This reference table gives approximate conversions between metric conductor sizes and American Wire Gauge (AWG), circular mils and common stranding arrangements.
The values are useful for comparing conductor sizes, but metric and AWG/MCM sizes are not always exact substitutes. Final cable selection should use the applicable standard, current rating, resistance, voltage drop and installation requirements.
Definitions
| Circular mils | Cross-sectional area expressed in circular mils. |
| AWG | American Wire Gauge size. |
| mm2 | Metric conductor cross-sectional area. |
| MCM | Thousand circular mils, also commonly written kcmil. |
Metric AWG conversion table
| Metric size, mm2 | AWG / MCM | Circular mils | Strands / strand dia., inch | Strands / strand dia., mm | Approx. overall dia., inch | Approx. overall dia., mm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.5 | 987 | 1/.032 | 1/.813 | 0.032 | 0.81 | |
| 20 | 1020 | 7/.0121 | 7/.307 | 0.036 | 0.91 | |
| 0.75 | 1480 | 1/.039 | 1/.991 | 0.039 | 0.99 | |
| 18 | 1620 | 1/.0403 | 1/1.02 | 0.04 | 1.02 | |
| 18 | 1620 | 7/.0152 | 7/.386 | 0.046 | 1.16 | |
| 1 | 1974 | 1/.045 | 1/1.14 | 0.045 | 1.14 | |
| 1 | 1974 | 7/.017 | 7/.432 | 0.051 | 1.3 | |
| 16 | 2580 | 1/.0508 | 1/1.29 | 0.051 | 1.29 | |
| 16 | 2580 | 7/.0192 | 7/.488 | 0.058 | 1.46 | |
| 1.5 | 2960 | 1/.055 | 1/1.40 | 0.055 | 1.4 | |
| 1.5 | 2960 | 7/.021 | 7/.533 | 0.063 | 1.6 | |
| 14 | 4110 | 1/.0641 | 1/1.63 | 0.064 | 1.63 | |
| 14 | 4110 | 7/.0242 | 7/.615 | 0.073 | 1.84 | |
| 2.5 | 4934 | 1/.071 | 1/1.80 | 0.071 | 1.8 | |
| 2.5 | 4934 | 7/.027 | 7/.686 | 0.081 | 2.06 | |
| 12 | 6530 | 1/.0808 | 1/2.05 | 0.081 | 2.05 | |
| 12 | 6530 | 7/.0305 | 7/.775 | 0.092 | 2.32 | |
| 4 | 7894 | 1/.089 | 1/2.26 | 0.089 | 2.26 | |
| 4 | 7894 | 7/.034 | 7/.864 | 0.102 | 2.59 | |
| 10 | 10380 | 1/.1019 | 1/2.59 | 0.102 | 2.59 | |
| 10 | 10380 | 7/.0385 | 7/.978 | 0.116 | 2.93 | |
| 6 | 11840 | 1/.109 | 1/2.77 | 0.109 | 2.77 | |
| 6 | 11840 | 7/.042 | 7/1.07 | 0.126 | 3.21 | |
| 9 | 13090 | 1/.1144 | 1/2.91 | 0.1144 | 2.91 | |
| 9 | 13090 | 7/.0432 | 7/1.10 | 0.13 | 3.3 | |
| 8 | 16510 | 1/.1285 | 1/3.26 | 0.128 | 3.26 | |
| 8 | 16510 | 7/.0486 | 7/1.23 | 0.146 | 3.7 | |
| 10 | 19740 | 1/.141 | 1/3.58 | 0.141 | 3.58 | |
| 10 | 19740 | 7/.054 | 7/1.37 | 0.162 | 4.12 | |
| 7 | 20820 | 1/.1443 | 1/3.67 | 0.144 | 3.67 | |
| 7 | 20820 | 7/.0545 | 7/1.38 | 0.164 | 4.15 | |
| 6 | 26240 | 1/.162 | 1/4.11 | 0.162 | 4.11 | |
| 6 | 26240 | 7/.0612 | 7/1.55 | 0.184 | 4.66 | |
| 16 | 31580 | 7/.068 | 7/1.73 | 0.204 | 5.18 | |
| 5 | 33090 | 7/.0688 | 7/1.75 | 0.206 | 5.24 | |
| 4 | 41740 | 7/.0772 | 7/1.96 | 0.232 | 5.88 | |
