AWG to Cross-Section Area
A = 0.012668 × 92^((36−AWG)/19.5)
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Formula
Description
The American Wire Gauge (AWG) system is a standardized wire gauge system used predominantly in North America. Lower AWG numbers indicate thicker wire. The system is logarithmic: every 3 gauge decrease doubles the cross-sectional area, and every 6 gauge decrease doubles the diameter. AWG 0000 (4/0) is the thickest standard gauge at 107.2 mm², while AWG 40 is one of the thinnest at 0.0079 mm². The formula converts the gauge number directly to the cross-sectional area in square millimeters.
Variables
- A — Cross-sectional area (mm²)
- AWG — American Wire Gauge number
Practical Notes
Common wire gauges and their uses: 10 AWG (5.26 mm²) for 30A circuits, 14 AWG (2.08 mm²) for 15A household wiring, 18 AWG (0.823 mm²) for speaker wire and lamp cord, 22 AWG (0.326 mm²) for hookup wire and breadboarding, 26 AWG (0.129 mm²) for ribbon cables, 30 AWG (0.051 mm²) for wire-wrap. The metric IEC 60228 system uses direct area specification (0.5, 0.75, 1.0, 1.5, 2.5, 4, 6 mm² etc.).
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