2.68 0.0230
37 4.5 19.8 858 - 0.0182
38 4.0 15.7 1080 1.85 0.0145
39 3.5 12.5 1360 - 0.0115
40 3.1 9.9 1720 1.31 0.0091

Table of Bare Aluminum Wire




Notes:
For the same conductivity aluminum wire is about two gauges larger than copper wire.
The table above only lists the AWG standard. The wire size is different between the American Wire Gage [AWG] and the British standard.
AWG [American Wire Gauge] may also be called the Brown and Sharpe (B&S) Wire Gauge.
The Birmingham Wire Gauge [BWG] is used for steel armor wire.
Watch for round-off errors, as many numbers were rounded. Use the table as a guide.
The weight does not include wire insulation. The weight of the wire is critical in some applications.
Circular mils is the diameter squared in mils.

The wire fusing [melting] current is based on the material the wire is made of, the diameter of the wire and the melting point of the the material.
The wire fusing current of a wire is provided in tables as constant current or as [a larger] current for some given amount of time.
I found this formula used on a few different sites [un-verified]; I=Ad(3/2) @ d is in inches, A is a constant: A = 10,244 for Copper. A = 7,585 for Aluminum.
I have listed a number of values for fusing current in the table above, for selected AWG sizes.

Copper wire properties are listed under on the Copper Electrical Wire page. Manufacturers listing for Electrical Wire and Cable.

Related topic; Aluminum to Copper Wire Splice, an AC wire example [house wiring].

Refer to the How to Derate Components page for derating wire with other then Teflon insulation

Refer to the National Electrical Code [NEC] to determine cable sizing for premises wiring.
Also see the Wire Insulation Color Code page; Color coding of wire insulation based on application.
This page represents my notes on the subject, purchase one of the standards or specifications referenced on this page when doing professional work.





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