Wires are the basic component of every DIY electrical installation. They’re used for almost everything electricity-related. In most modern homes, they’re abundant. Being able to assemble and use those installations is one thing.
Summary
Wire diameter gauges is denoted in AWG which can be translated to either mm or inches. Using AWG to denote gauge ensures a comprehensible industry standard you can rely on.
From the chart below, the following can be seen.
- 0 AWG has a diameter of 0.825 cm or 8.251 mm.
- 2 AWG has a diameter of 0.654 cm or 6.544 mm.
- 4 AWG has a diameter of 0.519 cm or 5.189 mm.
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However, picking the right components in the first place is something completely different. The wire’s size is an element that’s not taught anywhere and needs to be learned individually.
It’s a surprisingly unknown component, considering its usefulness for everyday fixes and house improvements. Luckily, we’re here to help you.
In this article, you’ll learn about wire sizes, their characteristics, differences, and what an AWG metric is. Keep reading, and be ready to get some knowledge wired into you!
Wire diameter gauge chart (AWG) to mm, cm, & inches
| Wire Number (Gauge) | Metric Diameter (CM) | Metric Diameter (MM) | AWG or B&S Wire Diameter (Inches) |
| 0000000 (7/0) | 1.654 | 16.54 | 0.651300 |
| 000000 (6/0) | 1.473 | 14.73 | 0.580049 |
| 00000 (5/0) | 1.312 | 13.12 | 0.516549 |
| 0000 (4/0) | 1.168 | 11.68 | 0.460000 |
| 000 (3/0) | 1.040 | 10.40 | 0.409642 |
| 00 (2/0) | 0.927 | 9.266 | 0.364797 |
| 0 (1/0) | 0.825 | 8.251 | 0.324861 |
| 1 | 0.735 | 7.348 | 0.289297 |
| 2 | 0.654 | 6.544 | 0.257626 |
| 3 | 0.583 | 5.827 | 0.229423 |
| 4 | 0.519 | 5.189 | 0.204307 |
| 5 | 0.462 | 4.621 | 0.181941 |
| 6 | 0.412 | 4.115 | 0.162023 |
| 7 | 0.367 | 3.665 | 0.144285 |
| 8 | 0.326 | 3.264 | 0.128490 |
| 9 | 0.291 | 2.906 | 0.114424 |
| 10 | 0.259 | 2.588 | 0.101897 |
| 11 | 0.231 | 2.305 | 0.090742 |
| 12 | 0.205 | 2.053 | 0.080808 |
| 13 | 0.183 | 1.828 | 0.071962 |
| 14 | 0.163 | 1.628 | 0.064084 |
| 15 | 0.146 | 1.450 | 0.057068 |
| 16 | 0.129 | 1.291 | 0.050821 |
| 17 | 0.115 | 1.150 | 0.045257 |
| 18 | 0.102 | 1.024 | 0.040303 |
| 19 | 0.091 | 0.9116 | 0.035891 |
| 20 | 0.081 | 0.8118 | 0.031961 |
| 21 | 0.072 | 0.7229 | 0.028462 |
| 22 | 0.064 | 0.6438 | 0.025347 |
| 23 | 0.057 | 0.5733 | 0.022572 |
| 24 | 0.051 | 0.5106 | 0.020101 |
| 25 | 0.045 | 0.4547 | 0.017900 |
| 26 | 0.040 | 0.4049 | 0.015941 |
| 27 | 0.036 | 0.3606 | 0.014196 |
| 28 | 0.032 | 0.3211 | 0.012641 |
| 29 | 0.029 | 0.2860 | 0.011258 |
| 30 | 0.025 | 0.2546 | 0.010025 |
| 31 | 0.023 | 0.2268 | 0.008928 |
| 32 | 0.020 | 0.2019 | 0.007950 |
| 33 | 0.018 | 0.1798 | 0.007080 |
| 34 | 0.016 | 0.1601 | 0.006305 |
| 35 | 0.014 | 0.1426 | 0.005615 |
| 36 | 0.013 | 0.1270 | 0.005000 |
| 37 | 0.011 | 0.1131 | 0.004453 |
| 38 | 0.010 | 0.1007 | 0.003965 |
| 39 | 0.009 | 0.08969 | 0.003531 |
| 40 | 0.008 | 0.07988 | 0.003145 |
| 41 | 0.007 | 0.07112 | 0.002800 |
| 42 | 0.006 | 0.06335 | 0.002494 |
| 43 | 0.0056 | 0.05641 | 0.002221 |
| 44 | 0.005 | 0.05024 | 0.001978 |
| 45 | 0.004 | 0.04473 | 0.001761 |
| 46 | 0.0039 | 0.03983 | 0.001568 |
| 47 | 0.0035 | 0.03548 | 0.001397 |
| 48 | 0.0031 | 0.03160 | 0.001244 |
| 49 | 0.0028 | 0.02814 | 0.001108 |
| 50 | 0.0025 | 0.02504 | 0.000986 |
| 51 | 0.0022 | 0.02230 | 0.000878 |
| 52 | 0.0020 | 0.01986 | 0.000782 |
| 53 | 0.0018 | 0.01770 | 0.000697 |
| 54 | 0.0016 | 0.01575 | 0.000620 |
| 55 | 0.0014 | 0.01402 | 0.000552 |
| 56 | 0.0013 | 0.01250 | 0.000492 |
How do the sizes work?
AWG is the normal way of describing wire size in North America. First introduced in 1857, this standardized method was introduced as a replacement for all the different denotations that different wire companies used.
It determines the diameter of the wire, similarly to how SWG (Standard Wire Gauge) does in Britain. It’s a bit counterintuitive as it uses progressively bigger numbers to denote progressively smaller wire diameter sizes.
Thus, the bigger the number is, the thinner the wire will be. The sizes range from 0000 AWG to 40 AWG. Some smaller or bigger sizes might exist, but they’re not normalized as they’re rarely used.
AWG only determines a wire’s size, which means it excludes the insulation surrounding it. There’s a detailed description of what wires can be labeled using AWG- they need to be single strands of round, solid, electrically conductive wire.
Everything else that derives from these characteristics cannot be denoted with AWG denotations.
Although sizes attached to different AWG denotations might look random initially, they’re all mathematically determined.
They work because two sizes are used as a “base”- the biggest and the smallest. The biggest one, 0000 AWG, means 0.46 inches in diameter, while 36 AWG is described as 0.005 inches in diameter.
Every other size is simply a logarithmic step between those two. With 39 in-between sizes existing and the diameter ratio 1 to 92, every step is the 39th root of 92.
In plain terms, that contributes to about 1.12293x change in width from step to step.
Conversion from MM to gauge isn’t difficult, and the same goes for the opposite. You just have to know how to do it and have a calculator on your hands (or simply use the table we’ve provided)