| 25 | 49340 | 7/.085 | 7/2.16 | 0.255 | 6.48 | |
| 25 | 49340 | 19/.052 | 19/1.32 | 0.26 | 6.6 | |
| 3 | 52620 | 7/.0867 | 7/2.20 | 0.26 | 6.61 | |
| 2 | 66360 | 7/.0974 | 7/2.47 | 0.292 | 7.42 | |
| 35 | 69070 | 7/.100 | 7/2.54 | 0.3 | 7.62 | |
| 35 | 69070 | 19/.061 | 19/1.55 | 0.305 | 7.75 | |
| 1 | 83690 | 19/.0664 | 19/1.69 | 0.332 | 9.43 | |
| 50 | 98680 | 19/.073 | 19/1.85 | 0.365 | 9.27 | |
| 1/0 | 105600 | 19/.0745 | 19/1.89 | 0.373 | 9.46 | |
| 2/0 | 133100 | 19/.0837 | 19/2.13 | 0.419 | 10.6 | |
| 70 | 138100 | 19/.086 | 19/2.18 | 0.43 | 10.9 | |
| 3/0 | 167800 | 19/.094 | 19/2.39 | 0.47 | 11.9 | |
| 3/0 | 167800 | 37/.0673 | 37/1.71 | 0.471 | 12 | |
| 95 | 187500 | 19/.101 | 19/2.57 | 0.505 | 12.8 | |
| 95 | 187500 | 37/.072 | 37/1.83 | 0.504 | 12.8 | |
| 4/0 | 211600 | 19/.1055 | 19/2.68 | 0.528 | 13.4 | |
| 120 | 238 MCM | 37/.081 | 37/2.06 | 0.567 | 14.4 | |
| 250 MCM | 37/.0822 | 37/2.09 | 0.575 | 14.6 | ||
| 150 | 300 MCM | 37/.090 | 37/2.29 | 0.63 | 16 | |
| 350 MCM | 37/.0973 | 37/2.47 | 0.681 | 17.3 | ||
| 185 | 365 MCM | 37/.100 | 37/2.54 | 0.7 | 17.8 | |
| 400 MCM | 37/.104 | 37/2.64 | 0.728 | 18.5 | ||
| 240 | 474 MCM | 37/.114 | 37/2.90 | 0.798 | 20.3 | |
| 240 | 474 MCM | 61/.089 | 61/2.26 | 0.801 | 20.3 | |
| 500 MCM | 37/.1162 | 37/2.95 | 0.813 | 20.7 | ||
| 500 MCM | 61/.0905 | 61/2.30 | 0.814 | 20.7 | ||
| 300 | 592 MCM | 61/.099 | 61/2.51 | 0.891 | 22.6 | |
| 600 MCM | 61/.0992 | 61/2.52 | 0.893 | 22.7 | ||
| 700 MCM | 61/.1071 | 61/2.72 | 0.964 | 24.5 | ||
| 750 MCM | 61/.1109 | 61/2.82 | 0.998 | 25.4 | ||
| 750 MCM | 91/.0908 | 91/2.31 | 0.999 | 25.4 | ||
| 400 | 789 MCM | 61/.114 | 61/2.90 | 1.026 | 26.1 | |
| 800 MCM | 61/.1145 | 61/2.91 | 1.031 | 26.2 | ||
| 800 MCM | 91/.0938 | 91/2.38 | 1.032 | 26.2 | ||
| 500 | 1000 MCM | 61/.1280 | 61/3.25 | 1.152 | 29.3 | |
| 1000 MCM | 91/.1048 | 91/2.66 | 1.153 | 29.3 | ||
| 625 | 1234 MCM | 91/.117 | 91/2.97 | 1.287 | 32.7 | |
| 1250 MCM | 91/.1172 | 91/2.98 | 1.289 | 32.7 | ||
| 1250 MCM | 127/.0992 | 127/2.52 | 1.29 | 32.8 | ||
| 1500 MCM | 91/.1284 | 91/3.26 | 1.412 | 35.9 | ||
| 1500 MCM | 127/.1087 | 127/2.76 | 1.413 | 35.9 | ||
| 800 | 1579 MCM | 91/.132 | 91/3.35 | 1.452 | 36.9 | |
| 1000 | 1974 MCM | 91/.147 | 91/3.73 | 1.617 | 41.1 | |
| 2000 MCM | 127/.1255 | 127/3.19 | 1.632 | 41.5 | ||
| 2000 MCM | 169/.1088 | 169/2.76 | 1.632 | 41.5 |
For resistance and cable-sizing calculations using conductor area, see Conductor Resistance, Electrical Resistivity and Cable Sizing.
For the standard metric conductor size sequence used in IEC-based cable design, see standard cable sizes to IEC 60228.